In conjunction with its exhibition, Dancing Towards Death, the Figge Art Museum will be hosting Ballet Quad Cities for a special encore performance of I, Vampire at 6:30 PM Thursday, November 18. Join us for a special night of art, dance and other activities as two great Quad Cities cultural institutions collaborate to entertain and educate on the dead and undead!  Ballet Quad Cities will give a reprise presentation of I, Vampire in the third floor gallery space at the museum. Inspired by local author Michael Romkey's1990 novel about the transformation of Chicago lawyer David Parker into one of the undead, this modern-day ballet explores the sinister yet sensual relationship between vampires and their victims.

At 7:00 PM. St Ambrose University professor of Art & Art History, Terri Switzer, will talk in the John Deere Auditorium. The lecture, "The Queen of Sins and 'la mort qui danse': Late 19th Century Femme Fatale Imagery", will explore imagery of the popular European theme of the diabolic seductress  through the deadly embrace and bewitching beauty of vampiric man-eating females, syphilis-ridden prostitutes, and the many Salomes and Judiths carrying severed male heads.

Admission to the museum and all activities is FREE after 5 PM. The Figge will be providing a free art lesson in the studios from 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Guided gallery tours start at 6 PM. The bar and café open at 5 PM. The museum is open until 9 PM.

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Theo's Java Club to Host Inaugural Event

November 9, 2010 (Rock Island, IL) - Handmade City is proud to announce the launch of their renegade arts and crafts show on Saturday, December 4 from 10 AM - 4 PM at Theo's Java Club located at 213 - 17th Street in Rock Island.  Artists from around the Quad Cities will be selling their one-of-a-kind handmade creations just in time for Christmas.  Confirmed artisans include The Adventure Orange, Betty Round, Cupboards Zine, Dilly Baby, Doug, Jack & Me, Fannie's Closet, Ladynoble, Leah Sprott, Lil Squeeks, Oh So Little Prints, and Terrible Delicious.  The event is free and open to the public.

"This inaugural event provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the talented artists living right here in the Quad Cities, said Rose Noble, Handmade City Creator. "Our goal is to make Handmade City the premier leader in producing events that showcase local talent and allow them to bring their products to the community at large."

Handmade City is an underground crafts + art collective, supporting modern local handmade artisans. Established in 2010, Handmade City supports the do-it-yourself craft collective and modern art available in the Quad Cities.  We pride ourselves on unique craftsmanship and encourage other likeminded artists and consumers to make Handmade City their destination for quality handmade crafts in the Quad Cities.

For additional information or to exhibit at future events, contact Handmade City at handmadecityinfo@gmail.com
CALL TO ARTISTS:
MINIATURES:
The Phoenix Art Gallery is setting up an exhibit and sale of Miniature paintings.
Medium
: Oil, Acrylic, Water, Pastel, Pencil or Mixed Media.
Sizes
: Maximum size is 11 inches in width or height. This INCLUDES frames if any.
Price:
Please list the target optimum price and price margins along with your submissions.
Submission:
Images of the art can only be sent as cds or photograph images.
Email attachments will not be opened.
Local artists can bring their paintings in personally if they wish.
Please send 1) your resume and 2)artist's statement, the vision and scope of your art along with your submissions.
A copy may be sent by email, but not as an attachment, in anticipation of your cds or photograph images. Please include this in your cd or photograph submission.
Please note: we need BOTH your resume and artist's statements.
Cost of submission
: Free.
Date Deadline
for final submission: November 15th. 2010
Please submit to:
PHOENIX Art Gallery
1530 Fifth Avenue. Moline.Illinois: 61265 Tel: 309-736-0006
Or contact the Owner
owner and director:
Narveen Aryaputri
www.atthephoenix.com
Maquoketa Art Experience's current exhibit, "Death & Such" is an interactive exhibit featuring paintings, video, and installation work by Iowa artists Katie Duffy, Patti Goffinet, Nikko Francois, Rose Frantzen, Thomas Metcalf, Chuck Morris, Seth Myers, Megan Starr, Evan Stickfort, Joe Turek, and Carey Welch. This themed group show offers meditations and artist's representations of a season of death...and such. Exhibit runs through November 17. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. 12-4 p.m. at 124 S. Main Street in Maquoketa. For more information or to arrange a scheduled group viewing call Paula at 563.652.9925. This exhibit is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.

