Happening in 2025: On Sunday, 2/16 we will host an open house for Isaiah “Zay” Williams’ exhibit in our gallery between 2 and 4 p.m. Below is a photo of Zay with one of his works. We are pleased to have his work exhibited in our gallery through Saturday, March 15. We are discussing an option for a class and will announce details when we get that worked out.
On March 23 we will have an open house for the Holocaust Youth Art Exhibit, showcasing award-winning entries for this annual youth exhibit. The entries will be in our gallery from Thursday, March 20 through Saturday, March 29. While a very sobering subject, we want to give youth a venue to exhibit their work and have been quite impressed with entries on exhibit for the past several years. Please stop in to see this work during our normal hours of Thursday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mark your calendars! We will hold our 3rd annual Geneseo Fine Arts Exhibit in May of 2025. Calls for entry are being finalized now to be mailed out later this month!
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 members have decades of practical experience in the fine arts. It is important to share our experience, knowledge and skills with others and we always learn from them too. You don't know what you can create until you try. We want to encourage all to make art.
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!
