Caricature Artist

Lothar has been drawing crowds for over 2 decades. He owns and operates one of the area's premiere caricature retail locations. Having studied at the National Academies of Vienna and Basel, he earned a Master Degree in Fine Arts from Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Academy. He excels in a variety of artistic expressions: humorous traditional caricatures, full service digital caricatures (on-site print-outs, up-loads, CDs, giant plasma screen projections), dramatic fast full length people sketches, Renaissance style portrait sketches and amazing 3-D silhouettes.

He also belongs to an exclusive club of a handful of caricaturists, who   can produce a high quality caricature within one single lonely minute. He is charming, funny and highly entertaining. Those lucky few who had the good fortune of having witnessed his performance happily attest to his outstanding manners. In his studio he executes high detail customized caricature and portrait illustrations to acknowledge individuals or groups for their professional aplishments or as gift items for weddings, mitzvahs and other family functions. 

He has also executed ecclesiastic, public and private murals, which have been published internationally through print, television and electronic media. Be it through portraiture, mural art or his own studio work, Mr. Speer aims at contextualizing the aesthetic and technical processes of traditional figurativism with the social and spiritual issues of our time.

A list of his corporate event and illustration clients include Chase Manhattan, Leo Burnettpany, Loyola University, Mcdonalds Corportation, Midamerica Bank, Motorola, Northwestern University, Notre Dame Unviersity, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Chicago Bulls, The Chicago Tribune, The Cubs, The White Sox, University of Illinois and the University of Chicago.

His studio provides an unusual venue and opportunity to study art. All classes follow the 19th century French curriculum, which builds students' skills by requiring them to learn to draw from plaster casts and to copy master drawings.. Lothar firmly believes that drawing can be taught to anyone. In the technology driven post-modern art world, Lothar feels that many artists lack the drawing skills that they need to excel. His classes stress the artist's process of learning how to see things, which he feels is a selective, active and psychological process.

Students not only learn, but experience The Renaissance Project philosophy first hand. He   provides his students with keys to the studio, so they cane in to work anytime, using its baroque atmosphere as inspiration. Plans are also in the works to develop a gallery space appropriate for art openings, so that those who appreciate art can visit the studio and experience what goes on behind its doors.

Classes are available at The Renaissance Project at $300 for 10 weeks, and include three hours a week of one-on-one teaching time.   A brochure will be available soon detailing the class offerings. Art collectors and enthusiasts can contact the studio if they are interested in acquiring works of art or inmissioning a piece.

Collectors, students and enthusiasts of traditional fine art are wee to set up an appointment for the uniqe experience of visiting a European Old Master's studio, andmissioning or purchasing original works of fine art.

Samples and rates are available upon inquiry.

 

Among other cities, Faces in Focus may serve the following areas: Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Aurora, Joliet, Oak Lawn, Bedford Park, Schaumburg, Harwood Heights, Lincolnwood, Naperville, Oak Brook, Shorewood, Barrington Hills, Beach Park, Bolingbrook, Downers Grove, Elgin, Evanston, Green Oaks, Hinsdale, Lemont, Lockport, Melrose Park, Norridge, Oak Park, Palatine, Plainfield, Romeoville, Volo, Algonquin