The new series will be revealed Saturday, November 4, 2017 from 1:00p.m – 7:00 p.m. at the Eve J. Alfille Gallery and Studio, with guests enjoying a “Bubbly Bar” and festive refreshments, a live music ensemble, raffle prizes, and Evanston-made art jewelry.
Q: Congratulations! You recently celebrated your 60th wedding anniversary, and now the 30th anniversary of your business! To what do you attribute this long and fabulous career?
Eve: To an artist, I think creating is a natural activity, like eating or drinking…exhilarating or frustrating, but always intense. “In Great Spirits” is a reminder that life can still unpack delight – that we are wired for joy as much as for doom.
Q: Is there a secret meaning in the title for your new series “In Great Spirits,” and can you elaborate on it a bit?
Eve: …You can rage at the dying of the light, you can go off on the road less traveled by, but deep down, we are social animals, and derive warmth from celebrating together such things as the harvest, a wedding or a good death.
Q: Looking back on 30 years at your gallery, is it what you expected?
Eve: As a teen, I had this romantic vision of founding an artists’ colony, housed i an ancient castle…we’d all be making art. And when I would reach the age of 36 (being ancient) I would leave this earth…didn’t completely work out this way!
Q: What is the key to longevity in both work & life, in your experience?
Eve: I worry very little. I rejoice often. I really like being part of a community, both coworkers and our patrons!
Q: What would you like to say to those who have been with the gallery since the beginning?
Eve: The absolute first thing I owe is gratitude to all those kind, patient art patrons who allowed me this extraordinary adventure!
Q: Do you still do any gold & platinum smithing work yourself?
Eve: There is never enough time in the day, so when I do, it’s done at night. This is when I can open the taps of inspiration & let ideas flow…designs evolve unbidden as a piece emerges.
Q: Are there any techniques, motifs, or materials which you plan to favor in this new series?
Eve: I think of the harvest, of fruit before it goes to the press, of the new wine, and of growing hops. Of tourmalines, green sapphires, rubies, gold in warm tones, and lush pearls…
Q: Does ‘spirit’-uality hold a place in your work?
Eve: I am thankful to our Maker for allowing us to keep the Gallery flowing all these years!
Q: As a well-travelled citizen of the world, what is the best “spirit” you have ever encountered…either drinking or otherwise!
Eve: We spent some years living in Switzerland, where people do not make friends as readily as we do – but when they finally do, friendship is marked by epic Sunday formal lunches, lasting till evening! Many good bottles are enjoyed amid lively conversation, and by the end of the day, all stand empty. But no one is tipsy – just in great spirits! So this series is a celebration of the human bond – a time when strife recedes, when tolerance and good humor remind us we need each other.
