Rock Island, IL: Teaching and mutual inspiration are at the center of "Ripples of Inspiration," a new group art show at the Rock Island Main Library in September. The group show features the works of art teacher Jane L. Koski and three former students, Megan Crandall-Cooper, Holly Kimball, and Jessica Bingham-Ott. The show will be available for viewing during Main Library hours from Sept. 3 to 30 on the second floor of the Main Library, 401 19th Street.
"In this exhibit, I want to honor what teaching means to me," says Mrs. Koski. "In partnering with former students, I am reminded that where once I sought to inspire them, they now inspire me. . . . They have chosen to make art a part of their lives. Like a pebble thrown into the water, we are inspired by the ripples that touch us and overlap."
The artists will present a public reception for their show on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm in the second-floor art gallery space of the Main Library. The reception is free and open to the public.
About the artists:
Jane Leifheit Koski is an graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a bachelor of fine arts in art education. She also studied at Drake University, St. Ambrose University, and Black Hawk College. Mrs. Koski taught art at Rock Island High School, Orion Middle School, and Orion High School for 28 years before retiring in 2009. "I'm calling myself an escape artist these days, instead of a painter. When I work, I want my art to give the viewer the experience of a moment of peace and reflection. . . .Trees and nature are a common subject for me as I explore texture and color."
Megan Crandall-Cooper graduated from Augustana College in 2005 with a degree in liberal studies and studio art. She went on to study web design at Black Hawk College. She currently works as the program coordinator at the Sherrard Public Library, with previous jobs including work as a freelance photographer, production assistant, graphic designer/web designer, florist, costumer, substitute teacher and wedding planner. Past activities creating pixie teas at the Quad City Botanical Center led her to create a line of polymer fairy doors, houses and gardens, in addition to costumes and fairy floral creations. Her webpage at www.spritefystudios.com features several of her creations.
Holly Kimball is a native of Orion and a 2011 graduate of Coe College in Cedar Rapids. She earned a bachelor of arts in art with an emphasis on painting and drawing, and was the co-recipient of the Marvin Cone Art Prize. Her paintings and drawings have been exhibited in various shows, galleries and library exhibitions in Illinois and Iowa. "My personal response to subject matter is highly crucial to my working method. It is imperative that I seen something extraordinary in my chosen subject," writes Kimball. "I use a variety of materials to allude to my underlying process and the amalgamation of transient moments. My work, then, is more than just a final product; it serves as a record of the full experience."
Jessica Bingham-Ott is currently a masters-level graduate student in fine arts, and a gallery assistant and photographer at Bradley University. She received her bachelor's degree in art in 2012 and post-baccalaureate fellowship certificate in 2013, both at Monmouth College. Her paintings focus mainly on organic abstraction through oil and mixed media paintings. "Using Mother Nature as a factual beginning, I explore various elements of what she has provided me. I look for organic patterns, textures, and movements to influence and use those images as guidelines to expand each piece to its full capacity," she writes.
For more details about Rock Island Library events, visit the Rock Island Library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, sign up for an email newsletter, follow the library on Facebook or Twitter, or call 309-732-7323 (READ.)
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