Solo Shows
Eye See Ravenswood, City Scenes, Chicago, IL: 2023
“Clark Street Cab” Wine Tasting Event (featuring my painting Andersonville Water Tank), In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL: October 30, 2021
Cornelia Arts Building - Lobby Gallery, Chicago, IL: 2020, 2018
Firecat Projects (This Must Be The Place), Chicago, IL: July 24 - August 22, 2015
In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL: April 2014
The Writers WorkSpace, Chicago, IL: 2010-2014
Urbanest, Chicago, IL: 2006-2011
Wishbone, Chicago, IL: 2009, 2006, 2004
StoryStudio, Chicago, IL: 2008
Feed the Beast, Chicago, IL: 2006-2007
Pause, Chicago, IL: 2005
Café Boost, Chicago, IL: 2005, 2001-2003
Starbuck's (Roscoe Village), Chicago, IL: 2005, 2003
Seattle's Best Coffee (Various Locations), Chicago, IL: 2002-2004
Pauline's, Chicago, IL: 2003
Bourgeois Pig, Chicago, IL: 2003
Group Shows
Ravenswood Art Walk, Open Studios, Chicago, IL: September 16-17, 2023
Cityscape Chicago, Palette & Chisel Gallery, Chicago, IL: September 2-26, 2022
WHERE ART WORKS: Artist Communities and Creative Placemaking (co-curator and exhibitor), Eat Paint Studio, Chicago, IL: December 17, 2021 - January 21, 2022
Cornelia Arts Building (Studio Open House), Chicago, IL: 2006-2021
Art Pop Shop, presented by The Wright House, Forest Park, IL: December 19-24, 2020
Inside/Outside (group show), The Art Center of Highland Park, Highland Park, IL: June 14 - August 3, 2019
State Street Gallery, Robert Morris University, (Sights, Sounds, and Sensations of the City), Chicago, IL: September 1 - December 22, 2015
Illinois State Museum (The People’s Show), Lockport, IL: August - September 2015
Degenerate Art Gallery, (Anniversary Show) Chicago, IL: July 2014
Degenerate Art Gallery, (Outsider) Chicago, IL: March 2014
Inspiration Corporation (One Inspired Evening), Plumbers Union Hall, Chicago, IL: March 7, 2014
Degenerate Art Gallery, (Black, White & Grey) Chicago, IL: Nov 2013-Feb 2014
Degenerate Art Gallery, (November Local Artists Show) Chicago, IL: 2013
Degenerate Art Gallery, (Chicago Artists' Month Exhibition) Chicago, IL: 2013
Creatives Rising - Linc LIC Building (digital projection of painting), Queens, NY: 2013
See.Me Gallery (Creatives Rising), Long Island City, NY: 2013
Angel Orensanz Foundation for Contemporary Art (Story of the Creative), New York, NY: 2013
See.Me Gallery (Story of the Creative), Long Island City, NY: 2013
Fine Arts Building (Third Coast Diaspora), Chicago, IL: 2013
Hitachi Consulting, Chicago, IL: 2013-2014
South Loop Acupuncture, Chicago, IL: 2012-2014
Transistor, Chicago, IL: 2011-2014
Xanadu Gallery (online gallery artist), Scottsdale, AZ, 2012-2015
Rochester Contemporary Art Center (6x6), Rochester, NY: 2012
Blackbird Gallery (Ravenswood PinkWalk), Chicago, IL: 2011
Ravenswood Art Walk (Cornelia Arts Building), Chicago, IL: 2002-2011
The NextWave Art Salon, Elgin, IL: 2010
CAC Chicago Art Open (Merchandise Mart), Chicago, IL: 2008
Art on the Move Tours (Cornelia Arts Building), Chicago, IL: 2008
Friends of the Arts (Annual Members Show), Chicago, IL: 2003-2009
Wishbone, Chicago, IL: 2007-2008
The Art House Gallery (Better Living Through Chemistry), Oak Park, IL: 2006
Bailiwick Theatre, Chicago: 2004-2006
Andersonville Arts Weekend, Chicago, IL: 2003-2006
Mount Adams Pavilion, Cincinnati, OH: 2005
Cornelia Arts Building (Art for Charity Days), Chicago, IL: 2004-2005
Landmark Arts Gallery (Urban Consonance), Chicago, IL: 2005
