This month is National Novel Writing Month — Nanowrimo for short. A time for cranking (crunking?) out 50,000 words of elegant prose — or crap, depending. A time (30 days, to be precise) within a time (that lacks a foreseeable end, to be depressing) of widespread unemployment among writers, many of whom used to get paid to wordsmith. Damn, man. Those were the days. more ›

School of the Art Institute of Chicago MFA grad and current teacher Justin Cooper is known from here to Rio for his wacky artistic touch, with works that often incorporate a humorous performance element. Tonight, Monique Meloche Gallery in the West Loop hosts an opening of his latest work: Paranormaldise, in which he presents a series of sculptures manipulating mostly ready-made materials from familiar places like Home Depot or the Party Store. (6-9 p.m. 118 N. Peoria.) Recently he took some time to answer a few questions about his penchant for pumpkins and thing for party bling. more ›