11/7/2025 Artist Reception for Julie Mars at Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg, IL From 6:30 to 8:30 PM

‘OASIS’ Art Exhibit by Julie Mars on View at the Prairie Center for the Arts in November...Scroll down to View Some of Julie's work...

Schaumburg, IL – The Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts will host Oasis, a solo art exhibition by Julie Mars, from November 2–29, 2025. The exhibition features luminous stained glass and bead mosaics on convex mirrors, celebrating the dynamic beauty of our ever-changing home planet.

A public artist reception will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Prairie Center for the Arts, located at 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, IL 60193.

For this exhibition, Mars has curated a collection of her work inspired by the natural forces that sustain life on Earth. Her mosaics, built on convex mirrors, invite viewers to experience a sense of the Overview Effect—the transformative perspective astronauts describe when seeing Earth from space.

“Each piece has a unique point of view, as though you are floating above the Earth,” Mars explains. “I hope this big-picture view gives visitors and patrons an appreciation of the exquisite complexity, beauty, and fragility of our life-giving home world.”

Mars’ affinity for glass lies in its rich spectrum of colors, lusters, and translucencies. Recently, she has expanded her practice into working with scrap stained glass, extending her exploration of light and form.

A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Mars brings decades of experience as an artist, gallerist, and museum administrator. She has also contributed to the suburban arts community as a curator and arts administrator at the Addison Center for the Arts, and as an active member of several art guilds.

Sustainability is central to Mars’ work. By incorporating salvaged and repurposed materials into her mosaics, she encourages viewers to reflect on our impact on the environment while finding beauty in reuse.

For more information about Julie Mars and her work, visit jamfinearts.com or email jamarsart@gmail.com.For details about the Prairie Center for the Arts and visitor information, visit prairiecenter.org or call 847-895-3600.