About Us

So, what exactly are we? It’s honestly very hard to describe what we are. Yes, we’re an art gallery. Yes, we hold events and private parties. But, we’re not so sure art gallery is the appropriate word anymore… We’ve evolved into some sort of movement. A group of people that understand that charging ridiculous amounts of money for artwork is quite silly. We’re not naive and yes we do need to make money, but we’re more focused on spreading the idea of creativity and art to everyone around us. The physical presence of Paper Crown Gallery has given people a place to stir up ideas and make things. We’re not going to shove anything down your throats and try to convince you to think we’re so cool and the next best thing. We’re simply here… creating and having fun.

So why the suburbs? We feel that artists, like ourselves, have always been forced to the city because this type of work isn’t appreciated in the suburbs. Well, it is…we just needed a place to put it all besides another website. We want to show you something with some substance…some weight…in real life. So, we’ve built a growing team of elite emerging artists with exceptional work without the “Fine Art Gallery” cost. Now you don’t have to spend the gas money to drive to the city to search through galleries or festivals, and say goodbye to the generic prints in the mall or that big blue and yellow building next to it. You’re better than that.

Besides all the incredible artwork available for purchase, we also will offer a variety of services including (but absolutely never limited to): Private Events/Parties, Art Shows, Art Classes, Photography, Commissioned Artwork, Movie Premieres, a Workshop Area (including a screen printer and photography space), and pretty much anything else you can come up with that has to do with creating things or an artistic environment. We throw a party every month called “Live Sketch”. Ages 21+ are invited to a BYOB art/fun filled evening. Artists create right before your eyes and everything will be for sale, at very low cost, of course. We also provide some sort of interacting group project that everyone who attends may make their creative addition. (yes, even you. Everyone, although sometimes hard to believe, can be creative.)

The two guys behind it all, Jay Turner and Dennis Quijano, grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Both have worked in the advertising business with backgrounds in graphic design, marketing, brand development and fine art. After bouncing different business ideas off one another for years, they decided to take all of them, mold them into sweet tasting little ball, take a big bite and see what comes out the other end. We’re hoping diamonds…not the other stuff.

So far it’s been a blast. We’ve been open for more than 6 months now and it amazes us every day how much support we have from all of you. All the people we meet, the art we get to lay our eyes on, our growth in talent, the progress the gallery has made, and the love everyone has for being creative makes us feel so very lucky. We’re honored to be a part of your conversations and thank all of you deeply for helping us be known. We’re growing. With that, we will do big things.