Six public sculptures in Bettendorf and four in Rock Island will be moving out and replaced with new ones over the next two weeks, starting tomorrow. Each city has elected to keep a sculpture from last years’ selection for another year. Quad City Arts has facilitated the leasing and installation of public sculpture in the Quad Cities since 2002. The City of Rock Island has participated in the program, yearly, since 2007 and Bettendorf, since 2008. Five sculptures have become part of Rock Island’s permanent collection, while Bettendorf has added 7. Davenport purchased nine sculptures while involved... Read More

One of my favorite local artists, Jon Burns, will be helping out the Black Lives Matter movement by donating 50 percent of proceeds from sales of his artwork in his current gallery to the movement. Pieces will be marked as sold when paid for and can be picked up by appointment at my living room window in downtown Moline. Burns’ art is a colorful and fun pastiche of pop art and pop culture images in a unique style. Send Jon a DM on his Facebook for interest. New pieces will be added throughout the month and you can check out his artworks in his virtual gallery here. Here’s a sampling... Read More

Isabel Bloom has decided to consolidate its Quad-Cities retail locations into its East Village location, cutting its Moline store after 30 years in business and its LeClaire shop after six years. The company released a statement late Friday that read as follows: Dear Friends, On behalf of our entire team at Isabel Bloom, we thank you for your loyalty and support, especially during these past few months. Your support, whether it be through online orders, curbside pickups, or local deliveries, has meant the world to us. Thank you for your words of encouragement through social media, phone calls and... Read More

As Illinois relaxes its social restrictions Friday (including allowing all gatherings of 10 people or fewer), the Quad City Arts Center, 1715 2nd Ave., Rock Island, will reopen Friday at 10 a.m. Free entry is available 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 5 Saturdays. Following the next phase of the “Restore Illinois” plan, which also allows bars and restaurants to open outdoor seating under restrictions, executive director Kevin Maynard said May 29 was the earliest the downtown gallery could reopen. “We’re taking all the precautions, taking it seriously,” he said Thursday. “Both... Read More

Art in the Garden will bloom Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 9 AM – 4 PM at Quad City Botanical Center, 2525 4th Ave., Rock Island. Local and regional artists including jewelers, photographers, painters, woodworkers, fabric artists, and others who are inspired by nature to create, will exhibit and sell their art pieces at this outdoor show. The handcrafted works will be on display in tents throughout the gardens and a variety of art price points are offered. $8 adults | $4 members and kids 5-15 Free for kids 4 and younger Pay at the door, no RSVP required The call for entry for artists is open here.  Read More

They say clothes make the man. They also make Laura Heath very happy, especially when they authentically evoke a specific era. With her husband, Heath owns Trash Can Annie’s 418 E. 2nd St., Davenport, which has been closed to the public since last spring’s historic flooding. But her 40-year passion for fashion and experience working in theater and film nationwide led her to another high-profile project last year – supplying clothes for the hit Netflix mini-series “Hollywood,” which debuted May 1. The Ryan Murphy-led production — lauded for its glamorous, pitch-perfect costuming... Read More

DAVENPORT – The Figge Art Museum will celebrate Quad-Cities Pride starting Saturday with its first dual virtual/gallery exhibition. Works by Cedar Rapids-based photojournalist Andy Abeyta will be in the Figge’s second-floor Lewis Gallery once the museum reopens, but will also be available Saturday, May 2, for online viewing at figgeartmuseum.org. The exhibit features 11 of Abeyta’s joyous and vibrant images of the 2019 QC Pridefest, part of the QC Pride’s Unity Pride Week, which is being postponed this year. “QC Pride is dedicated to promoting awareness and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community... Read More

Whatever artwork you have felt compelled to create during this time of uncertainty, Quad City Arts wants to share it with the public at a time when they hope to be able to gather socially again to celebrate the power of creativity.    All artists residing within a 250-mile radius of the Quad Cities are invited to submit up to two artworks of any medium created during the Quarantine period which began in March 2020, for a juried, group exhibition in Quad City Arts’ Rock Island Gallery from January 29-March 19, 2021. There is NO entry fee.  Timeline:  Friday, January 1, 2021: Entries... Read More

Feel like rockin’ some METAL? VandeWalle’s Metal Sculpture is holding the first local drive-thru sculpture market! You can pick up a cool new piece of artwork all from the safety of your car from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at Skeleton Key Art and Antiques, 520 18th St., Rock Island. “Spring is usually a very busy time of year for us, but this year sales are suffering with Skeleton Key closed,” said Brandy VandeWalle of Skeleton Key, partner and wife of sculptor John VandeWalle. “So what is a hardworking local artist with excess inventory supposed to do? We’re inviting... Read More

Inspired by similar artistic re-creations around the world, the Figge Art Museum is inviting area residents to offer their own brush with fame during the current Covid quarantine. The closed museum (at 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport) on Monday announced the “Getting Figge With It” challenge, for community members of all ages. Participants are asked to re-create artworks from the museum’s permanent collection using everyday items, people, or pets in their home. To participate, choose a favorite work from the permanent collection list of works and then re-create it at home using ordinary objects.... Read More