Gallery 901

Exhibitions at Gallery 901 feature artists and community organizations whose work reflects Open Studio Project’s vision that art is a path to wellbeing. This vision includes artists of all kinds, from professionals whose work has been shown in commercial galleries and museums, to self-taught artists who have never shown their work before. As a community-based gallery, our exhibitions are designed to foster dialogue, reflection, and connection, and we invite all audiences to engage with the diverse perspectives on display.

CURRENT SHOW

HILARITY ENSUES

Louis DeMarco’s Sitcom Universe

Opening Reception: Saturday, February 7, 3-5pm

On view through February 28, 2026

Ticketed performance (SOLD OUT!) of “Leave it to Beav Montauk,” featuring Louis DeMarco and the Project Onward Players at 5:30pm.

HILARITY ENSUES is an immersive trip into the mind of Project Onward artist Louis DeMarco and his imaginary sitcom Toaster's. Set in a fictional bar, Toaster’s is inspired by the artist’s obsession with the TV shows Cheers and Friends, but DeMarco has transformed it into something both highly personal and totally absurd. The cast of Toaster’s is populated by real people from DeMarco’s life, thrown into storylines that include rakish doppelgangers, misbehaving sports mascots, and the occasional spontaneous combustion. The exhibition pulls together over a hundred original drawings, paintings, and animated videos that illuminate Louis DeMarco’s sitcom universe. 

Louis DeMarco (b. 1985) is an artist, musician, and writer with autism. He joined Project Onward in 2005 and his work has been exhibited and collected worldwide.

Join us for the Opening Reception on Saturday, February 7, from 3 - 5 PM.

Following the reception, Project Onward presents TOASTER’S LIVE at Open Studio Project, a special performance of the Toaster’s episode “Leave it to Beav Montauk,” featuring Louis DeMarco and the Project Onward Players. Seating is limited and tickets are required (SOLD OUT)!

