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Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Grass Lake boasts colorful history, abandoned island for sale
On board the Grass Lake Port of Blarney shuttle, through the mist of lake water, riders can see a small, abandoned island just barely keeping its head above the water. A few ramshackle buildings stand precariously, with the ruins of a few others scattered around the island. The 1.2-acre island recently had its 15 minutes of fame, although less as a media darling and more as an ugly duckling, with its $200,000 listing drawing plenty of jokes about its rundown condition. But just a hundred yards away sits Blarney Island, a popular stilt house bar, and its owner Rob Hardman admitted, with some humor, that he was disappointed news interest largely ended at the property lines of his island neighbor. 'It's kind of ironic that I got contacted by at least five or six reporters wanting to do stories about that, but not about the 124-year-old tourist attraction,' he said. As Hardman and other local historians see it, the island is a small peek into the rich history of the area, such as Blarney Island itself, and the Chain-o-Lakes has more to offer than just a sinking island for sale. According to Hardman, Grass Lake was originally known for its lotus flower beds, back when the water levels were lower. The blooms would bring people from around the country and even the world, including those interested in their purported medicinal qualities. Old postcards show the waters teeming with flowers, but today, they're limited to no-wake zones. At that time, what would later become Blarney Island sat on land. After the construction of the McHenry Dam in 1908, water levels slowly began to rise. As the story goes — and details can vary depending on the teller and their appetite for theatrics — there were two businesses near each other back when the water level was several feet down. One was Rohema, a resort owned by 'Shorty' Shobin, and the other was owned by one Jack O'Connor. In Hardman's version, the Italian and Irish mobs ran booze through the Fox River into Chicago during Prohibition, but when it ended, times got tough, and the two owners decided to wager their businesses in a poker game. 'Shorty loses, gets up from the table and blows his head off,' Hardman said. Then, O'Connor takes it over and renames it Blarney Island because, 'in addition to being a castle in a county in Ireland, it's also a Gaelic slang for bull — and he was bluffing in the game, so he won by BS-ing. So he decided to call it Blarney Island.' Clement Haley, the previous owner of Blarney Island and an area historian, knows that version, as well as some less colorful tellings, although he'd always heard Shorty shot himself at one of the cottages on the small island. Clem Haley said it was called Blarney Island because those on the island were a bunch of big talkers. Regardless of how rigorously fact-checked the stories may be (a Dunn Museum write-up about Blarney Island indicates the name change happened sometime around 1923, nearly a decade before the end of Prohibition), the tale shows some of the area's storied past. Previous Blarney Island owners Clem and his brother John Haley came into the picture decades later in the 1970s, well after the construction of the Stratton Lock and Dam in the late 1930s had made Blarney Island a true waterlocked island. Clem Haley, after serving in Vietnam, returned to the States and took over the island, rebuilding it along with his brother. The two recalled their summers coming out after the ice had melted to do repairs and work. The nearby island was owned by several Polish steelworkers from the city, John Haley said, who used it as a hunting retreat. Each building was a different hunting club, such as the Horseshoe Club, which is one of the few buildings still standing. The brothers had fond memories of the small island's previous owners. 'They were over here partying all the time, and they had parties over there,' John Haley said. 'We'd run over and party with them, and come back and forth when we weren't working.' The island would continue to act as a hunting retreat for decades, well into the 2000s, but it went quiet more than a decade ago. 'The guys got old, they all died, and then people started buying (from) each other. They got down to one guy owning the entire piece of property, Tom Nedved,' John Haley said. Today, it's reportedly owned by Kim Renner, who bought it in 2020 for just $50,000. The brothers say they have never met Renner. Hardman said the island has had at least two fires, and he isn't too certain about its future. 'It's worth a negative number,' Hardman said, pointing to how degraded it had become, requiring extensive investment to simply contain it. Additionally, it's on the flood plain, he said, and would face electricity and septic system hurdles as well. 'Maybe that's a campsite, but that's a pretty expensive campsite,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Libertyville's Dunn Museum displaying famed comic book artist's portraits of heroes and villains
One hundred portraits of good guys and bad guys created by celebrated comic book artist Alex Ross will be on display in 'Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains,' June 29 – Feb. 16 at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville. 'We wanted to bring Alex Ross to the Dunn Museum because he is one of the world's most renowned comic book artists, known for his distinctive and powerful visual style,' said Director of Education Alyssa Firkus. 'His work allows us to reach a broader audience — people who might not normally come through our doors.' Firkus noted that Alex's distinctive style is 'influenced by classic American Illustration,' which he studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. 'The exhibition will feature all of the top DC and Marvel heroes and villains,' Firkus reported. Ross, whose work was previously exhibited at the Dunn Museum in 2019 with 'Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross,' is such a fan of the museum that he said, 'I was very happy to be back there. They could have me every year if they wanted.' The artist said that he was surprised to learn that this is the largest show of his work that has ever been exhibited. 'I didn't know it was that wide of a show because it's all focused on one subject of work that I've done,' Ross admitted. The subjects included in the exhibit are the prime characters in both Marvel and DC Comics. It's a relief to know that good outweighs the bad in the exhibit and Ross' comic book world. 