Around the Coyote Winter Arts Festival (Flatiron Arts Building), Chicago, IL: 2005
@tmosphere (Silent Auction for Pierce Elementary School), Chicago, IL: 2004
Café Boost (FOTA Artist Showcase), Chicago, IL: 2003-2004
Fast Frame (Andersonville), Chicago, IL: 2004
Peter Jones Gallery (Art-On), Chicago, IL: 2004
Laine-Art Gallerie (Chicago Photography Project) Berlin, Germany: 2003-2004
University of Chicago Hospitals (75th Anniversary), Chicago, IL: 2003
Aldo Castillo Gallery (Genesis House Benefit Auction), Chicago, IL: 2003
The Know Show (Andersonville), Chicago, IL: 2002
Custom Projects
Custom Wine Label “Clark Street Cab” (featuring my painting Andersonville Water Tank), In Fine Spirits wine shop, Chicago, 2021
Xavier (Sunflower Slow Drag - mural; digital reproduction of collaboration painting with Scott Simons installed on 18 floors), Chicago, 2015
The Jones Chicago (Red Line Stop, Along the River, Watertank), Chicago, 2015
DAC Group (Neighbors, Reflections in Green, Michigan Ave Crossing, Electric Blue Marina, Wrigley Building, Yellow Tower, Trumped by the River), Chicago, 2014
Mile North Hotel (Marina Towers, Fine Arts Building, Printer's Row, Steel and Glass), Chicago, IL, 2013
Chicago Hilton and Suites (Printer's Row, Navy Pier Swings), Chicago, IL, 2013
Hyatt Place (Kingsbury Water Tank, Steel and Glass), Chicago, IL, 2013
Coast at Lakeshore East (Marina Towers), Chicago, IL, 2013
Sheraton Hotel and Suites (Chicago Cityscape - photo reproduction in 250 guest rooms), Elk Grove Village, IL, 2008
Private Collections + Commissions
Work in Various Private Collections: Illinois; New York; Washington, D.C.; Minnesota; Seattle, WA; Portsmouth, VA; Phoenix, AZ; Knoxville, Tennessee; Barcelona, Spain; Berlin, Germany; Toronto, Canada; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Commission Painting, Wells Street Bridge Viewfinder, Private Collection, 2021
Commission Painting, Express Train, Private Collection, 2016
Commission Painting, Bridges to Chicago, Private Collection, 2013
Commission Painting, Chicago Lakefront Cityscape, Private Collection, 2012
Commission Painting, West Loop Cityscape, Private Collection, 2012
Commission Painting, Wrigleyville, Private Collection, Chicago, 2007
Commission Painting, Lobster Boy, Private Collection, Chicago, 2006
Press
Sunflower Slow Drag (image featured), Justified: City Primeval, FX, 2023
22 Unique Ways to Bring Texture into Your Apartment, Redfin blog (March 28, 2023)
Show Catalog, Cityscape Chicago, Palette & Chisel Gallery, Chicago, IL (September 2-26, 2022)
Virtual Artist Talk: Where Art Works: Artist Communities and Creative Placemaking, Zoom (January 15, 2022)
“Where Art Works: Artist Communities and Creative Placemaking,” How a Northside Studio Building Became a Community Anchor, Chicago Gallery News (December 17, 2021)
Art World Chicago, artist profile (September 2021)
Expert Tips For Creating The Ultimate Home Art Studio by Ryan Castillo, Redfin blog (February 23, 2021)
Introducing Yourself with Authority and Grace, by Gigi Rosenberg (April 2, 2020)
How to Nail Your Elevator Speech by Gigi Rosenberg, Professional Artist Magazine (February-March 2019)
Thought-Provokers: Meet Kevin Swallow, interview, VoyageChicago (December 6, 2018)
The Grid: Exploring the Roscoe Village neighborhood (feature on Cornelia Arts Building at 7:48 which also includes my art) Chicago Sun-Times (July 11, 2018)