Upcoming Show - March 7, 2026 - Edwige Massart, Xavier Wynn & Oscar Joyo

PAST GALLERY SHOWS @ GALLERY 901

Promotional poster for an art event titled 'Free Your Mind: The Art of Margarita Inn' featuring three paintings: a landscape with a tree, water, and a colorful sky; a collection of decorated Easter eggs with words like 'Happiness' and 'Peace'; and an abstract seascape with a tree by the water. The event takes place from November 1 to December 1, 2025, at Gallery 901, 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, supported by Illinois Arts Council and Connections for the Homeless.
A promotional poster for the art exhibition titled "Visibility" by Artists of Search Inc. featuring hand-drawn sketches of various characters and creatures, with text providing event details including opening reception on October 4, 2025, from 2-4 pm, at Gallery 901, 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL 60202.
Colorful spiral watercolor painting with text overlay promoting the 2025 Facilitator Show at Open Studio Project with opening reception on September 6, 2025, from 5-7 PM at 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, and on view through September 29. The Open Studio Project logo appears in the top right corner.
An art poster promoting an art exhibition titled 'Night of the Soul' with a face sculpture with gold cracks, surrounded by illustrations of faces and abstract designs, with event details and location.
Promotional poster for an art gallery opening, featuring a photograph of people standing in front of an old neighborhood with boarded-up and weathered houses, under a blue sky.
Event poster with event details and location, featuring a mirrored or symmetrical design with leafy or organic motifs.
Poster for Friedrich Nitsch's art exhibit titled "The Nervous Circus" featuring vintage-style collage imagery of a smiling man and woman hanging in midair, a large skull illustration, and a red backpack, with text about the opening reception details and display dates.
Abstract mixed-media artwork with bold splash of red, blue, and black paint, and scattered text, announcing Matthew Schaefer's art exhibition opening reception on June 7, 2025, at Gallery 901 in Evanston, Illinois.
Colorful mixed media art exhibit poster with a crumpled metallic yellow balloons featuring a smiling face with black eyes, a blue tear, and painted pink cheeks, surrounded by vibrant abstract paint splashes and drawings.
Poster for the 'Come Together' benefit art exhibition featuring 25 artists, organized by Open Studio Project, running from November 2-23, 2024, at Gallery 901 in Evanston, IL. The poster displays a hand sculpture with a spiral design on the palm.
Flyer for Emma Adams' art exhibition titled 'Head in the Clouds' featuring two abstract cloud paintings, with opening reception details and gallery address.
Poster for an art exhibition featuring Patrick M. Palsgrove's show titled 'A/Symmetry' at Gallery 901. The exhibit runs from October 5 to October 27, 2024, with an opening reception on October 5 from 5 to 7 PM. The poster displays abstract collage art with earthy tones and textures and mentions themes such as collage, etching, and relief.
Poster for 'Natura Manufactus,' a multimedia exhibition by Maira Egan, featuring a close-up of a dried or decayed artichoke at the top, with event details including opening reception on December 7th from 6 pm to 9 pm, display until January 25th, 2025, at 901 Sherman, Evanston, IL, and a logo for Open Studio Project.
Poster for an art exhibition titled 'Still At It' at Gallery 901, featuring a central photograph of an elderly man with white hair, glasses, wearing a plaid shirt, smiling and sitting at a table. The poster also includes images of colorful paintings of a man dancing and celebrating. Text on the poster provides details about the exhibition, curated and photographed by Alan Teller, with an opening reception on September 7, 2024, from 3 to 5 pm, running until September 30, 2024, at 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL.
A poster promoting an art and wellness event at Gallery 901, running from July 6 to July 31, 2024. The poster features an abstract, colorful ceramic bowl with a fiery orange interior. The event includes an opening reception on July 13, 2024, from 3 to 5 PM at 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL. The Open Studio Project logo is at the bottom right.
Poster for RBC Artistry exhibit featuring a colorful, neon-style dinosaur and plants against a sunset background, with event details and gallery information.
Mixed media art poster for 'Half-Mourning' art show by Clare Bollnow, featuring expressive portrait paintings of diverse women with a floral background, opening March 2nd at Open Studio Project, Evanston, Illinois.
Flyer for an art exhibition on Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 10 AM to 3 PM at 727 Main Street, parking lot, sponsored by Open Studio Project. The flyer includes a collage-style artwork featuring a man holding an umbrella, a large moon, buildings, trees, and a bridge, with various logos of sponsors at the bottom.
A collage art piece made of torn patches of a photograph of a yellow house with white trim, surrounded by green leaves with some fall-colored leaves, overlaid with event information for an art exhibit and community meetup.
Colorful illustrated poster for an art exhibition titled 'Mikki Jay: A Retrospective' featuring Miles Burke and Marty Lash, including drawings of a city skyline, a woman with long hair sitting on a bench, a black cat, and various surreal elements, with event details at the bottom.
Poster for an art exhibition titled 'Codartist' by Tim Holliman and Mark Suntres, featuring two artwork images: a colorful portrait of a person with glasses and a beard on the left, and a drawing of a tall building with a green background on the right. The event is at Gallery 901 in Evanston, Illinois, from December 2 to January 30, with an opening reception on December 2, 3-5 PM.
Poster for Uncaged Art exhibition featuring colorful artwork of a bird with a multicolored tail and wings, and text about the event details, including dates, location, and sponsors.
Artistic collage of two human faces made of various objects including shells, glass, electronics, and stones, facing each other, with the title 'HEADS' and event details at the bottom.
Cover of an art exhibit poster for Tiny Eulogies by Carla Bruni, featuring colorful embroidered patches shaped like various objects and characters arranged in a sunburst pattern around a central religious icon, with details about the gallery and event dates.
A black-and-white poster with the title 'Economical Meal' in large, glowing letters. The poster features a robotic hand holding a hamburger, with text explaining that society is changing to AI-powered food and prices as marked. It contains a humorous and dystopian message about technological advances replacing traditional food.
Poster for an OSP Facilitator Exhibition at Gallery 901 from September 2 to September 30, 2023, with an opening reception on September 9, 2023, from 3 to 5 PM, located at 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL 60202.
Poster advertising an art exhibition titled 'Harmonic Analysis' by Darin Walsh, featuring paintings on canvas representing mathematical models of reality and thought. The exhibition opens on July 15, 2023, from 3 to 6 pm, at Gallery 901, 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL, and is on display from July 1 to July 31, 2023. The poster includes an abstract, colorful painting and the Open Studio Project logo.
A colorful quilt featuring a pattern of yellow sunflowers with brown centers on a blue background, framed with a yellow border. The bottom right corner shows the artist's signature, 'Helianthus.'
Poster for an art exhibition featuring a collage of a woman's face, with overlapping photographic and painted elements, titled 'Barbara Murphy: Characters, Creatures + Wannabe Superheroes'. The exhibition opens on March 17, 2023, at Gallery 901 in Evanston, Illinois, with details on opening hours and show dates.
Poster for an art exhibition featuring a mixed-media artwork composed of yarn, wood, and fabric, with annotations describing weaving, 2D work, sculpture, and community of visually impaired adults. The event is at Gallery 901 from May 6 to May 31, 2023, located at 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL, presented by Open Studio Project.
Poster for William Douglas art exhibition titled "Firsts and Lasts" at Gallery 901, opening February 4 from 3 to 5 pm, running until March 5, 2023, located at 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston, Illinois. The poster features a colorful, abstract artwork with symmetrical patterns and vibrant colors.
A poster for an art exhibit titled "Sanctuary Between Worlds" at Gallery 901, 901 Sherman Ave, Evanston. It features colorful artwork: one piece is a portrait of a bearded man with a multicolored background, and the other is a bright, stylized portrait of a woman with two small children. The exhibit is by Dayna Block and Ted Harris, opening on November 12 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, and running until December 23, 2022.