The Galesburg Civic Art Center proudly announces the opening of the national juried GALEX 45 Exhibition and Competition.  The exhibition opens Saturday, March 12th and runs through Saturday, April 9th.  The competition awards over $2,000 in prizes including a $1,000 Purchase Award sponsored by Blick Art Materials.  The GALEX 45 Exhibition is sponsored by our exhibition partner, Cottage Hospital.

GALEX is one of the longest running juried exhibitions in the country.  It began in 1966 and has been an annual event at the Art Center ever since.  Sixty-two artists from Illinois and other states have been selected to participate in this show including:

  • Christopher Bradshaw of Bettendorf, Iowa for his oil on canvas entitled A Precipitated Fashioning

There will be an Opening Reception in the Art Center Gallery on Saturday, March 12th, from 6-8 p.m. which is free and open to the public.  Many of the artists will be in attendance.

The juror for this year's exhibition and competition is Mel Adamson. Ms. Adamson received her Master of Fine Arts from University of California at Berkeley in 1988.  She studied with Joan Brown, Christopher Brown and David Simpson and was a teaching assistant to Joan Brown.  She studied painting at >cole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France during her junior year but otherwise did her undergraduate studies in both music and visual art at the University of California at Santa Cruz.  Her work is exhibited nationally and locally. Mel's primary subjects are the figure as well as imagery that refers to elements in nature, some of which have been affected by human activity such as harnessed rivers for hydroelectricity or high atmospheric clouds whose formation is threatened due to global warming.  "I work with imagery relating to water and other natural resources, their use, storage and waste, and our simultaneous reverence for and destruction of nature.  I am interested in the translation of the idea of storage and release of energy and the condition of change into the pictorial realm."  She is inspired by her students - their visual inquiry, dedication and skill.  She lives most of the year in Richmond, CA with her husband, her teenage daughter, their black lab, cat, and chickens and gains inspiration for her painting while working in her garden.  Mel is a part-time assistant professor for the pictorial art department at San Jose State University and taught at the California College of the Arts for their extended education program in Oakland, CA between 1999 and 2007.

Additional award sponsors of this year's GALEX show are Breslin's Floor Covering for the Award of Excellence, McFall Monument Company for the Medallion Award, and Blick Art Materials for the Kent Leasure Memorial Fine Print Award. Dowers Roofing is our Juror Sponsor.

GALEX and all other programs of the Art Center are partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. The Galesburg Civic Art Center is located at 114 E. Main St. in Galesburg, Illinois.  Art Center hours are Tuesday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  For more information please contact the Art Center at (309) 342-7415, or visit our web site at www.galesburgarts.org

 

###

Volunteer Opportunities

Information March 24, 26 & 30, 2011

Davenport, Iowa - March, 2011  - The Figge Art Museum currently has volunteer opportunities available in the areas of education programs, family activity center, visitor services, community outreach and studio classes. Individuals who have an interest in community volunteerism or Quad City Art and Culture may register for the March volunteer information sessions.

The information sessions for prospective volunteers will be held Thursday, March 24, 2011 from 2pm-3:30pm OR Saturday, March 26, 2011 from 11am-12:30pm OR  Wednesday,  March 30 , 2011, from 10am-11:30am, at the Figge Art Museum.  These sessions will be geared specifically to adults and students, who are interested in volunteering and community support opportunities in  art education, public relations, administrative support, community outreach and visitor services .  The session will include an introduction of volunteer opportunities, a museum orientation and application procedures.  To register for this session, please call Museum Services Director Jennifer Brooke, 563-326-7804, ext. 2048.

Volunteering at the Figge is a great way to support your community by sharing your personal and professional experience with a non profit organization.  For more information, please visit the Figge Art Museum Web site, www.figgeartmuseum.org, or email j.brooke@figgeartmuseum.org.  

Opportunity to learn about Baroque Art

The Figge Art Museum is offering a five-week art history course on Baroque art at 2:00-3:30 pm on Sundays, March 13-April 10. This course is an introduction to Baroque art of the 17th and early 18th centuries in Europe. Artists discussed in this course include Caravaggio and Bernini in Italy, Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck in Flanders, Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Zurbarán in Spain, Rembrandt and Vermeer in the Dutch Republic, and Georges de la Tour and Claude Lorrain in France. The works of art will be discussed in relation to the historical context in which they were produced, with particular emphasis placed on contemporary art theory, systems and patterns of patronage, and religious ideologies. The course will be taught by Dr. Anne Muraoko, an independent art historian specializing in Renaissance and Baroque art.

The course is free to Figge members. For information about membership, visit www.figgeartmuseum.org or contact the membership office at 563.326.7804 x2007.

