Jyl Bonaguro
Jyl Bonaguro is a self-taught sculptor and playwright in Chicago, specializing in hand-carving Italian marble, who can teach you to intertwine narrative forms and help audiences connect through your work.
Upcoming Classes at Jyl Bonaguro (1)
All courses are held at 1912 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL unless indicated.Stone Carving Workshop
4200 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL
Saturday, December 14th
10am–4:30pm CST
$85
Provider Description
Jyl Bonaguro, Artist … Sculptor … Playwright... is a self taught sculptor and playwright in Chicago, specializing in carving Italian marble by hand. Often working spontaneously, Jyl Bonaguro has a modern approach to the ancient art of stone carving that diverges from the formal academic approach. Raw stone is revealed in select areas, leaving sections untouched and natural, reminiscent of fragments excavated by archaeologists.
Jyl Bonaguro find similarities working in mediums as divergent as sculpting and playwriting because both mediums are treated as interactive, narrative forms. Sculptures like her marble wings series tells a story through composition of form and style in much the same way a play like Swan Soong tells a story through composition of words and style. Both forms require audience participation and interaction to help complete the stories and connect us with each other.
Jyl Bonaguro’s works have been featured in publications like CS Modern Luxury Interiors, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader and Sheridan Road and are in private art collections throughout the United States. Select sculpture exhibitions include: SOFA Chicago, Scope Miami, Aqua Art Miami, “Nature in Motion” Lincoln Park Zoo IL, “Voices and Visions” at the Highland Park Art Center IL and “Intertwined” at the Korean Cultural Center IL. She is the Vice President of Chicago Sculpture International and currently lives and works in Chicago, IL. Her latest carving project is the Modern Athena Sculpture.
Jyl Bonaguro
Hermosa, Northwest Side
4200 W Diversey Ave 17A
Near N Tripp Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60639
Directions:
The workshop is located in studio 17A for Jyl Bonaguro in the Workshop 4200 building. Please enter via the main entrance on Tripp Ave thru the double glass doors.
Parking is free in the lot or on Diversey & Tripp Avenues.
Hermosa, Northwest Side
4200 W Diversey Ave 17A
Near N Tripp Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60639
Directions:
The workshop is located in studio 17A for Jyl Bonaguro in the Workshop 4200 building. Please enter via the main entrance on Tripp Ave thru the double glass doors.
Parking is free in the lot or on Diversey & Tripp Avenues.
Reviews of Jyl Bonaguro
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Stone Carving Workshop
The stone carving workshop with Jyl Bonaguro was excellent and made for an amazing day! The class is thoughtfully designed, guiding you through the use of various chisels and tools, and how to apply each step from initial shaping to final polishing. Jyl’s pre-class advice to consider an abstract design was very helpful, as it allowed me to experience the full process and focus on the fundamentals. I arrived with a clear idea, and after sketching, Jyl confirmed it was ideal for the timeline. I was thrilled with the outcome and left with a beautiful, highly polished sculpture that closely matched my vision. Whether you have an arts background or are just curious, this class is very approachable. The day flew by in a flow state, but Jyl kept us on track to ensure everyone completed their pieces. Each participant created a unique, beautiful sculpture, and it was clear everyone enjoyed themselves. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone interested in learning the basics of stone carving or simply looking for a rewarding, hands-on experience. Five stars! -
Stone Carving Workshop
Jyl hosted an amazing class! It was intimate, well-paced, and great for absolute beginners. I walked away proud of what I accomplished and genuinely surprised with my results. She’s clearly an excellent instructor and knows the craft inside and out. So much fun! -
Stone Carving Workshop
The main thing preventing this from being a five star review is HOLY CRAP THIS IS NOT FOR THE WEAK. Hammering a chisel into stone, as it turns out, will take a lot of energy out of you. Apart from that, the traditional sculpting techniques of using pointed, toothed, and flat chisels before filing, sanding, and polishing were covered. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Excellent class. Learned a ton, created a piece that was way better than I even thought possible in one day, and am really excited to try some more stone carving. Jyl was a great teacher, giving helpful guidance and giving personal attention to each student and their project. Highly recommend this course and might even take it again now that I know more and can learn better. -
Stone Carving Workshop
