Sandra Leonard: The World Between at 2950 North Sheridan
Sandra Leonard: The World Between
With sculptures by John Colson
September 24 – November 27, 2026, at 2950 N Sheridan, Chicago
The Cultural Reflections Program at 2950 N Sheridan presents The World Between, an exhibition of new work by Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist Sandra Leonard, with sculptures by John Colson. From September 24th through November 27th, 2026, the exhibition turns the lobby and common areas of this luxury high-rise in East Lakeview into a surreal landscape of fabric dye paintings, sculptures and performance.
About the Artist
Leonard works across painting, wearable sculpture, performance and installation. She often combines these forms into immersive environments that feel mysterious and invite escape, with a process that draws on the Surrealist idea of automatism. She begins each fabric dye painting with no plan or reference and applies the dye with a syringe. Because the syringe gives her less control than a brush, each painting starts as an exchange between artist and material.
“After the base painting has sat and dried, I return to the piece to read and interpret the abstract forms,” Leonard says. “By eliciting stylized foliage and absurd creatures, I draw the viewer into a dreamlike landscape.” Her work leaves the story open, so each viewer brings their own reading to the images. Colson’s sculptures share the space with her paintings and add another dimension to the world between the real and the imagined.
About the Cultural Reflections Program
The Cultural Reflections Program began in fall 2023. It rests on the belief that art transcends differences and contributes to a community’s social well-being. Its mission is to build community through the power of art by supporting up-and-coming and established Chicago artists with a series of exhibitions, artist talks and musical performances.
The program rethinks where and how art is shown. It turns the building’s lobby and common areas into rotating galleries and performance spaces, uplifting residents’ daily living experience. The result is a “living gallery,” an alternative to the traditional white cube.
Over its first three years, the program has presented a wide range of Chicago voices:
- Maurice Sullins, Through Distant Windows
- Marvin Tate, Rhythms in Fragments
- Fawn Penn and Delia Pelli-Walbert, Face to Face
- Photographers from FreshLens Chicago
- Megan Williamson, Folded Space
- Lee Tracy, Paintings from the Archives 2005-2014
- Sebastien Johnson, Eurotrash
- Jeff Zimmermann, Jeff Zimmermann
- An outdoor concert by cellist and composer Katinka Kleijn
- A performance by Rabbit Foot Puppetry
Leonard’s exhibition follows Evanescent Earth, a photography show by Dan Scott, Junko Yokota, Patty Pedroza and Judy Whalen, which captured fleeting natural phenomena across landscapes, the night sky and wildlife.
The program has also become a hub for community in the building. Openings, talks and performances bring residents and neighbors together, turning passing acquaintances into lasting friendships. For participating artists, each exhibition opens the door to a new network of engaged audiences and collectors and has often led to their work being placed in notable private collections. In recognition of its work, 2950 N Sheridan was selected for Chicago Exhibition Weekend 2025 alongside the city’s established alternative exhibition spaces.
Exhibition Details
- Exhibition: Sandra Leonard: The World Between, with sculptures by John Colson
- Location: 2950 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60657
- Dates: September 24 – November 27, 2026
- Admission: Free
- Viewing hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Sunday