NOW ON EXHIBITION:

Tracks: Photography and the Railroad from the George Eastman House Collection | Through April 23, 2011

Crossing the Mississippi: The Quad Cities, the Railroad and Art | Through April 24, 2011

University of Iowa School of Art Faculty Exhibition | Through March 6, 2011

The John Deere Collection | Through May 2011

Legacy for Iowa: Pollock's Mural and Modern Masterworks from the University of Iowa Museum of Art | Ongoing

Portraits: Photography from the Brent Sikkema Collection | Ongoing

Frank Lloyd Wright: The Art Living | Ongoing

 

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: 

Celebrating Ideas: Bridging Communities with Augustana's Liberal Arts through the Ages | Mar 19 through May 29, 2011

Waterviews from the Figge Collection | May 7 through Aug 21, 2011

Volunteer Opportunities Information February  24, 2011

 Davenport, Iowa - February, 2011  - The Figge Art Museum currently has volunteer opportunities available in the areas of education programs, family activity center, visitor services, community outreach and studio classes. Individuals who have an interest in community volunteerism or Quad City Art and Culture may register for the February volunteer information sessions.

The information session for prospective  volunteers will be held on Thursday, February 24, 2011, from 2pm -3:30pm.  Theses sessions will be geared specifically to adults, who are interested in volunteering and community support opportunities in  art education, public relations, administrative support, community outreach and visitor services .  The session will include an introduction of volunteer opportunities, a museum orientation and application procedures.  To register for this session, please call Museum Services Director Jennifer Brooke, 563-326-7804, ext. 2048.

Volunteering at the Figge is a great way to support your community by sharing your personal and professional experience with a non profit organization.  For more information, please visit the Figge Art Museum Web site, www.figgeartmuseum.org, or email j.brooke@figgeartmuseum.org.  

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum, formerly the Davenport Museum of Art, opened August 6, 2005. The award-winning building designed by architect David Chipperfield holds a collection of approximately 3,500 works that reflect artistic styles and developments from the Renaissance to contemporary art, with particular strengths in American Regionalist, Mexican Colonial, and Haitian art.  The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday throughSaturday and Sundays 12-5pm  Thursdays the museum is open until 9pm. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit our website, www.figgeartmuseum.org.

###

February 11, 2011


(MAQUOKETA, IA) Maquoketa Art Experience is hosting a "Create-a-Painting" Workshop led by artist and writer Sandra Principe of Hanover, Illinois on Saturday, March 12 from 12-3 p.m. at the Maquoketa Art Experience studio located at 124 S. Main Street in Maquoketa.

Principe has created a painting event for anyone who is interested in exploring work with acrylic paints. In this class, participants will create a portrait of a cresting wave during a three-hour session led step-by-step by Principe. This class is designed for beginners or for anyone who wants to try something new. The registration fee is $35 for the three hour session. There is an optional materials fee of $15 that covers the cost of supplies if you choose not to bring your own. The registration form and materials list are available at www.maquoketa-art.org. For further information or to request a registration form contact Paula at Maquoketa Art Experience, maquoketaartexperience@hotmail.com or call 563.652.9925.

In her work Sandra Principe's oil paintings capture light and are reminiscent of the American painter, Martin Johnson Heade and are included in numerious private and corporate collections.  Her work has been shown in solo shows across the country, from West Palm Beach and Vero Beach, Florida to Laguna Beach, California. She is represented by Meghan Candler Gallery in Vero Beach, Florida; and Brio Gallery in Galena, Illinois. View Sandra's paintings at www.sandraprincipe.com


# # #


Thursdays at the Figge returns to the Figge on Thursday, February 17, 2011 with the special lecture "The World's Most Perfect Servant: The Pullman Porter Company and the African-American Experience," presented by Peter A. Hansen in conjunction with the current exhibition "Tracks: The Railroad in Photographs from the George Eastman House Collection" and Black History Month.  Mr. Hansen is the editor of the scholarly journal Railroad History and will travel from his home in Kansas City to Davenport by train for this lecture.  This lecture will be held at 7:00 PM in the Figge Auditorium.

The porters of the Pullman Company served as bellmen, concierges, housekeepers and more in the railroads' sleeping cars, yet their role in the American consciousness is even harder to define.  Were porters "the world's most perfect servants," as Pullman's advertising boasted, or a symbol of racial oppression? Icons of gracious travel or underpaid victims? More than 40 years after the Pullman Company went out of business attitudes about its frontline employees reflect our continued ambivalence.  This lecture will offer insights on the Pullman porters, their work, and their role in the modern civil rights movement.

Thursdays at the Figge on February 24th will feature a performance of Railroad Songs and Stories by Roald Tweet, professor emeritus of English at Augustana College and host of WVIK's Rock Island Lines, and musician Chris Dunn.

Thursdays at the Figge in March will feature "Artists and Writers," a series of talks by English professors from area colleges and universities on the unique relationship between literature and art.

Thursdays at the Figge programming in February also include a guided gallery tour at 6 PM and live music by Buddy Olson. The café and bar open at 5 PM for dinner and drinks and the museum is open until 9 PM. All programs are included with admission to the museum and all college students and faculty receive free admission after 5 PM every Thursday night.

Tracks and its educational programming are funded in part by the Riverboat Development Authority, Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

-end-

Volunteer Opportunities:  Information February 16 and 24, 2011

(Davenport, Iowa - February, 2011) - The Figge Art Museum currently has volunteer opportunities available in the areas of education programs, family activity center, visitor services, community outreach and studio classes. Individuals who have an interest in community volunteerism or Quad City Art and Culture may register for the February volunteer information sessions.

