Monday, June 25, 2012

Nearly two years ago, a member of the C-U Spinners and Weavers came to the Spurlock Museum with a suggestion for a temporary exhibit.  Why not have Guild members create fiber artworks that were inspired by artifacts in our permanent collections? We already knew the Guild members were great, for we had collaborated with them in conjunction with our "Why Knot?" exhibit in 2007, and combining great people with a great idea worked for us, so plans were made and work began in May of last year.

This week is drop-off week.  Four to five Guild members will be arriving each day with their completed artworks. I have seen most of the pieces already, as the Guild held regular show-and-tell sessions where members could display their works-in-progress and discuss their triumphs and challenges.  Knowledge was shared and there were always numerous "oohs" and "ahhs." We even did a mini-display at the May Guild meeting so that all the members, both those participating and those not participating, could see the beautiful pieces.  Even with all this, though, it will be so great to see them all finished and ready for the next stage: the design of the exhibit space and the building of mounts. These are the days when I really appreciate our Collections team, for I know they will work hard to create mounts that both show off these lovely pieces well and ensure their safe display.

Mark your calendars now to come see the exhibit in fall, 2013.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

TAMMIE RUBIN: I DWELL IN POSSIBILITY - Opening Reception



Monday, June 25–Thursday, August 2
Reception: Thursday, June 28, 6–8 p.m.; Gallery Talk at 7 p.m.
Music by The Prairie Syncopators
Lecture: Wednesday, June 27 at 11 a.m., S building

CHAMPAIGN—Recognizable mass-produced objects take on new meaning in Illinois artist Tammie Rubin’s ceramic sculptures, to be featured in a Parkland Art Gallery exhibit opening Monday, June 25.

“Tammie Rubin: I Dwell in Possibility” will run in the gallery through Thursday, August 2.  An artist reception, from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, includes a gallery talk by Rubin at 7 p.m. and music by The Prairie Syncopators. Rubin will provide an additional lecture in Parkland’s S-building ceramic studio on Wednesday, June 27, at 11 a.m.

Rubin is an assistant professor in Ceramics and Foundations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned the UIUC’s College of Fine and Applied Arts Creative Research Award in 2011. She received her MFA in ceramics at the University of Washington in Seattle after receiving a BFA in art history and a BFA in ceramics at the University of Illinois.

Rubin’s sculptural ceramics borrow from pre-existing mass-produced objects. Seeing an inherent beauty in these consumer products she transforms these easily recognizable items into mythical and absurd objects. “My sculptures are assemblages of collected objects, the primary interest is transforming the familiar, disposable, and trivial into the mythic and fantastical,” Rubin said in an artist’s statement. “Utilizing the amorphous properties of clay while exploring its inherent materiality, I create fanciful sculptures that feel both familiar and alien.”

Summer gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the gallery will be closed on Wednesday, July 4. To find the gallery when classes are in session, we suggest using the M6 parking lot on the north corner of the campus. Enter through any door and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point of the first floor, where the gallery is located. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area. For more information please call the gallery office at 217/351-2485 or visit our website at artgallery.parkland.edu.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Parkland is a section 504/ADA-compliant institution. For accommodation, call 217/351-2505.


Friday, June 8, 2012

B-17 "Texas Raiders" Returns to Chanute





The CAF Gulf Coast Wing B-17 "Texas Raiders" is returning to the Chanute Air Museum!

Arriving on Friday July 27, 2012, the aircraft will be on static display, available for walk-through tours, and offering rides Saturday July 28, 2012 thru Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

The public is invited to explore the Chanute Air Museum and historic B-17 Flying Fortress!



For additional information about the event:

Chanute Air Museum
217-893-1613
curator@aeromuseum.org
www.aeromuseum.org

To Book a Ride on the B-17
CAF B-17 "Texas Raiders"
817-304-0393
b17rides@gulfcoastwing.org