Barrington resident Kelly Stachura and Barrington High School teacher Alexandra Stevenson are two of 300 artists to display their work at the Chicago Art Open exhibit this month.

"Part of the attraction is the size and variety of the show," Stevenson said. "It is up to the artist to pick the work (they display) in the show so you really see a variety of art at the show."

The exhibit is being held at Iron Studios, 3636 S. Iron St., Chicago, through Oct. 27. It features art from all mediums including drawings, paintings, photographs, printmaking, sculpture, textiles and mixed media.

Stachura has participated in the exhibit since 2002 and Stevenson has done it since 2001. Artists are chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis and must prove they also participate in other shows throughout the year.

"Our art department (at Barrington High School) insists that we're artists that teach versus teachers that make art," Stevenson said. "And certainly I get inspiration from my students."

She lives in Chicago but has taught art and English at the high school for 21 years. Stachura graduated from BHS, but never had Stevenson as a teacher.

Stachura owns her own photography business--Kelly Stachura Photography--and works part-time at the Dance Academy of Libertyville.

"I try to do as many shows as I can and I try to do a variety of different shows," she said.

For the exhibit, Stachura submitted a black and white photo of a dancer from her series, "noir et blanc," which she has been working on since 2005.

She was required to submit the entire series to qualify for the Art Open, and then had to chose one photo to display.

"It's hard to pick just one piece," she said. "Usually you pick your favorite one. Then when you go to the exhibit you try to figure out why the other artists picked the particular pieces they picked."

Stevenson said she tried to chose the strongest piece out of her series of acrylic and watercolor paintings of flowers. The piece she is displaying is titled "Pas de Deux."

"I've worked with different themes over the years and I've always been really interested in nature and the different textures associated with it," she said.

The exhibit is open throughout the week from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and is sponsored by the Chicago Artists' Coalition.

There is a suggested $5 donation for viewing the exhibit.