Grant Wood Scholar to Talk about the Man behind the Artist

 Join us at the Figge Art Museum Thursday November 4th at 7 PM for a lecture and reading by R. Tripp Evans, author of Grant Wood: A Life.  Ever since Wood's now-iconic American Gothic caught the nation's attention in 1930, his work has become a blank canvas for audiences?who see what they will in his dream-like landscapes, unconventional history paintings, and forbidding portraits, with little sense of the man who created these images. In his lecture, Evans will discuss some of the sources for Wood's powerful imagery?including a number of important examples from the Figge Museum's extensive collection?and will examine Wood's public image as an uncomplicated "farmer-painter," a persona that has often obscured the far more interesting dimensions of Wood's life; his sexuality, artistic identity and relationship with his family.

R. Tripp Evans, PhD is Professor of Art History at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. He is the author of Romancing the Maya: Mexican Antiquity in the American Imagination, 1820-1915 (2004). He received his doctoral degree in the history of art from Yale University and has served as a visiting lecturer at Yale, Wellesley College, and Brown University.

Evans will be signing books in the store prior to his lecture; beginning at 5:30 pm. Copies are currently on sale in the Museum Store. Admission to the museum and lecture is $7. Admission is free to members, college professors and students. The Figge Arts Café and Bar will be open before and after the lecture.

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www.MRVAD.com

Purpose: Mississippi River Valley Art Directory is a website to
promoting art along the Mississippi River. The goal is to create one
website organizing all forms of art, making it easy for clients to
locate you, your website and your place of business.

Mission: The Mississippi River Valley area is saturated with wonderful
ART.   Connecting us all together and creating an art destination to
meet specific desires is our mission.

Let us introduce ourselves:

Diane Michele (Wall) Volrath started her art career in the medium of
sugar. She was the owner of Cake Creations for 16 years in Davenport,
Iowa. After retiring she became a multi-media artist living on the
Mississippi River in Princeton, Iowa. Her studio, Inspirational Images
Photography,  is next door to her house where photography meets the
stained glass world. Diane images photography on to glass and finishes
it with stained glass. Visit www.cupandgallery.com to learn more about
Diane and see her creations.

Rhonda LeMar-James spent 20 years managing a variety of venues in the
hospitality business. It was a fast-paced, exciting business where 2
days were never alike. That's where multi tasking became so important!
A family responsibility took her from that world and into the world of
art. She grows gourds here in Iowa and then uses them to express
herself. Along the path there were so many talented artists all
searching for the best way to get their art noticed by others. Diane
and Rhonda intend to make that a much easier task with this website
and these maps. To learn more about Rhonda visit
www.rhondasgarden.com.

Both ladies are active in the art world, promoting area groups,
festivals and artists. They sit on several boards, including the Quad
City Photography Club, Artist Advisory Council, Left Bank Art League,
The Gourd City Area Gourd Patch, and they also teach in the area.

After several discussions about how to assist artists in the task of
getting products noticed, the Mississippi River Valley Art Directory
was born.

Please join us in celebrating art in the Mississippi River Valley area.

Within this website you will find a Weekly Blog listing current art
events throughout the Mississippi River Valley. The second page is a
directory of all art locations organized by region with links to their
web-pages. The third page is a map of the art locations, hours of
business, and media available. Included here is a spot where you can
purchase full size maps for self driving tours. The fourth page is a
list of art galleries and home based art studios participating in the
Spring and Fall Art Drives. The annual Fall MRVAD drive is the first
weekend in November. This year that is November 6th & 7th, 2010 from
10am- 5pm, check this page to plan your route. The final page is an
application form for artists and art galleries to complete to be
included in this website and map listings.

Memberships include :

? Web-presence and link

Have your gallery, studio or home address listed on the world wide web
to access  clients and agents. A link will be provided to your
personal web-page if applicable.