Where Magazine - Chicago (Cornelia Arts Building feature), May 2016
Water Towers and Kevin Swallow’s Urban Landscapes by Philip Hartigan, Praeterita (August 22, 2015)
Review: Kevin Swallow/Firecat Projects, by Chris Miller, New City Art (August 10, 2015)
Outside The Loop #458: Chicago water tower paintings, A mobbed-up cop’s story, The Secret History of local Elvis impersonator Rick Saucedo, WGN Radio 720 AM (July 25, 2015)
Artist Kevin Swallow finds an abundance of inspiration in Chicago’s cityscapes, by Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times (July 22, 2015)
Andersonville Artist Pays Tribute to City’s Disappearing Old Water Tanks, by Mina Bloom, DNAInfo (July 9, 2015)
Swallow Paints the Town With City Scenes, NIU Alumni Association, MyNIU.com (July 23, 2015)
The 34 Best Things to Do This Summer in Chicago – ART: This Must Be The Place, by Tomi Obaro and Matt Pollock, Chicago Magazine (July 2015)
This Must Be the Place, Go: What to Do – Art & Design, by Jason Foumberg, Chicago Magazine (July-August, 2015)
Kevin Swallow: This Must Be The Place, Calendar Feature, Chicago Gallery News (July-August, 2015)
The WIP Project: What Is Painting? Featuring Kevin Swallow, NeotericART (Nov 7, 2014)
From Outside to Inside on Chicago’s North Side, by Philip A Hartigan, Hyperallergic, New York, NY (2014)
A Chicago art incubator works hard to bring original art to your walls, NorthCenter-RoscoeVillage Patch (2014)
Outside the Loop Radio: Episode #367 (88.7FM – WLUW), Chicago, IL (2013)
Chicago Skyline (salmon sky) published in “In Living Color,” PureWow Magazine (2013)
Cornelia Arts Building listing, Chicago Gallery News: Sept-Dec 2013 Issue: (2013)
Video Interview, Genesis Art Supply – artsupply.com, Chicago, IL (2013)
Praeterita – Six of the Best, Part 25: Kevin Swallow by Philip A Hartigan (2013)
Featured artist in Dick Blick 2013 Spring catalog (2013)
Video Interview (part 1), Third Coast Diaspora, Fine Arts Building, Chicago, IL (2013)
Video Interview (part 2), Third Coast Diaspora, Fine Arts Building, Chicago, IL (2013)
Studio Feature, Hyperallergic – A View from the Easel, New York, NY (2012)
Interview, NeotericART, Chicago, IL (2011)
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Media Communications, Northern Illinois University, 1993
Courses in painting, drawing, screen-printing, and digital, Lillstreet Art Center: 2001-2013
Volunteer + Related Experience
Intranet Product Management, Web Production, and Internet Marketing, various technology and media companies, 1994-2024
Volunteer, DJ, & Marketing Director, CHIRP Radio: 2015-2024
Marketing & Planning Committee, Cornelia Arts Building, Chicago: 2012-2022
Artist Talk & “Fish Hooks” Presentation, SapientRazorfish: 2018
Creative Director, Chicago Writers Conference: 2011-2017
Email Marketing Communications, Friends of the Arts (FOTA): 2006-2014
Panelist, DIY Art Marketing Workshop - RAWednesdays, Chicago: 2010-2011
Logo design/photography, CreatorCamp Chicago: 2011
Curator/Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator, FOTA: 2003-2006
DJ, Music Staff, and Station Manager, WKDI Radio, DeKalb, IL 1989-1993
Studio Information
My current studio is located in an industrial building in Chicago’s Ravenswood Industrial Corridor
My previous studio was located in the Cornelia Arts Building from September, 2006 to March, 2022
Please email me if you’d like to schedule a studio visit to view my work in person or a virtual studio visit