Elaine Rexdale Meet-and-Greet at the Quad City Arts Center -- March 13. (Pictured: Rexdale's "Wiener Roast.")
Saturday, March 13, 2 – 4 p.m.
Quad City Arts Center, 1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island IL
Vibrant explosions of color and character are currently on display in the Quad City Arts Center's exhibition Machinations of a Colorholic, and gallery visitors can enjoy a special meet and greet with the exhibit's artist when acrylic painter Elaine Rexdale chats with patrons and discusses her artistic process at the Rock Island venue on March 13.
Born and raised in Rock Island, Rexdale officially began her love affair with painting by secretly responding to a "Draw Me" newspaper ad when she was nine years old, and says that her 35-year involvement in early childhood education has probably influenced her art more than any other experience. The morning painting sessions begin with fresh coffee followed by bold lines and intense colors on the canvas, and she uses black and white sparingly as highlights, then adds free-movement brush strokes and detail as appropriate. Rexdale states that she has no favorite tools, and that everything is a possibility to use to create a painting. Sometimes she follows artistic rules, and sometimes she breaks the rules, but she always does what the canvas asks to create a story or feeling. Rexdale has participated in multiple juried group exhibition as well as several solo art exhibits, and her works are regularly exhibited throughout the Midwest and held in private collections in 12 U.S. states.
Discussing the humorous, vibrant, delightful works on display in Machinations of a Colorholic, Rexdale explains, “Because I’ve interacted with children during my professional career, my artistic work has been influenced by their love of bright colors and freedom of expression. I see art in everyday experiences. Since I have known and employed a number of people with permanent and temporary disabilities, I understand the extreme importance of valuing individuals. Therefore, I paint people from various ethnic groups, races, and challenges because this provides an opportunity to explore our personal humanity. My paintings include people from all walks of life all as they are provided a journey across a brightly colored canvas.”
The meet and greet with Elaine Rexdale will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on March 13, and her exhibition Machinations of a Colorholic – on display alongside Keith Kaziak's Turn on the News – is viewable through March 19. Admission to both the special event and the exhibits are free, and more information is available by calling (309)793-1213 extension 108 or visiting QuadCityArts.com.
