The Figge Art Museum is opening its new Artica Gallery on Saturday, February 25th, at 2 pm. A formal program in the auditorium will honor all project participants, followed by a ribbon cutting. Light refreshments will be served. The installation was made possible with support from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.

Artica helps visitors discover where artists find inspiration, how artists use their imagination to be creative, and how artists express their ideas. Artica also encourages visitors to look, imagine, and create. Five images from the Figge's permanent collection, reproduced in vinyl, serve as the inspiration for the displays and hands-on activities. "Artica Guides" offer tips for parents and caregivers on what to talk about with children when viewing the five works of art.

Activities are designed for children, but many activities can be adapted to visitors of all ages. A brief description of each station is listed below:

Station 1:  Artists challenge us to see the world differently.

A linoleum print of a woman's face by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso is the inspiration for the drawing activities at this station. To learn about the relief printmaking process, watch the 7-minute video featuring St. Ambrose University Art professor Joseph Lappie demonstrating how a multi-colored linoleum print is made. The film was produced by Matt Carroll, a professor in the Communications Department at St. Ambrose University. Self-portraits drawn by students who attend elementary schools in Bettendorf, Davenport, Geneseo, Moline, and Pleasant Valley are sprinkled throughout the gallery.

Station 2: Artists express what we feel.

Why are penguins vacationing in the Caribbean? After viewing this humorous picture painted by Haitian artist Jasmin Joseph, make your own penguin finger puppet or draw a picture of your favorite animal playing a musical instrument. Colorful pictures depicting animals playing musical instruments drawn by students who attend elementary schools in Bettendorf, Davenport, Geneseo, Moline, and Pleasant Valley will serve as inspiration.

Station 3: Artists make the ordinary extraordinary.

How could an artist transform a simple chair into a throne? One Haitian painter did just that by embellishing it with painted designs and flowers. After viewing this colorful work, try making your own miniature chair using a variety of materials.

Station 4: Artists engage our imagination.

The colorful "gingerbread" houses that were constructed in Haiti around the turn of the 20^th century are characterized by bright colors, tall ceilings, decorative latticework, and wrap-around porches. After viewing this imaginative painting, construct your own "gingerbread" house using the provided template. Colorful blocks and Legos are also available for aspiring young architects.

Station 5: Artists play with line, shape and color.

The Spanish artist Joan Miró created playful images using expressive lines, unique shapes, and bright colors. Experiment with color using the large wall board or the computer software programs.

The Artica Gallery also includes picture books that help teach children about the Artica concepts of inspiration, imagination, and expression.

Leanne Paetz of Pederson Paetz, Omaha, designed the Artica Gallery. The palette of cool colors including aqua, blue, and green was inspired by the colors in the painting of the penguins described above. The playful font and design elements create a lively, animated space that will appeal to children and those young at heart.

Admission to the reception is $10 per families. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members. The Artica Gallery is open during regular museum hours and is free with admission or membership.

For information about museum programs, visit the Figge website at www.figgeart.org.

-end-

SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 AT 4PM

THE CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

30 N. CLINTON STREET, IOWA CITY

IOWA CITY - SUNDAYS AT FOUR, a free community arts series, will present JOY KILLS SORROW, a Boston-based string band, on March 4 at 4pm, at the Congregational United Church of Christ, 30 N. Clinton Street in Iowa City.

Joy Kills Sorrow is a "newgrass" band with five young performers who joined together in Boston after their classical training.  Iowa City native Bridget Kearney is the bassist and primary songwriter for the band.

Come and spend an hour with the lamenting music of the heartland, singular stories of heartache and laughter, beautiful string arrangements and pure ensemble singing.

For more information on the SUNDAYS AT FOUR series, call 319-337-4301 or visit the church's website at www.uccic.org.  The Congregational United Church of Christ is located at 30 N. Clinton Street, across from the University of Iowa Pentacrest.  The Church is handicapped-accessible.

