Celebrating 20 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Celebrating 20 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Where Music, Storytelling, and Art Come to Life…
This year, we’re proud to celebrate 10 years of Barrington’s White House as a home for culture, creativity, and connection. Over the past decade, we’ve welcomed world-renowned artists, musicians, writers, and speakers to our intimate house concert venue in the heart of Barrington. From our “Live at Barrington’s White House” series with the Old Town School of Folk Music to performances by Fischoff Competition Gold Medalists and collaborations with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and Barrington Writer’s Workshop, our stage has become a place where artistry shines and conversation thrives. With series like Cocktails & Conversation, Lunch & Learn, Third Thursdays Art Night Out, and performances from Barrington’s own creative voices, there’s always something meaningful to experience – together!
William Nelson began his study of art at age twelve at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and continued until awarded a full scholarship to the same school.
An artist for over 40 years, Nelson is best known for his impressionistic paintings of the City of Chicago, including striking and colorful images of The Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Theater, and urban scenes along the Chicago River. He is also an Emeritus Professor of Painting and Drawing at Oakton College.
Nelson’s work has been selected by many private, corporate, and public collections, including The Art Institute of Chicago, The National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C), and The Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.). He is represented in the Chicagoland area by the Art Post Gallery in Northbrook.
To learn more, visit artpostgallery.com or call 847-272-7659
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is part of Advocate Health, the 3rd largest not-for-profit, integrated health system in the United States. As the area’s population grew, residents from Barrington and surrounding towns circulated petitions and passionate volunteers formed auxiliaries in the early 1970s which became the driving force for planning and funding a new hospital, one closer than the area’s other options. “You can credit the Auxiliary with the existence of the hospital—there’s no doubt about that,” former Barrington Village President, Ron Hamelberg, said.
Sharon Vogel and Megan Clarke, current Art in the Barn Co-Chairs, share this about the event: “Art in the Barn was started in 1974 when a group of 10 women and local artists met to develop a quality art event for the Barrington community. What began as an art show with 30 artists and 1,500 attendees has grown to be one of the most iconic and highest quality art festivals in the Chicagoland area with up to 180 juried artists exhibiting their work. With more than 49 years of momentum, this beautiful event draws returning art lovers and new visitors from the surrounding area where they enjoy not only the exhibition and sale of fine art, but also music, entertainment, food from a variety of vendors, and children’s art.”
Sponsored by its Auxiliary, Art in the Barn is one of the major fundraisers for Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and has sourced and donated millions over the years. The need for funding stems from that fact the Good Shepherd is part of a nonprofit organization. In October 1979, when it opened, it was part of the Evangelical Hospital Association, a nonprofit that was invited and then confirmed through hearings to become the parent entity for the new hospital.
The value of the Auxiliary and its annual Art in the Barn event is that proceeds help to provide life-saving equipment and also non-essential items at the hospital that greatly improve the patient experience.
From its grassroots start, thanks to countless volunteers, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is a 176-bed acute care hospital that is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with more than 750 physicians representing 62 medical specialties. In 2017, Advocate Good Shepherd completed a four-year modernization project to ensure health care delivery remains outstanding and attuned to the evolving needs of the community. This project has improved the patient care experience by enhancing privacy and making it more convenient to access inpatient and outpatient services.
One of the nation’s most respected news outlets is again recognizing Advocate Health Care as a national leader. In U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” rankings released in July 2025, Advocate Health Care was honored with eight nationally ranked adult specialties, and six Advocate Health Care hospitals were named among the best hospitals in the state. Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital ranked No. 11. As a leader in delivering the most advanced medical technologies and comprehensive health care services available in the Northwest Suburbs, is in large part thanks to the vision and work of the Women’s Auxiliary and the people who support Art in the Barn—a source of funding that continues to improve our quality of care at Good Shepherd.
A Barrington Courier-Review cover (Sept. 27, 1984) shows Carolyn Husemoller at Art in the Barn on its 10th anniversary. Husemoller was the local visionary who suggested the art show for the Auxiliary’s volunteer and funding efforts for a new hospital. We will share Carolyn’s story in our next issue.
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