Davenport, Iowa (June 17, 2013) -  Beginning Wednesday on the first floor of the Parker Building in downtown Davenport, Chicago-based artist Juan Angel Chavez will be constructing a web-like structure made from items collected in the Quad Cities and Chicago. The finished product will be on view for the upcoming Figge Art Museum exhibition No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service which opens June 29.

Pedestrians will be able to watch Chavez in action at the corner of Brady and Second Street as he constructs the sculpture daily through June 24.

Chavez works with salvaged wood and other discarded materials to create dynamic, sculptural assemblages that celebrate the intrinsic value of ordinary, and seemingly banal, objects. The tears, stains, abrasions and other imperfections that mark the surface of the material he collects provide a lasting record of an object's complex history.

For No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service the installation will take the form of a web-like structure reminiscent of the temporary shelters that animals (and humans) construct for their survival. In his use of refuse and other found objects, Chavez seeks to draw attention to socially deviant behavior and other "unwanted" activities.

Born in La Junta, Chihuahua, Mexico, Chavez immigrated to the United States when he was thirteen. He attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago's Early College Program and continued his studies at The School, where he currently holds a faculty position in the sculpture department. He has exhibited in Chicago at the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Mexican Fine Art Center Museum, and the Hyde Park Art Center. Chavez has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation award, the Louis Comfort Tiffany award, Artadia Individual artist award and 3Arts award.

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service will be on display June 29-October 6, 2013.

Companion Programming 

Opening Reception and Gallery Talk

5:30 pm Friday, June 28

Exclusive event for museum members and donors.

Tours

1:30 p.m. Sundays in July and Saturdays in August

Meet the Artist

12-4 p.m. Saturday, September 21

College students will take part in an invitation-only lunch followed by a 2 pm public lecture by Juan Angel Chavez.

About the Figge Art Museum

The Muscatine Art Center will open its latest exhibition, "A Journey Down River: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Great River Road" on Sunday, June 30th as part of the Friends of the Muscatine Art Center's Annual Ice Cream Social. The exhibition will be on display in the Stanley Gallery through October 27, 2013.

The Mississippi River has always served as a muse for artists, songwriters and authors. "Old Man" River has been described as mighty, muddy and wicked, but the word "spectacular" describes both the river itself and the Muscatine Art Center's collection of works depicting the river. The collection includes paintings, drawings, prints and maps which historically and aesthetically document the river and the communities built along its banks.

The Great River Road, which travels the length of both sides of the Mississippi River, is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year. In 1938, the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC) was established for the purpose of collectively preserving, promoting and enhancing the scenic, historic and recreational resources of the Mississippi River.

The Muscatine Art Center exhibition will follow the Great River Road as part of the anniversary celebration. Highlights from the River Collection include a variety of works by Henry Lewis, an oil on pressed wood by Sally MacMillan, a painting by Muscatine's own William Bunn, a lithograph by John Page, a view of "Bloomington" (Muscatine) by John Casper Wild, prints by Karl Bodmer, hand colored engravings by Herrmann Meyer and a pen and ink drawing by Rudolf Cronau.

As a compliment to the River Collection, the Art Center has on display the speedboat racing trophies of Charles (Chap) Hanley. Hanley was born in Muscatine in 1878 and raced his first boat in 1904, eventually becoming a national champion. He set the world's speed record in 1923 and won trophy after trophy with the boats that he often designed and built himself.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

"View of the Mississippi from Wyoming Hill" by William Bunn, 1946 Collection of the Muscatine Art Center, Gift of the Raymond Titus Estate.jpg

The German American Heritage Center has openings for volunteers as listed below - here is a chance to tackle a specific assignment and really help out where you are needed.  We can't see your hand shoot up, so give us a call or e-mail us today and we will get things going!  kelly.lao@gahc.org or 322-8844.

Davenport, Iowa (June 7, 2013) - Local K-12 art teachers are getting the opportunity to showcase their talents at the Figge Art Museum for the Beyond the Classroom exhibition. Artworks the teachers have created outside the classroom will be on display in the Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery starting Saturday.

The variety of artworks included in the exhibition range in material, technique and style, but show how impactful it can be for teachers to be practicing artists themselves. Through the process of art-making, the teachers become even greater role models for students as they demonstrate first-hand the power of imagination and creativity.

Participating teachers with artwork on display include Bettendorf Community school District teachers Karen Blomme, Hilary Puglisi, Christine Walker and Timothy Solbrig. From Davenport Community School District, Roxanne Westphal, Sherry Smith, Kay Steele, Renee Ott, Laura Watt Carter, Connie Bieber, David A. Schaeffer, Brian Nickell, David Houk, Annette Lopez, Kayla Koehler, Pam Ohnemus, Kit Fox Sayles, Peggy Sands, Stacey Houk and Beth Anne Smiley. From Moline School District No. 40,  Iyla Thill Ferguson, David Zahn, Linda Hardin, Nick DiGioia, Stacey Replinger and Joel Ryser. Teachers from Pleasant Valley Community School District include Deb Roberts, Heather Seibel and Ali Kirsch. From Muscatine Community School District, Adrianna Corby and Mary Fowler. From Rock Island Art Guild, Gloria Burlingame, Christine Behnke of North Scott Community School District, Heidi Hernandez from Geneseo Community Unit School District 228, Patricia Bradley Bereskin with Mrs. B's School of Art, Debora L. Stewart from Camanche Community School District, Colleen McCarty Tomlinson with Rivermont Collegiate, Julianne Teerlinck from Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy, Julie Wall of Trinity Lutheran and M. Sue Sawvel from Central Community School District of Clinton County.

The exhibition will be on display through September 29, 2013.

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.