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Artists on Tap

These are the artists featured in the Art on Tap Chicago films, showcasing the energy of Chicago’s bar culture and the creative community built within its neighborhood taverns.

Photo of cartoonist Alex Nall @alexnall0
Alex Nall

BRIDGEPORT
BERNICE'S TAVERN

Alex Nall is a Chicago cartoonist, illustrator and self-publisher whose comics explore Midwestern life, community and human connection. Creator of the Town & County series, Alex is deeply involved in Chicago’s independent comics and zine community and co-runs Hardscrabble Cafe, a printing and publishing operation at Inside Town Art Collective.

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For more on Alex, visit Hardscrabble Cafe and his Instagram page.

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Bucktown
THE MAP ROOM

Ken R. Klopack

Ken R. Klopack is a multidisciplinary muralist and illustrator working as PureKreation, blending street-level grit with refined craft. His work moves across mural painting, hand-painted signage, gold leaf gilding, and custom illustration—rooted in a hands-on approach that values texture, scale, and presence.

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Beyond the visual, Ken works in sound—scoring, composing, mixing, and recording—bringing the same instinct-driven process into music production.

Photo of artist Lauren Foit @Lauren_took_an_artclass at a community collage event at Solemn Oath's Still Life bar

LOGAN SQUARE
SOLEMN OATH's STILL LIFE

Lauren Foit

Lauren Foit, a Loyola University graduate, is a Chicago-based mixed-media artist whose work centers on making art accessible and communal. Through her 'Lauren Took an Art Class' platform, she shares her artistic process, tutorials, and in-person creative events. For more on Lauren, visit her profiles on Instagram and TikTok.

Photo of artist Cori O'Connor @coricon and dog Sprocket seated at the bar at Go Tavern & Liquors
Cori O'Connor

Logan Square
GO Tavern & Liquors

Cori O’Connor is a mixed-media artist whose work explores themes of death, renewal, and identity inspired by nature and rural life. A University of Florida BFA graduate, she uses her art to amplify marginalized voices and encourage dialogue around mental health, social justice, and resilience. For more on Cori, visit www.thebestiary.net

Photo of artist Lexi Alavarado @lexialvaradoart seated at Central Park Bar

ALBANY PARK
CENTRAL PARK BAR

Lexi Alvarado

Lexi Alvarado is a visual artist whose figurative abstract acrylic paintings blend realistic elements with bold shapes and color to explore identity, emotion, and the human experience. Lexi volunteers with Logan Square Mutual Aid and is part of the Inside Town Art Collective. For more on Lexi, visit her Instagram.

Photo of artist Joe Sikora at J9 Wine Bar
Joe Sikora

Lincoln Park
J9 wine bar

Joe Sikora is a Chicago-based visual artist and small business owner. Joe runs Chicago Fine Art Salon and helps lead Art City, where he serves as founder and executive director of NEW Gallery, a curated local artist gallery within the Art City space.

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Art on Tap Chicago partnered with Joe and his team on Art City's July 2026 show, "Cash Only: An Ode to Dive Bars." 

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