Current Happenings:

EXTENDED: Holocaust Youth Art Exhibit, showcasing award-winning entries for this annual youth exhibit will be in our gallery through April 5. We want to give youth a venue to exhibit their work and are quite impressed with entries in this event each year. Please stop in to see this work during our gallery hours of Thursday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WINDOW: Member Lexi Gordon is exhibiting recent work in our window. Lexi graduated from Black Hawk College and has works done at college in the window.

GENESEO ARTWALK: On Saturday, April 26 Geneseo’s Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring Artwalk - the 10th! Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. many art events will be going on along State Street and First Street downtown. High school art students will be featured in some businesses and there will be some food vendors and live music. Visit the Chamber website for further details: https://geneseo.org/events/

GENESEO FINE ARTS EXHIBIT 2025 - Call for Artists currently out. Intake for art will be held on Thursday, April 24 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and again 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., on Friday, April 25 between 11 and 3 and on Saturday, April 26 (Artwalk day in Geneseo!) between 11 and 3. The show will open on May 4 at The Cellar Restaurant and our Gallery and remain open during regular hours (Th. - Sat. from 10:30 to 3 at our gallery and Wed.-Sun. 5-9 p.m. at The Cellar) through May 27. If you would like a call mailed to you, or emailed, contact Kathy Williams at 309/945-2283 or Sharon Michaelsen at 309-944-4580. High school students may enter up to 3 original pieces for $15 and adults may enter up to 3 for $30. Works must be original concept and creation of the artist, not previously exhibited in this event, and created within the last 3 years.

Recent events: Christmas Walk both 1.0 and 2.0 due to the icy weather - we enjoyed several visitors to the gallery and Les Hoste’s Santa ornaments all found new homes.

Scarecrow Row 2024 was a beautiful day and we enjoyed seeing all of the children in their costumes and with their families and friends. Love this event, thank you David Smith of Smith Studio and Gallery!!

New member Jeanne O’Melia presented two Chinese Brush Painting classes in March. Above is Jeanne (in red hat! :-) ) with the class attendees and their work.

Members, clockwise from top left, Elaine Hofman, Mary Copersmet, Joyce Mattan, Sharon Michaelsen, Lexi Gordon and Les Hoste on a gallery studio day.

Karen Vroman photographing our cyanotype class projects for our FaceBook page. Class was great fun!

Sharon with a pastel of our mascot, Clancy. He has crossed the Rainbow Bridge but is not forgotten. <3

 

Above is new member Sue Elliott with a watercolor she painted. Member Les Hoste, a fine watercolorist, has been sharing ideas to paint. It’s good to be inspired and good to work with friends!

Our thoughts go out to the family of member Warren Hadley who passed away on 2/14/2025. Warren was a great man and talented artist and will be missed.

 Member Shirley Burnett passed away in late October, 2024 and is also missed for her great spirit and talent.

This is Lexi Gordon’s window from April. She has several pieces in the gallery, drop by and take a look!

Want to support the arts? Enjoy working with other artists? Join our nonprofit side, RutabagA, the Heart of Regional Art, NFP! Stop by the gallery and ask a member for further details.

 

Here's a sampling of the community enrichments our members have been involved in over the years.

  • Sponsoring a regional judged art competition, the Maple City Fine Arts Exhibit, for 35 years and now starting our own, the Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit, begun in 2023.

  • Partnering with civic groups to provide low- and no-cost instruction for children.

  • Leading art projects for life enrichment at area senior care facilities.

  • Teaching art for local home-schooling families.

  • Teaching classical fine art techniques.

  • Bringing nationally-known instructors to teach in Geneseo.

  • Painting community murals.

  • Giving time to area causes, such as Dress For Success, Henry County Humane Society, Braveheart Childrens' Advocacy Center, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, and others.

 

Geneseo High School held its 2024 Senior Awards Night on May 1. Sharon Michaelsen presented the RutabagA Scholarship to Kay McAvoy and Pauline Swanson presented the Decnie Jeschke Memorial Scholarship to Kathryn Hogue. Above, from left to right, are Pauline, Kathryn, Sharon and Kay. Congratulations to these young women and we wish them well on their journey utilizing the fine arts!

 

Below is a group photo of members from late 2021. It is a pleasure to work with these artists and call them friends. Salute!