'The headcount of heroes will always outweigh the villains,' he promised. Ross' personal favorite hero has often been Superman 'because of the way I felt invested in the character when I worked on the comics,' he said. In terms of villains, Ross accorded that honor to Doctor Doom. For the exhibit, Ross is creating three new portraits of Joker and Harley Quinn, 'which are special insofar as I had not done any portraits of DC's villains.' The museum will be selling prints of these portraits as well as several others. Ross' career creating comic book heroes and villains began as an outgrowth of an assignment 25 years ago to create a life-size portrait of Superman that was designed to be a cardboard standup. 'That led to a whole line of life-size figures for DC, which were only released as posters,' Ross said. Twenty years later, Marvel asked the artist to create a mural for their offices. 'I borrowed from the earlier DC idea to do a series of figure shots that when composed together made a mural of life-size paintings,' although the actual mural figures were three feet high. These figures will be displayed at the Dunn Museum exhibit. It seems like a daunting task to create all these detailed portraits but Ross revealed that he can paint one in a day. 'Because there's no background, it makes it considerably easier to focus on executing a single figure a day,' he explained. Ross has worked on many comic book series—some running as long as 200 pages. The artist is currently working on a long graphic novel for Marvel Comics that he said will be his longest work to date 'that will be an original work by me that's written by me as well.' It is obvious that Ross loves what he does for a living. He declared, 'If you make your hobby your career, you're probably always doing it.' The artist will have a chance to mingle with his fans during 'A Night with Alex Ross,' a preview of the exhibit, 5-8 p.m. on June 28. Tickets for $125 are available at The ticket includes early access to the exhibit; a limited edition print by Alex Ross; tickets to three food trucks; complimentary beer, wine, and soda; and entry to the other galleries. Ross relishes the opportunity to meet fans, he indicated, noting that professional artists 'don't get a lot of feedback to our work. So, to engage with somebody and that they care is special.' For further information about the exhibit and the museum at 1899 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville, call 847-968-3400 or visit
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Dunn Museum exhibit to showcase ‘Norman Rockwell' of comic books
In the basement of the Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, exhibitions and collections manager Steve Furnett lifted a large sheet of paper, revealing a painting of a man in a billowing red cape with his arms crossed, preparing some kind of enchantment or spell as he stares with a piercing blue eye at the viewer. Furnett pointed at the highlights on the man's cape, in awe at the skill of the painter who managed to convey its silken texture with just brushstrokes. This is no Rembrandt or Vermeer, however, and the subject is no long-dead royal. It's a painting of Marvel superhero Dr. Strange by renowned comic artist Alex Ross, whose works will be exhibited at the Dunn Museum starting in late June. Ross is well known in the comic book world for his highly detailed, realistic paintings of superheroes. His work was previously on display at the Dunn Museum in 2019. The new exhibit, 'Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains,' will feature 100 portraits of superheroes and villains in a new 3,000-square-foot gallery. Three new portraits will also be unveiled during the opening. For Furnett, a lifelong comic book fan, getting to work with the 'Norman Rockwell of the comic book world' and see the original paintings has been a thrilling experience. He marveled at the level of detail in the artworks, and how Ross portrays different fabrics, materials and textures with his brush. 'He took this flat, 2D flat-outline comic style and used a classic American illustration style,' Furnett said. 'It really brings the characters to life. It's what sets him apart from everybody else.' Although Ross isn't from Lake County, he lives in the Chicago area. In a press release, he said he is 'thrilled' to have his works return to the museum. 'To see so many of my original paintings on display all in one place is very special. It gives me a new perspective on the breadth of my work and I hope visitors enjoy the experience,' Ross said. The exhibition will open on June 29 and remain open until February of next year. A ticketed kickoff event is planned for the evening of June 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. — 'A Night with Alex Ross, which will include a private preview of the exhibition. While such an exhibit might seem unusual for the Dunn Museum, which usually focuses on the natural world, Alyssa Firkus, director of education, said it is an important part of bringing in the community to show what they do. 'This is a gateway. This is an entranceway. This is going to get people through the door that maybe an oak tree might not,' Firkus said. 'They can learn a little bit more about who we are and what we do.' Access to this special exhibition requires an additional admission fee, with tickets available at the door.
Gizmodo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
The Sublime Superhero Art of Alex Ross Is Getting Its Own Exhibition
Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains will celebrate the renowned comics artist's Marvel and DC work at the Dunn Museum this summer. Alex Ross is one of the most iconic comics artists of the modern age, his influential paintings giving retro spins on the heroes of the Marvel and DC universes emblazoning comics covers, murals, merch, and more over the past few decades. Now, this summer, you'll be able to see it up close and in person. io9 can exclusively reveal your first look at Heroes & Villains, a new exhibit that will debut at the Dunn Museum in Illinois this summer that follows Ross' Marvel-focused exhibit at the museum, Marvelocity, back in 2019. Featuring over 100 pieces of original art spanning across the last 20 years of Ross' career in comics, it'll mark the first time both his DC and Marvel work has been formally displayed together, making for a veritable smorgasbord of superheroic figures. 'I am thrilled to join with the Dunn Museum again for this new exhibit. To see so many of my original paintings on display all in one place is very special,' Ross said in a press release provided to io9. 'It gives me a new perspective on the breadth of my work and I hope visitors enjoy the experience.' As well as pieces from across Ross' tenures at DC and Marvel, when Heroes & Villains opens Ross will debut 3 brand new portraits made to celebrate the occasion, which will remain exclusively on display there throughout the exhibition's run. Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains will open to the public at the Dunn Museum from June 29, 2025, through to February 16, 2026. Tickets for special preview night the evening prior to public opening on June 28, A Night With Alex Ross, are available here.