? Map listing, maps for display and dispersal upon request

Maps will be placed in Welcome Centers, hotels, motels, area
businesses and all locations that visitors and locals search for ideas
for things to do along the Mississippi River. You may request maps to
hand out at your site and at art shows.

? Bi-annual newsletter promoting the open gallery/private studio self
drive tour.

A newsletter will be forwarded with helpful information and tips for
all members about the spring and fall art drives. This is a time for
artist to invite clients in to their personal studios. For those of
you without a studio, considering joining with several other local
artists at a public building in town. Our Goal is a fun day for a
drive along the Mississippi River Valley viewing great art and
interacting with the people that create it.

? Bi-annual open house gallery/private studio self drive

Each year we promote a special ART DRIVE twice a year, inviting
clients to view your galleries and private studios. This will be held
the weekend before Mother's Day and the first weekend in November each
year on Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. You may list your private home
based studio address, gallery address, the address of an Art show you
may be attending, a farmers market address, or a public building you
have rented for this occasion. The dates will be November 6 & 7, 2010;
April 30 & May 1, 2011; & November 5 & November 6, 2011. THIS IS AN
OPTIONAL EVENT TO MEMBERS OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY ART DIRECTORY.
You do not have to be listed on the Art Drive Directory page to be
included in the main listings.

? Monthly Blog available for individual artist promotion

The first page will blog art shows and art events in the Mississippi
River Valley. Please send your promotional event materials to
iipics@hotmail.com subject line MRVAD BLOG INFO or Diane Volrath, Po
Box 282, Princeton, Iowa 52768.

1 month prior to the event.

? Photos of your three top selling items included in photo gallery

Email iipics@hotmail.com with your photos to include.

Annual fee: $20.00

Form to join Mississippi River Valley Art Directory



Artist name:



Business name:



Email address:



Business Address and Phone #:





Dimensions of display shop-important for possible tour groups.



Is shop handicap accessible:



Your hours of business and

if you would like to be included

in the Spring and Fall ART DRIVE:







Information on your studio:



Medium (media):





Webpage address:



.

By submitting this application form, I understand I am giving
permission to M.R.V.A.D. to publish my information on the web and it
is my responsibility to provide accurate information and timely
revisions of this information to M.R.V.A.D.



Mail form with check to: MRVAD, 22185 180th Ave., Davenport, Iowa 52807



Form may also be filled out online at www.mrvad.com/id5.html .



For questions please inquire at: mail@MRVAD.COM or phone Diane at

563-343-2765 or Rhonda at 563-508-1853.

(MAQUOKETA, IA, September 23, 2010) - Maquoketa Art Experience, a not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown Maquoketa through artist-in-residency programs, workshops, and exhibitions, has appointed Paula Neuhaus as Director of Maquoketa Art Experience.

In this role Neuhaus will be responsible for coordination and promotion of all arts programming, residencies, workshops, exhibitions, and ongoing expansion and promotion of the Eastern Iowa Cultural Corridor.

With five years of not-for-profit arts administration experience and degrees from both Loras College and The University of Iowa Paula Neuhaus brings a wide range of abilities to Maquoketa Art Experience. Through her efforts with the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society, Voices From The Warehouse District fine art exhibit, Dubuque Area Writers Guild, DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival, and Dubuque Main Street, Ltd. Paula has demonstrated the impact that arts and culture can have as a tool for revitalization and economic development.

"We have experienced a lot of success since we organized in 2008," said Maquoketa Art Experience Board President, Bob Osterhaus. "Paula brings new energy as we continue to grow Maquoketa Art Experience and enhance the Eastern Iowa Cultural Corridor. We are delighted to bring someone with Paula's arts and culture experience to our program."

In her free time Paula continues her work as a poet and writer, volunteers with several Dubuque art groups, and manages two independent projects; Wordcure Spoken Word Series and Art Gumbo Micro-funding Program.

Maquoketa Art Experience is working to turn downtown storefronts into studios, galleries, and workshop space for visiting and resident artists. Maquoketa Art Experience hosts a variety of art programs and workshops for all skill levels. The exhibition space houses thematic shows created in collaboration with visiting, regional, and resident artists. For more information visit www.maquoketaart.org.

