Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! The intertwined arts of photography, painting and filmmaking can produce a tide of emotion and giving in ways that simple words often cannot. That trio of talents are behind the latest exhibit at Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 2967 State St., Bettendorf. Pat Herath, executive director and founder of Moline-based Wells 4 Wellness, met this spring with Pat Beréskin, the... Read More

Quad City Arts presents the 44th-annual High School Art Invitational at Quad City Arts Gallery in Rock Island, through April 29, 2021. The exhibition is free and open to the public. The gallery (1715 2nd Ave., Rock Island) will be open extended hours — until 8 p.m. — on April 29th.  A virtual award presentation is live on Quad City Arts Facebook page , along with an online gallery where all of the entries can be viewed at www.quadcityarts.com/hs-invitational.html, This exhibition features exemplary works of art selected by each high school art teacher in the region. On average, 16 schools,... Read More

While last year’s Quad City Arts Chalk Art Fest was virtual, the fifth-annual event will be back live and in person June 26-27, at Schwiebert Riverfront Park, in downtown Rock Island, directly across the street from Quad City Arts headquarters and gallery. Last year’s event was spread out over two weeks in the second half of August, where 100 artists chalked up their driveways, porches and sidewalks, and the first-place winner was from southern California. Inspiring and engaging for people of all ages, this free, two-day street painting festival in June will bring together hundreds of local... Read More

Quad City Arts has a new partnership with KWQC-TV6, to provide exposure for area artists to create logos for their new weekly show, as well as the opportunity to feature local artists – on “Quad Cities Live.” Airing Fridays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., QC Live invites area artists to submit their work, particularly to create new versions of the show’s logo. The NBC affiliate is working with Quad City Arts to recommend artists of any age, who can also have their work featured and be personally interviewed on the air. Bettendorf native Brian Buckles (who now lives in Waterloo, Iowa), adapted a... Read More

Quad City Arts presents the 44th-annual High School Art Invitational at Quad City Arts Gallery in Rock Island, from Saturday, March 27 through April 29, 2021. The exhibition is free and open to the public. The gallery (1715 2nd Ave., Rock Island) will be open extended hours — until 8 p.m. — on April 1 and 29th.  A virtual award presentation will go live on Quad City Arts Facebook page on April 1st, along with an online gallery where all of the entries can be viewed at www.quadcityarts.com/hs-invitational.html, This exhibition features exemplary works of art selected by each high... Read More

For Western Illinois University art professor Bruce Walters of Davenport, a 37-year career teaching in higher education has been accentuated by the personal artwork he’s created, in a wide variety of media. As he prepares to retire from teaching in May, an exhibit of part of his inspired work — titled “What the Hand Dare Seize the Fire?” — is on display at the University Art Gallery in Macomb through April 2. The title of the current exhibit is taken from a 227-year-old poem, “The Tyger,” by William Blake. “The first drawings in this exhibition are drawn from... Read More

Quad City Arts announces the open Call for Entries for public sculpture to be considered for exhibition in the Quad Cities on a one-year lease. Currently, the cities of Bettendorf, Rock Island and Moline participate in the program with their own selection committees who choose from the available sculptures for pieces that provide points of interest, inspire discussion, and attract visitors to the community. Quad City Arts has facilitated the leasing and installation of public sculpture in the Quad Cities since 2002. All the sculptures are for sale and can be purchased by individuals, businesses,... Read More

The Western Illinois University Department of Art and Design recently hosted its annual High School Art Exhibition and Awards, with work submitted by students from 10 regional high schools. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition was held virtually and was judged by WIU Professor Emeritus Julie Mahoney. She chose 100 works for the show from more than 270 entries, submitted by more than 100 students. The competition is sponsored by Blick Art Materials in Galesburg, the WIU Bookstore, the WIU Department of Art and Design and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. The winners of the... Read More

Quad City Arts is seeking applications for its annual Arts Dollars grants for the 2021 cycle. Applications are welcome from individual artists, K-12 schools, and non-profit organizations partnering with artists. All art forms are eligible. Since 1990, Quad City Arts has supported the local art community by awarding more than $1 million in grants to local artists, non-profit organizations, and schools. As in past years, this year Quad City Arts will grant $85,500 to local artists and organizations. The application process is competitive, and applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline... Read More

Each year, the Western Illinois University Foundation reaches out to the WIU Department of Art to select a student to design the Foundation’s holiday greeting card. The opportunity not only gives a student the chance to showcase their skills, while building their portfolio, it provides to Western’s alumni and friends a glimpse of the talented students attending WIU. Senior graphic design (studio art) major Aeliana Campbell of Wiggins, MS, was selected by her instructors to paint a winter-themed picture for the annual WIU Foundation holiday card. The finished product is an original lithograph... Read More