Davenport, Iowa (February 10, 2014) -  Living Proof Exhibit, which celebrates the creative spirit of cancer survivors, is seeking entries for its annual exhibit to be held from August 16 to October 26, 2014 in the Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport.

All cancer survivors or patients within a 150-mile radius of the Quad-Cities are eligible to submit up to five works for consideration. Entries must be received by April 22, 2014. Complete submission details are available at www.livingproofexhibit.org.

During the course of the exhibit, the Figge and Living Proof Exhibit will partner to offer programming that provides creative outlets for cancer patients and survivors. These programs will include art classes, while the theme of the September PechaKucha at the Figge is Celebrating Survivors.

"For the past four years, Living Proof Exhibit has been celebrating the creative spirit of the cancer survivor through our exhibits and art therapy classes," said executive director Pamela Crouch. "We are thrilled to be able to showcase survivors' artwork at the Figge."

According to Tim Schiffer, executive director at the Figge, "the museum is always looking for distinctive ways to bring art and people together and this exhibition shows the impact that art can have in peoples' daily lives."

"Holding the exhibit in the community gallery at the Figge will offer residents of the Quad-Cities a greater opportunity to view these beautiful, expressive works of art," added Living Proof Exhibit co-founder Mary Ellen Cunningham.

This exhibit is made possible by a grant from UnityPoint Health - Trinity. For information about art therapy classes or programming opportunities, please visit www.livingproofexhibit.org or call 309.781.6227.

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge

members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

About Living Proof Exhibit

Living Proof Exhibit is a non-profit organization that hosts an annual exhibition of art by cancer survivors and patients and also provides free art therapy classes. The exhibit celebrates the spirit and creativity of these men and women as well as the therapeutic benefits of art. Co-founders Pamela Crouch and Mary Ellen Cunningham are both breast cancer survivors. They each found great power in photography during their treatment and wanted to share their experience with other cancer patients looking for strength, so Living Proof Exhibit was born. Visit www.livingproof.org for more information.

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Visit every floor, peek into closed rooms, and satisfy curiosity through this all-access pass to the Brucemore Mansion during the Nooks and Crannies Tour - March 6 and 20 at 6:00 p.m. Marvel at the Skinner pipe organ room, discover the architectural oddities in the attic, and experience the sight and sound of a "rain storm" in the basement Tahitian Room. Examine the superior craftsmanship and learn about ongoing preservation work. The tour is not recommended for children under ten or individuals who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Admission is $15 per person and $12 per Brucemore. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

The Nooks and Crannies Tour is part of Brucemore's Thursday Night Lineup. Every Thursday night Brucemore will feature a different specialty tour focusing on topics for all interests, including arts and culture, Midwestern industry, gardening, landscape design, architecture, preservation, behind-the-scenes at Brucemore, and growing up in the early twentieth century. For more information on the Thursday Night Lineup or other upcoming tours, visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375.

About Brucemore

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

Brucemore announces the reopening of the 21-room mansion for guided tours on March 1, 2014. Explore over a century of Cedar Rapids history through the lives of the three families who called Brucemore home?the Sinclairs, the Douglases, and the Halls. They were business and community leaders during a century of evolution in the Midwest. An investigation of the mansion's Queen Anne architecture, 1925 Grant Wood Porch, 1929 Skinner pipe organ, and 1930s Grizzly Bar and Tahitian Room reflect the history of remarkable people. The changes they made to their estate, the impact they had on their community, and the stories they left behind shape our understanding of modern Cedar Rapids, eastern Iowa, and the American Midwest.

Mansion tours are offered March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3:00 p.m. Tours begin on the hour and last approximately 50 minutes. Admission is free to Brucemore members, $7.00 for adults, and $3.00 for youth between the ages of 6 and 18. Purchase tickets fifteen minutes before the top of the hour in the Brucemore Store located in the Visitor Center.

Groups of ten or more are encouraged to schedule a private tour a minimum of two weeks in advance. In addition to the standard tour, Brucemore's tour menu features a range of tours and learning opportunities available for school and youth groups, scout troops, garden clubs, history buffs, architecture enthusiasts, and more. Visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375 for more information or to schedule a group tour.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

Davenport, Iowa (January 29, 2014) - For the second year in a row, the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild (MVQG) is partnering with the Figge Art Museum for an exhibition of quilts that will be on display in the lobby. MVQG: Encore will begin Tuesday, February 4 and run through Sunday, February 9.

The exhibition features a selection of quilts by MVQG members and showcases the talent and remarkable skills of these area quilters. Last year's show was held in conjunction with Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum. This year it will be the only quilt-themed exhibition on view.

"It's a win, win," according to Director of Education Melissa Mohr. "The Figge experienced an increase in attendance during last year's MVQG show, which demonstrates how much this community supports quilting as an art form, and we're glad we can continue to celebrate area talent in this way. Doing this exhibition every year in the Lobby is a good way for us to stay connected with the quilting community, especially during years when we don't have a large quilt exhibition on display."

In conjunction with MVQG: Encore, the Figge will conduct a "People's Choice" competition, in which visitors are welcome to vote for their favorite quilt. Voting will occur onsite until 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 6. The winner will be announced that evening before an Art-Quilting Talk scheduled for 7 p.m. A quilt raffle will also be taking place throughout the week and quilt appraisals will be available by appointment only from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Thursday, February 6.

The exhibition is free with paid admission or membership and free after 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 6.

Companion Programming:

Thursday, February 6
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Quilt Appraisals (appointment required)*

Janette Dwyer, professional quilt appraiser and lecturer, will be available all day Thursday to perform quilt appraisals in the Dining Room. Contact Heather at haaronson@figgeartmuseum.org or call 563.345.6630 to schedule an appointment.

Thursday, February 6
7 p.m. Art-Quilting Talk
Art quilters Rosalie Baker and Colleen Curry will present two stylistic perspectives on art-quilting in the Auditorium. Curry will focus on new quilting techniques, while Baker will demonstrate the process she uses when creating her award-winning pictorial quilts. Both speakers are members of Professional Art Quilt Alliance (PAQA).

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

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