Chris Rayburn's "Villas at Crow Valley" at the Quad City Arts Center -- December 13 through January 24.

Exhibit: Friday, December 13, through Friday, January 24

Opening Reception: Friday, December 13, 7 – 9 p.m.

Quad City Arts Center, 1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island IL

Photographs, watercolors, and giant glass goblets will all be on display in the next collective exhibition at the Quad City Arts Center, with the Rock Island venue, from December 13 through January 24, showcasing evocative and beautiful works by Chris Rayborn of Davenport, Tim Schiffer of Iowa City, and John Miller of Champaign.

In his series of large-scale photographic prints titled Transplanted, Chris Rayburn calls out the unnoticed details of ordinary places in order to enrich the act of looking, and focuses his photography on trees in suburban environments. Located in commercial developments, the trees can become so repetitive that they get overlooked. The artist consequently uses his lens to draw attention to the artificial combination of young trees, encircled by concrete asphalt, gravel and other materials. Rayburn is presently the President and Chairman of the Board for Quad City Arts, and also a past curator of the Art @ the Airport gallery at the Quad City International Airport, where he curated six exhibitions per year for over 15 years. Additionally, he has served as the Treasurer for the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts and as the VP of Collections and Secretary for the Figge Art Museum.

artwork by Tim Schiffer

Tim Schiffer will display watercolor paintings that combine fallen leaves with objects and images from art history. In his works, it looks as though the leaves have gracefully landed on the iconic works of art, asking the question of which are more beautiful: the man-made works, or the miraculous nature around us. The leaves seem to imply that even with time and loss of vibrancy, we still want to hold on to objects that remind us of magnificence. Schiffer was the former executive director of the Figge Art Museum from August of 2012 through this past summer, and also served for more than a dozen years as executive director of the Museum of Ventura County.

John Miller, who has been working in glass for more than 20 years and focuses on blown sculpture, brings to the Quad City Arts Center his collection titled Gathering. Having earned his MFA at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Miller exhibits internationally, lectures and demonstrates nationally, and is an assistant professor and head of the glass department at Illinois State University. Gathering will boast a selection of over-sized goblets from a recent series of collaborations with other accomplished glass artists, and his works have been shown at venues including New York's Museum of Arts & Design, Virginia's Chrysler Museum of Art, and New Jersey's Museum of American Glass.

glasswork by John Miller

In addition to his artwork showcase at the Quad City Arts Center, Miller will be presenting a one-day demonstration and lecture on December 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Davenport venue Hot Glass, Inc. (104 Western Avenue). This information-packed; high-energy demo is designed for anyone interested in learning more about glass blowing – from beginners to those with previous experience – and Miller will cover the history of the Studio Glass movement while also sharing professional tips and techniques. Admission is $125 per person (including lunch) and registration is required by calling Hot Glass at (309)236-9223 or visiting HotGlassArt.org.

An opening reception for the collective Chris Rayburn, Tim Schiffer, and John Miller exhibit, with guests invited to meet the artists and enjoy complimentary food and beverages, will take place at the Quad City Arts Center Gallery from 7 to 9 p.m. on December 13, and the works will be on display through January 24, with regular gallery hours Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and more information is available by calling (309)793-1213 or visiting QuadCityArts.com.

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