If you ever care to entertain that crazy thought you once had about carving stone…Jyl Bonaguro is the artist you should meet. Really like that this hands-on class is held in her working studio in Chicago where you’re surrounded by inspirational projects both finished and in-progress. All of them beautiful. Also like that this introductory course is just six hours in length (all you need for a first taste) and that the pricing is beyond reasonable for what you get. Jyl gets you right into the work and moves from person-to-person coaching each one individually until you all finish the day with newly found skills and instincts. She knows her stuff and knows how to get you there too. I looked for a stone class for a while before settling on Jyl. Know I made the right choice. Don’t hesitate to jump in. HIGHLY recommended. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Great class. Jyl was very helpful and answered all the questions we had during our class. Love the finished product we made. Hope to do stone carving again. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Class was a great introduction to stone carving from an artist who is an expert in the medium. Class was well thought out, taxing on the body, but a great experience overall. Jyl was kind and created a wonderful space to create. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Had a great day in class with Jyl. She kept us all on track with great instruction and tips. Highly recommend this class. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Absolutely phenomenal class! I've developed a whole new level of appreciation for the art. Highly recommend it for anyone looking to explore their creative side and delve deeper into this captivating art form! Teacher is amazing and truly passionate. I will be back. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Jyl is amazing! I had so much fun learning to sculpt at this class. Really liked the small class size very intimate and you get a lot of 1:1 assistance as you create your masterpiece. Highly recommend. -
Stone Carving Workshop
I had an absolutely great time. Jyl is an amazing teacher, and thanks to her I've made great progress in just a matter of one day. She really understood what I was trying to build, and helped me throughout the day to get there. I highly recommend the course. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Loved this class! Jyl is a fantastic teacher who knows her craft extensively, and pays close attention to all of her students. I found her class structure to be great, and she knew how to help all of us achieve our goals in a limited time. Her stone carving workshop is physical and I left with a little sculpture I am quite happy with, and a newfound love for sculpting. Highly recommend to those who have an interest in learning the craft and want to focus on sharpening their skills in only a day! -
Stone Carving Workshop
Jyl was very helpful and made sure we had a feel for how much progress we should be making (important since we were mostly beginners who'd never worked in stone before). Parking pretty easy in the neighborhood, and an area in the building sells coffee and gives you room to eat your lunch. -
Stone Carving Workshop
This class was a lot of fun. I knew nothing about it before starting and ending up leaving with a carving I am pretty proud of. Definitely sparked my interest in carving other things! -
Stone Carving Workshop
This was a fantastic class! As someone that’s wanted to do stone carving with proper tools for a very long time, it felt like a dream come true to do so under the guidance of such a kind and skilled artist. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Got to learn all the tools & steps of stone carving and ask every question I had with ample one on one instruction time! -
Stone Carving Workshop
Wonderful class. Jyl is an excellent teacher. While it is a beginner class, the progression you see from beginning to end is astounding! If you are seeking a creative outlet and don't mind a little dust and some sore muscles, you would be hard pressed to find a better class! -
Stone Carving Workshop
Fantastic class! Jyl was amazing - she provided great instruction, was completely engaged and created a great learning experience. I'm thinking about taking the class again because I had so much fun. -
Stone Carving Workshop
Great teacher!!! -
Stone Carving Workshop
While challenging, Jyl did an excellent job navigating the group through all of the steps to create a stone masterpiece. I would definitely recommend the class and maybe even take it again!
Review Summary by CourseHorse
Students who have taken classes with Jyl Bonaguro rave about their experience. They appreciate the opportunity to work with proper tools and receive one-on-one instruction from a skilled artist. They find the class to be both challenging and rewarding, with many expressing how it has given them a new appreciation for the skill and dedication required for stone carving. The class is well-organized and thoughtfully paced, allowing students to progress from beginner to being able to create their own stone masterpieces. Jyl is praised for her teaching abilities, being described as an excellent instructor who is knowledgeable, hands-on, encouraging, and able to cater to individual skill levels and goals. Students also enjoy the chill and supportive environment of the class, and some are even considering taking the class again because of how much fun they had. Overall, students highly recommend Jyl Bonaguro's classes for anyone looking for a special and unique creative outlet where they can learn the tools and techniques of stone carving. 1. "Got to learn all the tools & steps of stone carving and ask every question I had with ample one on one instruction time!" 2. "While challenging, Jyl did an excellent job navigating the group through all of the steps to create a stone masterpiece." 3. "Jyl is an exceptional instructor who provided superb art direction and instructions which really helped me learn the tools and techniques of stone carving. Highly recommended!"
