Georges Seurat’s masterpiece of pointillism, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, in addition to the Art Institute of Chicago’s other featured artworks by masters such as Monet, Chagall, Hopper, and O’Keeffe, is the inspiration for items such as umbrellas, totes, stationery, jewelry, home furnishings, and accessories. Art books are also available through the Art Institute’s Museum Shop.
www.artinstituteshop.org
Frank Lloyd Wright Coasters
Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the many celebrated architects who have graced the Chicago area with their trademark style, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation, which has a corporate gift program, honors their designs in a variety of interesting gifts—from books and bookmarks to business card cases, stationery and home accents. This set of four coasters features a detail from the dining room skylight that Wright designed for the Ward W. Willits House in Highland Park, Ill.
www.architecture.org/shop
Customized Gifts
Francine Marketing, one of Chicago’s most creative promotional gift companies, designs custom gifts that reflect the distinctive flavor of the city while being personalized for the group with a company logo or message. Examples include a nightlight depicting a stained-glass work in the circa-1889 Chicago Auditorium Building, a masterpiece of architects Adler and Sullivan. Another unique gift is a print of Stop and Go, a local artist’s take on the Field Museum of Natural History that was commissioned by Francine Marketing. It can be signed by the artist, and the original can be purchased for a top company executive.
www.francinemarketing.com
Hand-Painted Martini Glasses
Entourage on American Lane, a sleek new restaurant, bar and special event venue in Schaumburg—complete with a giant glass martini shaker incorporated into the Frank Lloyd Wright-style design of the edifice—dishes out everything from truffle-crusted burgers and lobster tail to a luxury martini collection that includes the $95 Gold Digger, sprinkled with edible 24-carat gold flecks. After indulging in a luxury martini, patrons keep the glasses, which are hand-painted by a California artist, and for groups holding events at the facility, they are available as gifts—with a month or two advance notice.
www.entourageventures.com
