Peter Wyroba, a resident of Brookfield, has been selected for participation in the 11th Annual Chicago Art Open, the largest annual survey of Chicagoland artists. Wyroba will present the work “STOP! (Don’t Stop)” alongside works by nearly 300 local artists.

Wyroba has been painting for eight years and mostly works with acrylics on canvas. His first experience with painting was in an auto shop where he refinished cars. When he grew tired of his daily routine, he taught himself how to paint and draw. He now works out of his home and most of his canvas paintings are done with an airbrush.

“I accidentally learned about the airbrush from a movie,” says Wyroba, “I had no idea what the guy was using until I went to an art store and described it to them.”

Since then, Wyroba has become enthralled with the airbrush and has not put it down. He recently combined his artistic talent with his experience of an ex-car refinisher to do custom paintwork on helmets, motorcycles and guitars.

Wyroba’s work has been shown in Chicago galleries such as High Risk Gallery, Morpho Gallery and Effe Leven gallery located in Chicago’s River North arts district.

The annual Chicago Art Open features approximately 300 works of art in all media, including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, video and installation art. All artwork in the exhibition is for sale, and many artists make valuable connections with local collectors, curators, and art professionals as a result of their involvement.

The event will run from Oct. 3-19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. A formal opening benefit will take place on Friday, Oct. 3 from 6 to 10 p.m.

For more information visit www.chicagoartopen.org.

Solid sister

Lauren Teune, a Bradley University senior majoring in secondary education and English, is a recipient of Kappa Delta sorority’s prestigious Corre Anding Stegall Leadership Award.

The Riverside native received her award during the sorority’s National Leadership Conference, which was held this summer in Boston.

The leadership awards are presented each year to the top echelon of Kappa Delta student leaders who have demonstrated high academic performance and outstanding leadership within their chapters and on their college campuses. These awards are the highest individual honor that Kappa Delta gives to undergraduate members and were awarded this year to 10 young women from across the nation.

Teune is a member of Kappa Delta’s Eta Beta chapter and has served the sorority as academics and scholarship chairman, sisterhood enrichments team leader, and pan-Hellenic executive board delegate.

Honored

At the Brookfield VFW’s 75th anniversary picnic on Sept. 7 at Kiwanis Park, the group gave recognition and appreciation awards to Bill Russ, Wil Brennan and Ann Marie Ogden for their continued support and active involvement over the last several years.

Russ was also selected last month to serve a one-year term as senior vice commander of the Brookfield VFW Post 2868 Men’s Auxiliary.