The information and training session for prospective  volunteers will be held Wednesday, February 16, 2011, from 10am-11:30am, at the Figge Art Museum or Thursday, February 24, 2011, from 2pm -3:30pm.  Theses sessions will be geared specifically to adults, who are interested in volunteering and community support opportunities in  art education, public relations, administrative support, community outreach and visitor services .  The session will include an introduction of volunteer opportunities, a museum orientation and application procedures.  To register for this session, please call Museum Services Director Jennifer Brooke, 563-326-7804, ext. 2048.

Volunteering at the Figge is a great way to support your community by sharing your personal and professional experience with a non profit organization.  For more information, please visit the Figge Art Museum Web site, www.figgeartmuseum.org, or email j.brooke@figgeartmuseum.org.  

 

-end-

The Figge Art Museum currently has volunteer opportunities available in the areas of education programs, family activity center, visitor services and studio classes. Students who have an interest in community volunteerism or fine arts studies may register for the February student volunteer information and training session.

The information and training session for prospective student volunteers will be held Sunday, February 20, 2011, from 2:00pm to 3:00 pm, at the Figge Art Museum.  This session will be geared specifically to students ages 14-21, who are interested in service learning, work study, or practical experience through internships in art education, public relations, administrative support or museum studies.  The session will include an introduction of volunteer and internship opportunities, a museum orientation and application procedures.  To register for this session, please call Museum Services Director Jennifer Brooke, 563-326-7804, ext. 2048

Volunteering at the Figge is a great way to get involved in your community and gain practical professional experience.  For more information, please visit the Figge Art Museum Web site, www.figgeartmuseum.org, or email j.brooke@figgeartmuseum.org.

"Full Steam Ahead!" is the theme of a free family day workshop happening this Saturday, February 5th, at the Figge Art Museum from Noon until 3:00 P. M. Bring your children or grandchildren to this fun family event to celebrate the special exhibition, "Tracks: The Railroad in Photographs from the George Eastman House Collection".  Storytellers will charm participants with railroad stories and musicians will entertain with popular songs inspired by the life and work on the railway. Learn more about rail travel with the "Explore and Learn More" gallery searches and visit the studios to create art projects inspired by locomotives and the railway. The museum will also present three showings of the silent film classic "The Great Train Robbery" in the John Deere Auditorium and at 2:30 P.M. Heritage Documentaries Inc. will present the film "Rock Island Trail" with a brief introduction and slideshow on the film's 1950 premiere in the Quad Cities.

The Figge Arts Café will be open and will provide a family-friendly menu from 11:30 to 2:30 P.M. For more information and museum hours, contact the Figge at 563.326.7804 or visit www.figgeart.org

"Full Steam Ahead!" at the Figge is sponsored by John Deere.

-end-

National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library Post Webcams to Give View of Historic Move
People all over the world can watch real-time progress on website


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Jan. 26, 2011) - Anyone around the world will be able to watch the progress of the rebuild and move of The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. With two webcams installed near its construction site, viewers can see a snapshot of the progress of the rebuild in real-time. The video programs will be used to illustrate the history of the museum, the relocation, and flood mitigation efforts. In addition to viewing the live action, cameras are also recording the relocation of the building for production of a time-lapse video of the move at a later time.

"Technology is amazing," said Gail Naughton, President/CEO of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. "We have so many friends around the globe who have supported our mission that we wanted to be able to include them in our progress and feel a part of what we are trying to accomplish."

After successfully raising $25 million, the museum and library broke ground and began construction Dec. 15, 2010.  The decision to move and expand the current facility was made last year. According to Jeremy Patterson of Patterson Structural Movers, the 1400-ton structure is thought to be the largest museum ever to be moved in the U.S. It will be moved and elevated three feet above the 2008 flood level. A 30,000 sq. ft. expansion will provide room for additional exhibition galleries, collection storage, a theatre, enlarged programming space, and a Museum Store.

A crew from Patterson Structural Movers of Washington, Iowa, has already begun welding 100 ft. beams to be used in the relocation. Once beams and jacks are in place, the building will move a quarter mile per hour to its new location across the street. The entire move will take 45 to 60 days beginning in May.

On the museum's website, www.NCSML.org, visitors will find a link to the live webcams at the upper right hand corner of the screen. There viewers can check the progress of the museum at their leisure.

Two Arecont Vision cameras have been installed. There is one that provides a south view and is located on the museum's clock tower on Sixteenth Ave. S.W. A second camera is located on a west side utility pole. Both cameras are recording one frame per second.

"The two high-definition cameras were necessary to get a close up view of the museum being moved off its current foundation. Once the building is turned, the west camera will allow for viewing the elevation and positioning on top of the parking garage," said Naughton.

Sound Concepts of Cedar Rapids installed the stationary fixed cameras that communicate to a wireless transmitter. The NCML's Kosek building at 87 Sixteenth Ave. SW, houses the wireless receiver and the NAS (network attached storage) recorder.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the leading United States institution preserving and interpreting Czech and Slovak history and culture.

Pages