The Real Chicago

Top Menu

  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

Main Menu

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

logo

Header Banner

The Real Chicago

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
  • Chicago’s hidden gems: Kiss Kiss Cabaret, Unabridged Bookstore, Lulu Belle’s Pancake House and TNT at The Annoyance

  • New on the scene: Recapping recent restaurant and bar openings in Chicago

  • The Big City Blog: A Chicago summer bucket list

  • Outdoor drinking: A guide to some of our favorite beer gardens and rooftops in Chicago

  • A day at the museum: Exploring the iconic Field Museum in Chicago

General Features
Home›featured-blogs›General Features›Six-string art: Classic license plate guitars at Arts & Artisans

Six-string art: Classic license plate guitars at Arts & Artisans

By TheRealChicagoOnline
June 6, 2011
702
0
Share:

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

Carol Braden’s collection of unique guitar wall art is available at Chicago Arts & Artisans stores

By Phasha Spencer

For someone who has been around guitars all her life, it was a simple choice for Carol Braden to use one of the most universal and recognizable American icons and design something truly unique: guitar wall art made from old license plates.

Combined with her passion for vintage items, she often wonders what stories the plates hold, who owned them and the journey they’ve traveled. For her, it’s a reflective feeling, and one that carries over into her guitars as they come to hang on some stranger’s wall.

Some of her designs are contemporary, filled with colors that pop and grab your attention. There is one in Arts and Artisans stores that is titled “Carnival,” and when you see it, you’ll know why. The design is so fun and youthful, the name is perfectly fitting. Some of her other designs are more old-school, using rustic and antique license plates dating back to the 1920s to give them a truly classic look. They are hip and cool, and have an artistry that is timeless, just like an antique should. She’s also created guitars with stars-and-stripes or world-of-music themes, and her denim guitar collection is enormously popular.

“It’s all about the mix of colors and patinas and the mood they evoke,” says Braden, who describes the feeling she gets when she’s designing a new guitar as “nostalgic.”

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

Braden buys from various license plate enthusiasts all over the country and is currently making 15 guitars a month.

“From procurement of plates, to cutting, to designing and finally executing and finishing, it takes about 15 hours to make one guitar,” says Braden.

Her work is represented by 15 prominent fine art galleries across the United States, including Chicago’s four Arts & Artisans stores. She’s even managed to snag a few celebrity customers, such as Jon Bon Jovi, Tommy Hilfiger and Taylor Swift.

“It’s pretty amazing,” she admits.

Braden has been artistic all of her life, all while juggling marriage and motherhood. Her talents have afforded her the ability to create an array of art, and presently, she is exploring another dimension of herself by using recycled material and collectables to launch a new mixed-media series. So it’s a safe assumption that these guitars are just a starting point for her remarkable ingenuity.

“I could wallpaper my bathroom with all the AARP mailings I’ve started to get,” Braden says. “It’s all good. What I’ve learned is to have confidence in your abilities and get yourself out there. You may just amaze yourself.”

Arts & Artisans stores are located at 108 S. Michigan, 321 N. Michigan, 35 E. Wacker and 720 S. Wacker (in the Hilton).

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

TagsArts and ArtisansCarol Braden
Previous Article

Chicago Insider: Christina Koch on the burgers ...

Next Article

Alfresco dining: Outdoor seating is key for ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

TheRealChicagoOnline

Related articles More from author

  • Shop Around the Corner

    Shop around the corner: Fresh, unique art and apparel make it difficult to just window shop at Arts & Artisans

    September 2, 2010
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Relationship rejuvenation: Try these unique ideas for adding some romance and fun

    January 1, 2013
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Soccer central: With the World Cup on the horizon, we scoped out Chicago’s best soccer bars

    May 26, 2014
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Little venues, big sounds: Check out Chicago’s most underrated spots for live music

    January 25, 2014
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Doughnut delight: These sweet treats are popping up all over in Chicago

    March 19, 2013
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Video game heaven: Chicago’s new love affair with arcade bars

    February 26, 2014
    By TheRealChicagoOnline

You might be interested

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    The Halsted boutiques: Don’t be afraid to break away from Michigan Avenue to explore some of Lincoln Park’s trendy shops

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Coffee craze: Exploring the best, most unique independent coffee shops Chicago has to offer

  • LATEST REVIEWS

  • TOP REVIEWS

Timeline

  • November 11, 2021

    Inside Scoop: Massive FoBAB beer festival returns to Chicago this weekend, Nov. 12-13

  • July 31, 2019

    Chicago Insider Etienne Padin on obscure museums, shopping in Andersonville and dining at Maple & Ash

  • July 30, 2019

    First Look review: CMX CineBistro provides a fun, fresh take on the luxury dine-in theater experience

  • July 28, 2019

    Finger lickin’ good: Six trusted Chicago spots for a stellar barbecue experience

  • July 25, 2019

    The Big City Blog: Four Friday Night Flights beer tastings remain this summer, including July 26 in Ravenswood

Latest Comments

  • The 14 Best Fireplaces in Chicago | UrbanMatter
    on
    October 11, 2017
    […] Photo Credit: The Real Chicago […]

    Cozy on up: We asked active Chicagoans for their favorite spots to warm up in the ...

  • Why You Should Visit a Museum | FreeForAll.org
    on
    January 16, 2017
    […] Photo Credit: Therealchicago   […]

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • Why You Should Visit a Museum – FreeForAll.org
    on
    October 23, 2016
    […] Photo Credit: Therealchicago   […]

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • The Real Chicago – The Big City Blog: A very Chicago night on the town
    on
    May 31, 2016
    […] up was The Redhead Piano Bar for drinks and live music. I’ve said it before ...

    Friendly, unfussy, and serious about music: Hanging with Marshall Nelson from the Redhead Piano Bar

  • Scouting Logan Square: A Renewed Historical Neighborhood - The Annex, a blog by Casamatic
    on
    March 10, 2016
    […] (cover photo via The Real Chicago) […]

    The rise of Logan Square: Why this diverse area has quickly become one of Chicago’s hottest ...

Find us on Facebook

Originally launched in 2006, The Real Chicago — as a glossy entertainment magazine, website and email newsletter — has consistently provided the very best insider information, features and reviews to help both tourists and active locals get the most out of exploring the greatest city on Earth.
  • Latest Posts

  • Inside Scoop: Massive FoBAB beer festival returns to Chicago this weekend, Nov. 12-13

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    November 11, 2021
  • Chicago Insider Etienne Padin on obscure museums, shopping in Andersonville and dining at Maple & ...

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    July 31, 2019
  • First Look review: CMX CineBistro provides a fun, fresh take on the luxury dine-in theater ...

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    July 30, 2019

Photostream

    Follow us

    © Copyright The Real Chicago. All rights reserved.