“A lot of people came to be folk artists because they had some personal crisis in their lives,” explains playwright and folk-art collector Michael Blackwell. “Almost every one of them has had a spouse pass away or a physical illness or something catastrophic happen in their lives that has led them to pick up a pen or a knife to start drawing or whittling or shaping something. They find solace in their art, and the art draws people to them.”
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For Chicago actor Tekki Lomnicki, who calls herself a “little person,” it was her diminutive stature that propelled her to seek a career–and solace–in the arts. For Blackwell, first collecting folk art, then the tales that folk artists tell, has provided an escape from his nine-to-five advertising career.
When Heck Was a Puppy, produced by the newly formed Tellin’ Tales theater company, opens today at Blue Rider Theatre, 1822 S. Halsted, and plays through July 10. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7. Tickets are $10 for all performances except tonight’s $25 benefit performance. For reservations call 486-5636.