(Davenport, Iowa - February, 2012)  On Saturday, February 18 the Figge Art Museum will host "The Luck of the Draw," a 3-part program led by illustrator Cori Doerrfeld.  The program begins at 1pm with a presentation in the auditorium.  At 2pm, Doerrfeld will lead an illustration demonstration in the studios.  Program participants will be invited to take part in hands-on activities at 3pm.  The program is designed for aspiring illustrators of all ages and is free with museum membership or paid admission.

In her presentation, Doerrfeld will review her journey towards becoming a published illustrator and author. She will share the stories that have shaped her career, revealing what she did to get noticed, but also how luck played a part in each and every step. Doerrfeld says she was never a huge risk taker, but nevertheless, decided to take a leap and pursue a career as an illustrator.

"I fully believed in my abilities, but the luck factor is a hard thing to control. Finding my way from a child drawing unicorns on school folders to a published illustrator/author is really the result of a perfect mix of both ambition and luck. Where I went to grad school, how I got my agent, or how I even got my first book deal are all partially due to simply being in the right place at the right time. Each subsequent book project has also felt like a mixed blessing of ingenuity and getting lucky," states Doerrfeld.

The presentation will include several personal images such as childhood drawings, sketchbook pages, and process photos. Doerrfeld will also discuss some of her personal experiences in the publishing world and what it has been like to work with different publishing houses and editors.  Following the lecture, Doerrfeld invites guests to spend some time with her in the studio. There will be original artwork for people to view, process materials, and a few simple projects for people to participate in.

Cori Doerrfeld received a B.A. in studio art from St. Olaf College, as well as her Post Baccalaureate in illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She has illustrated Welcome to Your World, Baby! and It's the Best Day Ever, Dad!, both by actress Brooke Shields (Harper Collins), as well as both Seashore Baby and Snowflake Baby by Elise Broach (Little, Brown). Doerrfeld recently released a picture book she wrote herself, Penny Loves Pink (Little, Brown). Doerrfeld lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is represented by Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency.

At 4pm, the Figge Museum Store will hold a book signing with Doerrfeld.  Four books that Doerrfeld illustrated will be for sale, including Penny Loves Pink, Seashore Baby and Snowflake Baby. Little Bunny Foo Foo (Dial Books) by Doerrfeld was released in January 2012 and will also be available.

Good Fit T-shirt Photo Contest continues until Feb. 15

ROCK ISLAND, IL (02/09/2012)(readMedia)-- Online voting continues until Feb. 15 for the People's Choice Award in Augustana College's Good Fit T-shirt Photo Contest, where potential first-year students are eligible to win one of five $1,000 scholarships to Augustana. For their photos, students must wear the Augustana T-shirt they received when visiting campus.

Students who have entered the photo contest from your area include :

Paige Ehrecke, from Long Grove, IA. Ehrecke is a senior at NORTH SCOTT HIGH SCHOOL and submitted a photo in the At Another College category.

Andrew Statz, from Davenport, IA. Statz is a senior at WEST HIGH SCHOOL and submitted a photo in the At Another College category.

Danya Tazyeen, from Bettendorf, IA. Tazyeen is a senior at PLEASANT VALLEY CMTY HS and submitted a photo in the At Another College category.

Go to www.augustana.edu/Goodfit and check out the creative photos and clever captions and cast a vote for your favorite. In addition to the People's Choice Award, other categories in the photo contest include : action shot, in a famous location, at another college and with an alumnus.

The Good Fit T-Shirt competition is a fun way Augustana can get to know the potential members of its incoming class while spreading the word about Augustana College at the same time.

"It's a way to get Augustana's name out in cyber-world as students share their photos and ask others to vote," said Meghan Cooley, director of recruitment communications and a 1999 Augustana graduate. "In some ways, it's like a global billboard as we have photos of students wearing their Augustana T-shirts in England, Greece and Belize, even at the Blarney Stone in Ireland."

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers nearly 90 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 faculty members and has a student-faculty ratio of approximately 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.