Saturday, January 27, through Sunday, May 20
Figge Art Museum, 225 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Featuring dozens of debuting works in a variety of artistic mediums, the 40th Rock Island Art Guild Fine Arts Exhibition will be on display at the Figge January 27 through March 20, showcasing paintings, sculptures, installations, and more by artists living within a 150-mile radius of the Quad Cities.
Since 1955, the Rock Island Art Guild, a volunteer-run organization, has supported the arts in the Quad-City region through exhibitions, educational programs, and scholarships. “The Rock Island Art Guild began with a single purpose of bringing artists and the public together to cultivate an active interest in local art talent,” says guild president Holly Sparkman. “The first juried fine arts exhibition in 1977 was a big undertaking for the guild. It set the tone for the health and well-being of the arts in the community and gave local artists a needed showcase. Now, 39 fine-arts exhibitions later, the guild is still made up of dedicated longtime volunteers, and the same integrity and dedication to helping artists achieve their potential remain intact.”
This year’s exhibition juror is Dr. Patricia McDonnell, director of the Wichita Art Museum. Prior to joining the Wichita Museum in 2012, Dr. McDonnell served as director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University. She was chief curator at the Tacoma Art Museum, and worked as a curator at the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. She holds a Ph.D. in art history from Brown University, with a focus on 20th-Century American art and the painter Marsden Hartley, about whom she has published numerous books and articles. Dr. McDonnell selected the artworks for the exhibition from online entries, and selected the award-winners after seeing the works in person.
The exhibit's opening reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. on February 1, and museum hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays) and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. For more information on the 40th Rock Island Art Guild Fine Arts Exhibition and other Figge exhibits, programs, and events, call (563)326-7804 or visit FiggeArtMuseum.org.
