Mississippi River Valley Art Directory sponsors 2 self-guided art drives each year.  The spring drive is the weekend before Mother's Day (May 5 & 6, 2012) and the fall drive is the first weekend of November (November 3 & 4, 2012).  This is one of the largest self-guided art tours in the Midwest, presenting the art of more than 500 artists in 55 locations.  The number of locations and artists increase every drive, making each drive new and exciting.

The artists welcome you to their homes, private studios, galleries and shops to interact, learn about, and experience the inspirations that motivate their work.  Some artists and shops may have demonstrating artists scheduled for the drive, others may have "technique demos" available throughout the weekend.

Maps are available at each drive location, and a printable version of the map, as well as a written description from the artists is available at www.MRVAD.com The map indicates the mediums available, address, telephone number and the hours of operation if they differ from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Make an art day! The Quad Cities and surrounding areas have quality art, more than 30 varied mediums, from hundreds of local artists. (One may be your next door neighbor!)  Make the most of the day: purchase unique gifts for loved ones from local artists, visit an artist recommended restaurant during your tour, have your MRVAD Passport signed at each location for a chance to win $25 gift certificates, and enjoy the adventure of a new experience along the Mississippi River!

 

Mississippi River Valley Art Directory spring art drive, May 5 & 6, 2012 is one of the largest self-guided art tours in the Mississippi Valley.  The tour stretches from Dubuque, Iowa to Galesburg, Illinois.  The drive boasts 50+ stops representing over 400 artists and more than 30 variations of media.  A special invitation to interact with the artists in their creative space, a private gallery or home studio, or their preferred retail location is not extended every day.  Some locations may offer an artist demo or discussion sessions throughout the day.  For specific details at each location go to the spring map page at www.MRVAD.com

There are some incredible story lines:

Billie Davids' art is now printed on fabrics around the world

Beth Ann Magnuson carves, etches and dyes eggs, as well as hand cuts paper silhouette portraits.

Christine King creates her own precious metal jewelry designs for jewelry stores

The Rockers produce original custom glass designs

Judy Gray's painting style completely changed while dealing with chemo

365 Days on a Farm provides beautifully dyed natural fibers; mohairs, wools, llama, etc.  They also teach the lost arts of tatting, knitting, crocheting and felting.

Jillie Swanson specializes in oils of color!

Lisa Jones takes things from our past and creates new furniture for today's use

Charlotte Arvelle has an imaginative approach to fused glass

Connie Zink is an internationally known porcelain doll maker

Ann Moody creates large knitted personalized Christmas stockings to order

Mary Chambers creates & hand batches a line of all natural beauty products

Jerri Crabtree-Frisk catches the perfect facial expressions on canvas

The tour entices the art enthusiast to visit as many locations as possible by offering a MRVAD Drive Passport!  Each visited merchant marks their designated box on the passport, found on the map (print one at MRVAD.com).  The "art drive tourists" with the most marks will receive a $25 gift certificate.  The gift certificates are good for one year, at any drive participating art location.