Punk Rock & Paintbrushes is pleased to announce a special gallery exhibition in Chicago during Lollapalooza weekend featuring the artworks of Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio) and Jesse Michaels (Operation Ivy), offering fans the chance to see the musicians in a whole new creative light.
Held at the Elephant Room Gallery in downtown Chicago, at 704 S. Wabash, it’s just steps away from all the Lollapalooza action in Grant Park. Gallery hours include an opening night reception on July 30, a special artist Q&A on July 31 and gallery hours on both July 31 and August 1.
RSVPs for this special event are now open at: CHICAGOPRPB2026.EVENTBRITE.COM
"I am thrilled & honored to be coming home to Chicago with Jesse Michaels. His art and music has inspired me from a young age so I was grateful to make his acquaintance and become good friends with him when I moved to the Bay Area from Chicago years ago. We are both very excited to bring our art to my hometown together,” says Matt Skiba who has been working with Punk Rock & Paintbrushes for over a decade and was the catalyst for the start of the creative collective.
Jesse Michaels adds, “I am really stoked to be doing an exhibit with Matt and Punk Rock & Paintbrushes in Chicago. I love this city, I love Matt and all his art. I have a lot of new art I am excited to put up and out."
And Punk Rock & Paintbrushes founder Emily Nielsen shares, "Bringing Matt and Jesse's art together and in a city that has meant so much to Punk Rock & Paintbrushes over the years is a true honor. While they both are creative musicians, our goal is to show the other side of these artists through their paintings. We have been working with Matt over a decade and watching his art grow has been amazing. In the last 4 year of working with Jesse, I have seen his art grow and transform alongside the man he is and it has been a true testament that art really can change lives."
Since 2007, Punk Rock & Paintbrushes has been on a mission to highlight the intersection of music and art. With a presence at galleries, concerts and music festivals around the world, each exhibit features original artworks from some of the biggest musicians in punk, rock and metal that showcases their creativity in a whole new light. Many also feature auctions with signed items to benefit a number of charitable causes.
Previous events in 2026 have included a special exhibition at the Dropkick Murphys’ hometown Boston shows in March as well as a show at Serj Tankian’s very own Eye for Sound Gallery in Los Angeles that same month, plus onsite galleries at a number of festivals including BeachLife in Redondo Beach, California; Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida; and Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio this past May. More events for the summer and fall will be announced soon.
About Punk Rock & Paintbrushes
Punk Rock & Paintbrushes is a niche and unique art management company as well as art show production brand that creates art shows at galleries and music festivals across the world and works with a variety of non-profits using art as a tool to make a positive impact for all. The roots reach back to 2007 when founder Emily Nielsen asked friend Tim McIlrath (Rise Against) to paint a piece of art with the lyrics to the Rise Against song “Survive” for her after overcoming a battle with cancer. The painting has traveled around the world with Emily and is an everyday reminder that “How we survive is what makes us who we are.” Today, Punk Rock & Paintbrushes manages talented artists across the globe who share their love of music and art, and brings art to collectors and fans from all walks of life.
Website: www.punkrockart.com
Instagram: @punkrockandpaintbrushes