“Rietz, Ventris, & Regional Woodturners" at the Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery -- through April 29. (pictured: Kathleen Rietz's "Joy in the Shadows")
Through Tuesday, April 29
Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery, 2200 69th Avenue, Moline IL
Notable and engaging works by 10 artists from Iowa and Illinois will be housed in the Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery through April 29, with Moline's airport showcasing floral paintings by Kathleen Rietz, landscape paintings by Evan Ventris, and 19 works by eight of the region’s finest woodturners.
Based in Schaumburg, Illinois, Kathleen Rietz creates paintings that reflect her inner world with a quiet contemplation of her surroundings, whether it be the bustling energy of Chicago or the intrinsic beauty of the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Many of her paintings celebrate nature with a focus on florals, heavily influenced by changing seasons and the energy of shifting light. She believes that the beauty of flowers has the ability to transcend barriers of language, politics and culture. Flowers symbolize love, friendship, birth, death, femininity, gentleness and strength, creating memories and connecting generations. Rietz credits the strong and resilient matriarchs in her past for introducing her to the importance of art and the transformative gardens of her youth.
Rietz's preferred medium is acrylic paint because she tends to work quickly to get ideas on canvas before inspiration passes. She notices she works best when working intuitively and without a set plan. As a result, many of the artist's paintings are done alla prima. She oftentimes mixes glazing liquid into her paint to create transparent layers, which give her paintings a dreamy, atmospheric look and a translucency similar to oil paints. Rietz uses other media such as water soluble wax pastels, acrylic inks, and sometimes glazes of metallic medium to add dimension and interest to her work, inviting the viewer into her world to contemplate and take a closer look.
Evan Ventris grew up on a farm just outside of Garnavillo, Iowa, and currently lives with his wife and two cats in rural Dubuque Country. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Clarke University in 2012, but his style and inspiration developed from time spent exploring the landscapes of Northeast Iowa. The artist works primarily in oil paint on panel, digital art, and sculpture, he focuses primarily on landscapes, and he is deeply influenced by his rural surroundings. Ventris also has a fascination with photorealism and enjoys the challenges this technique offers. He has exhibited in both solo and group shows throughout Eastern Iowa, and Ventris' work has been featured in several publications.
Meanwhile, 19 works of art by eight of the region’s best woodturners will be exhibited alongside the works of Rietz and Ventris. Artisans were invited to submit up to three pieces for consideration, and jurors selected a total of 19 pieces to be displayed. Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts. Support for art exhibitions is provided by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery is located opposite the airport's gift shop and restaurant, there is a $1 fee for parking, and more information on the Rietz, Ventris, & Regional Woodturners exhibit on display through April 29 is available by calling (309)793-1213 and visiting QuadCityArts.com.