###
Experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of rural Jo Daviess County

GALENA, Ill. - August 25, 2010 - Celebrating the fruits of their labor, Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery and the Galena Cultural Arts Alliance are excited to announce their partnership in planning a new Fall Harvest & Art Festival.

The first annual two-day event will take place at Galena Cellars Vineyard, 4746 N. Ford Road, Galena, on Saturday and Sunday, September 25th and 26th, with activities spanning from noon until 6 p.m. both days.

Nestled in the vineyard clearing will be tents of area artists, each demonstrating their talents. Artist wares will range from watercolors to pottery, textile arts to exotic wooden pens. "We think this partnership will create a great weekend for everyone. Our artists participate in our shop 'Hello Galena!', as well as in galleries, museums and art fairs throughout the year, but to be able to exhibit and sell in such a beautiful setting is a real treat," said Toni Klingler, Galena Cultural Arts Alliance president.

"In addition to showcasing the amazing work of our local artists, we have a full weekend of fun for the entire family: food booths, hayrides, pumpkin painting and grape stomping," said Rob Steger, events and tours coordinator for Galena Cellars.

The Jo Daviess County Beef Association will be grilling up succulent steak and chicken sandwiches along with beef brats and hot dogs. Locally produced cheeses and fruit will also be featured. And of course, there is always the opportunity to sample wine, explore "tasting" through all of your senses and tour the vineyard.

Visitors are also invited to "kick up their heels and have a little fun" as the vineyard barrel room comes to life with music - rags, waltzes and hoe downs - with more local talent, the Fever River String Band.

Admission to the event is free. Vineyard tours are $5 each and include a sensory tour and wine tasting. An art auction will be held a 5 p.m. on Saturday, with proceeds benefiting the Galena Cultural Arts Alliance, a 501©(3) not-for-profit organization.

For more information, visit www.galenacellars.com/harvest.htm. Additional area offerings and visitor information may be found at the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau by calling 877-Go Galena or at www.galena.org.

Galena Cellars, a Lawlor family winery, offers more than forty varietals of wine produced in Galena, Illinois. Many Galena Cellars wine utilize Illinois-grown grapes from the recently appointed Upper Mississippi River Valley Area Viticulture Area, the largest designated AVA in the world. Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery is proud to offer three tasting room locations: 515 S. Main and at the Vineyard at 4746 N. Ford Road in Galena, and in 477 S. Third Street, Dodson Place in Geneva, Illinois.

#    #    #

Informational meeting 10:30 am Wednesday, August 25

Share your knowledge and love of the visual arts with others by becoming a Figge Docent! Docent candidates are taught to look at, analyze and discuss works of art in order to engage visitors to the museum in conversations about selected works in the galleries. Candidates should have a strong interest in the visual arts, enjoy public speaking, and have a genuine appreciation for all visitors.

For more information, contact Dan McNeil, Director of Development, 563.326.7804 Ext. 2047; dmcneil@figgeartmuseum.org
www.figgeartmuseum.org

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Figge Art Museum executive director, Dr. Sean O'Harrow, accepts position as director of the University of Iowa Museum of Art.

The Figge Art Museum would like to announce that its executive director since 2007, Sean O'Harrow Ph.D., will become the next director of the University of Iowa Museum of Art. Dr O'Harrow will take up his duties in November. Until then, he will help lead the Figge through this transition period. "This move is good for both museums and for our region," said Andrew J. Butler, Figge Board of Trustees President. The Figge Art Museum recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and has hosted a number of popular and well-attended exhibitions, including new galleries dedicated to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and the John Deere Art Collection. "I am very happy with the current state of the Figge Art Museum. It is a wonderful institution with great art and a strong support base.

People in the Quad Cities are justifiably proud of their museum," stated Dr O'Harrow. Under O'Harrow's leadership, the Figge has seen increases in popularity and media attention, as well as donations, revenue and other forms of support. This year saw record attendance and participation levels at the museum of over 69,000 people. In recognition of its successes, the Figge was recently re-accredited by the American Association of Museums.

A task force will be formed with both members of the Board and the community to conduct a national search for the Figge's next Executive Director as soon as it is feasible.

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