No. 3 on East
Husband and wife duo Chris Uphues and Jen Koehl created their small online gift shop, Beautiful Days, to share their distinctive vision of HAPPY with the world. Chris, a working artist best known for his signature pop art, collaborates with Jen to create the always colorful, playful, and fun items in their product offerings.Their 1924 Berwyn bungalow features unique art pieces from fellow artists, outsider art and works by their son, as well as custom woodwork by Chris.
The Artist: Chris Uphues
How long have you been practicing?
I got serious about art at 15 when I started attending the School of the Art Institute Early College Program.
What is your process?
I primarily try to work a 9-5 work week but oftentimes continue working very late into the night/early morning.
What do you enjoy the most?
While I enjoy my work, right now, I’m also really enjoying spending time with my son. We have a lot of projects in the studio and he’s created his own toy company where we make toys with found objects from our alley walks.
What are you currently working on?
Currently working on a new body of work that I’m excited about and renovating a few rooms in the house including the pantry and the entire 2nd floor.
The Collectors: Chris & Jen
How did you begin to collect art?
I never really started collecting art intentionally. I’ve just picked up stuff over the years from friends that have been artists.
How do you find artists and how do you select the artwork to purchase?
Most of the art in our house are gifts or trades from artists I’ve known over the years. We don't own anything trendy or to fit a design scheme. We mostly collect what we like or what has meaning to us.
Do you have a process for displaying your art collection or does it happen organically?
My wife and I hang things where we think they look best and then change or swap out as needed. We usually sit with a piece for a while before it’s hung or placed and that can always change, especially when new pieces arrive.
Do you have a favorite piece?
Jen’s favorite pieces (right now) are the flowers I made in the foyer and the Lee Godie in the living room, while I don’t really have a favorite. All the art in our collection is from people that we’ve been close to and have known for years so it’s very homey and comforting to have such personal expressions of family and friends to hang in the house.
Any unusual stories to tell about an art piece?
After years of owning certain pieces I’ve had to deal with the inevitable reality of the artist dying. It occurred to me how powerful it is to have something crafted out of this person's mind and body that never existed before and could never be conceived by another being on the planet.