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
1055
0
Share:

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.”

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).

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
  • General Features

    Going gluten-free: Four of our favorite Chicago restaurants that cater to the popular trend

    December 16, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Rooftop rendezvous: Whether for dinner or post-work cocktails, hotel rooftops are all the rage right now in Chicago

    June 15, 2018
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • Around TownGeneral Features

    A very good year: Check out some of Chicago’s top new restaurants

    December 6, 2010
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Indoor bouldering: Three great spots to experience the rock-climbing trend in Chicago

    January 9, 2019
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    New on the Scene: A quick look at some of Chicago’s hottest new restaurants — and why they’re thriving

    June 6, 2019
    By TheRealChicagoOnline

You might be interested

  • Around TownHidden Gems

    Chicago’s hidden gems: Chicago Botanic Garden, Cesar’s margaritas, Playground Theater and Potash Markets

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Chicago’s best burgers: Everyone loves a good burger. Here are some of the city’s top options

  • Around Town

    Summer fun with the family

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.
© Copyright The Real Chicago. All rights reserved.