Davenport, Iowa (January 17, 2013) - For a limited time only, Quad-Citians will have a wonderful opportunity to view a rarely exhibited Arts and Crafts period punch bowl. The sterling silver bowl is on loan courtesy of The Cliff Dwellers, a Chicago arts club and gathering place for artists and people interested in the arts.

The Punch Bowl is an excellent example of Arts and Crafts period hollowware. The bowl's decoration was taken from Ancient Pueblo pottery designs at Chicago's Field Museum and is an example of how Midwestern Arts and Crafts and Prairie School architects and craftsmen incorporated Native American motifs into their designs.

The Cliff Dwellers, founded in 1907 as "The Attic Club" by the author Hamlin Garland in consultation with prominent Chicago artists Ralph Clarkson, Lorado Taft and others, was intended to be Chicago's answer to the legendary Players Club in New York City.  In 1909, The Cliff Dwellers moved into a space designed for it on the top floor of what was then known as Orchestra Hall.

In 1910, club member Charles L. Hutchinson on the occasion of the club's second anniversary in its new location commissioned a silver punch bowl crafted by renowned Chicago Arts and Crafts metal-smith and fellow "Cliff Dweller," (as members are known) Robert Riddle Jarvie, U.S., 1865 - 1941.  Hutchinson, was one of the founders of the Art Institute and served as the second President of Cliff Dwellers.  On the occasion of the bowl's presentation, a short play, The Masque of Quetzal's Bowl, written by Thomas Wood Stevens and Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, was performed.  The New York Times reviewed the "Masque" and characterized it as "slight," but acknowledged that its authors had considerable knowledge of southwest legends.

Jarvie's works can be found in a number of important decorative art collections including the Art Institute, the L. A. County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The bowl will be on view in the Figge's Frank Lloyd Wright / Western themed permanent collection galleries through April 14, 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. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit our website, www.figgeartmuseum.org.

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[DUBUQUE, IA] Dubuque's newest art space, eronel ART + MUSIC VENUE, will host an opening reception for artist Michael Garside's solo exhibition on Friday, February 2 from 7-10 p.m. in the lower level of the Cooper Wagon Works building, 285 Main Street in downtown Dubuque. The exhibit features abstract acrylic works and explorations in color and circular cellular construction. "I'm attracted to circles, they represent the universal, like the circle of life. When you break things down to their most basic form they become cells," Garside says about his work. "There is a perceived randomness about circles, there are no right angles, circles suggest a certain chaos and fragility, yet, they purposefully fit together."

Garside is a Dubuque native who has lived in New York City and in the Pacific Northwest. His recent exhibitions include the Pepper Sprout restaurant and Carnegie Stout's Art @ Your Library series. His upcoming exhibit boasts exceptional color. "I was diagnosed with color blindness as a small child so painting for me is about experimenting with color and contrast and feeling free to explore that," Garside says "A lot of times painting is just about experimenting and enjoying the end result."

eronel ART + MUSIC VENUE brings a new artful presence to downtown Dubuque's Historic Old Main Street District by hosting music, performance art, and offering a new home for exhibiting artists in Dubuque's cultural district. The new venue opens on February 1 with a musical performance by Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts.

Michael Garside's paintings will be on exhibition through March 2, 2013 with evening gallery hours Wednesday through Saturday, 7p.m. - 11 pm and by appointment. Learn more about Garside's work by visiting theartfeed.com.

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Illinois Jobs Now! Capital Program Investing $15 Million to Develop New Exhibits, Improve Museum Facilities and Create Jobs

CHICAGO - January 10, 2013. Governor Pat Quinn today announced that public museums across Illinois will receive $15 million in state capital investments to improve facilities and develop new exhibits while creating more than 370 jobs. Supported by Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, the investments will help give the millions of people who visit Illinois' public museums each year a better understanding of Illinois' culture, history and natural heritage.

"Our museums expand educational frontiers by allowing visitors to learn about Illinois' history and cultural diversity in unique, interactive ways," Governor Quinn said. "These Illinois Jobs Now! grants will not only help preserve and enhance some of Illinois' greatest treasures, but also boost the economy by creating jobs and bringing more visitors to our state and its outstanding museums."

The projects are part of the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program, which is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

"The Museum Capital Grants Program assists local public museums in meeting their educational missions by upgrading or expanding museum facilities," said IDNR Director Marc Miller. "Museums play a vital role in helping students, families, and visitors to Illinois better understand the culture, history and natural heritage of local communities and the state of Illinois."

Today's grant recipients represent a wide range of cultural interests from across Illinois. The National Hellenic Museum and National Public Housing Museum in Chicago are expected to attract visitors from across the nation, as will the Lincoln Park Zoo's state-of-the-art Japanese Macaque exhibit. Glimpses into Illinois' past will be experienced at the Galena and U.S. Grant Museum's "Port of Galena" exhibit, Kankakee County Museum's celebration of "French Heritage" and the 1940s Music Store at the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Illinois children will enjoy the new "My Great Backyard" exhibit at the Children's Discovery Museum in Normal, the Kohl Children's Museum's "Books and Crannies" exhibit and the Chicago Children's Museum "I-Lab." A complete list of projects is attached.

Today's announcement marks the second time Governor Quinn has made a significant investment in public museums throughout Illinois. In 2010, nearly $15 million in capital dollars funded exhibit expansion and improvements at more than 50 museums, including new garden exhibits at the Botanic Gardens in both Glencoe and the Quad Cities, an interactive exhibit exploring the history of immigration at the Midway Village Museum in Rockford, and a new conservation and outreach center at the Chicago Zoological Society.

Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program is the largest in Illinois history. The program, which began in 2009, is expected to support an estimated 439,000 construction jobs over six years.

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The German American Heritage Center will be opening its brand new exhibit Vintage Vows & Veils on Sunday, January 13th with a talk on German Wedding Traditions with Kathlyn Hofmann at 2pm. Ms. Hofmann will discuss interesting ways in which American traditions differ from the German to kick off our celebration of brides in the Quad Cities.

The exhibition features over 30 gowns from 1868 to 1968 with a visual timeline of bridal fashion. Cake toppers, garters, veils, and other artifacts of the wedding are on display from local families with German roots.

The exhibit runs January 13th through May 26th and is sponsored by Genesis. Admission is $5 for Adults, $4 for Seniors, and $3 for Children 5-17. The German American Heritage Center is located at 712 W 2nd St. Davenport, IA and is open Tuesday through Saturday 10a.m. to 4p.m. and Sundays 12p.m. to 4p.m.