OPAL Artist Residency
We are pleased to welcome Elise Holowicki as our next OPAL Artist in Residence. Elise will be leading a workshop series during her residency, April - June 2026 and plans to develop a mural project that will span the entire year. Look for more details on how to join Elise and a cohort of artists and art and history curious participants on this journey with the Seekers.
Elise Holowicki April -June 2026
OPAL History, Community Workshop Series
OPAL History is a five-part workshop taking place in the Spring of 2026, led by OPAL artist in residence Elise Holowicki, with guest instructors and speakers.
Throughout sessions, participants will learn about events of 1954 in Oak Park involving a burgeoning cult of alien acolytes, a prophecy, and the community response to national attention around these occurrences.
Artists will explore themes in weekly projects to propel their practice in terms of personal reflection, dissecting themes, and implicit integration into their work. Unpacking the history and coining of the term cognitive dissonance in 1956, participants will be challenged to draw present-day inferences that will help inform the final group project of the workshop.
Culminating in a community group mural project participants will have the opportunity to complete their own mural and become a part of OPAL history.
Details of an event in December ‘26 in celebration of the workshop and OPAL’s 105th year to be announced.
OPAL’s residency program began in May 2024 and is once again open for residency proposals through November 2025. Visit Artist Residency page for more details and past residency projects.
Mami Takahashi, Bethany Cordero, Shanelle Harrison, Betty Kim
