Wilmette teen creates mini art galleries to spread joy throughout North Shore communities

Outside The Wilmette Theatre, a white box on a black pole no taller than four feet stands nestled inside a planter.

The box’s outside reads “Wilmette Little Free Art Gallery,” and a glass door displays about a dozen miniature art pieces contained inside. Fifteen minutes away, another setup stands outside Thee Old Fishbowl Art Gallery in Evanston.

Rising New Trier sophomore Clara Swibel had the idea for these mini art galleries more than a year ago and completed her first project in May.

“My whole purpose is to build community, spread joy, an appreciation of art and make it accessible since free art is not something you find a lot,” she said.

Swibel said she has always had an interest in art, adding that she started taking art classes outside of school in sixth grade.

Her idea for the mini galleries was inspired by small, free libraries she had seen around town. 

To get each gallery started, Swibel created a variety of crafts, from ceramics to canvases, for the inside. Every week, she refills the galleries with homemade art. The galleries’ sides, which read “Create Art, Take Art, Leave Art,” encourage passersby to contribute too.

So far, people have been taking art from the galleries and leaving their own works behind just as Swibel hoped.

Clara’s mother, Ruthie Swibel, said people of all ages have engaged with the galleries. Both Ruthie and Clara have seen canvases signed with children’s names and ages and watercolor paintings of birds added by a woman who was unsure if her art was “good enough.”

“It’s an open invitation to everyone and anyone to just create and share what they created,” Ruthie said.

When Clara first broached the idea to her mother, Ruthie offered her full support. But her mother said the idea did not get off the ground without a little “daydreaming and planning.”

Clara had to coordinate with the village of Wilmette to get a permit for the gallery’s Wilmette Theatre location. Amy Falkowski, program director at The Wilmette Theatre, said Clara was “a go-getter” and handled communication with the village herself.

Swibel also researched ways to make the design durable throughout Chicago weather and worked with a local artisan to build the galleries’ structure.

“Clara really took the initiative on this,” Ruthie Swibel said. “I was just really a cheerleader.”

Throughout the building and installation process, Clara has drawn attention to her galleries through her Instagram page (@littlefreeartgallery_windycity) where she posted videos of her painting the outside of the gallery boxes and setting up the insides.

Since launching the Evanston gallery in May and the Wilmette gallery in June, Clara has received encouraging feedback.

“People will come up to me and just tell me, ‘This was such a great idea. I’m having so much fun making art and seeing the art that’s there,’ and I think it’s really added a big sense of community to these different areas,” Swibel said. “It’s added a lot of joy.”

People at the theater have also commented to Falkowski about how much they enjoy the mini art gallery and what a creative idea it is — and Falkowski always gives Clara her credit.

Falkowski has added to the gallery too. After noticing it looked empty following a weekend of birthday parties, she and two staff members created small drawings to hang inside the gallery.

“Without art, in every sense, we don’t have community,” Falkowski said.

While the Wilmette and Evanston galleries have shown early signs of success, Swibel said she has already contacted other places in hopes of installing more mini galleries and expanding their reach.

“It’s just such a great way to make community through pieces of art. Pieces of art that I’ve made at my house are now in other people’s homes. I love that,” Swibel said. “I can spread the creating process and encourage other people to create.”

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