Carolyn Martin

The photographic artist Randy Richmond has two concurrent exhibits on display now in the Quad Cities:  Verisimilitude in the Lewis Gallery at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, and The Set Table:  Forks on the Left, Metaphors on the Right at the Quad City Arts’ gallery in Rock Island.

The mixed media artist Sarah Rehmer’s solo exhibition A Tenuous Space is currently on display at the ArtSpace Gallery on the Black Hawk College campus in Moline.  Using vintage book paper, rusted paper, encaustic, oil paint, and eco-dyed fabric and paper, she explores the elusive aspects of memory, thought, and communication in ethereal works created over the past five years.

The widely acclaimed Harlem Quartet is in residence from October 21-25, 2019 as part of Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series.  Founded in 2006 by the Sphinx Organization, their mission is to build diversity in classical music, and to engage new and young audiences through the discovery of a varied musical repertoire that includes works by minority composers. This Grammy Award winning quartet performs jazz, Latin, and contemporary music in addition to their classical work.

The vintage 1946 film noir movie Deception will be played at the Figge Art Museum on Wednesday, October 2, 2019.  Prior to the film, Hannah Holman, Principal Cellist for the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, will talk about Eleanor Aller Slatkin, the female cellist who played the Korngold Cello Concerto for the film.  Erich Wolfgang Korngold composed his Concerto specifically for this movie.

Canadian artist Mia Feuer’s solo exhibition Totems of the Anthropocene will be shown Sept 21 through Dec 29, 2019 at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, IA.  Described as a “research driven interdisciplinary sculptor,” her work asks us to ponder the destruction of our natural world through our exploitation of petroleum and by climate change.

The soprano Lily Arbisser and pianist Dr. Marian Lee will be performing a free benefit concert on Friday, August 30, 2019 at 7:30 PM at the Asbury United Methodist Church in Bettendorf.  Donations made that evening will benefit local flood victims, following the catastrophic flooding experienced in the Quad Cities earlier this year.

A quality arts education is essential to a comprehensive academic experience for young people.  When students immerse themselves in the arts, they secondarily learn a variety of other life skills including critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem solving.

The 6th annual Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival will be held Aug 16-18, 2019.  This free, three-day event celebrates “the indigenous music and culture of people who helped build the Quad Cities with their blood, sweat and tears”, and features musical styles beyond jazz such as blues, R&B, folk, rock, rap, and Latin sounds.

If you love original art, vintage items, antiques, and “all things handcrafted” then The Skeleton Key Art & Antiques shop in Rock Island is the place for you.  Located at 520 18th St. in Rock Island, the shop is housed within the historic building that was previously a residence and the Wheelen-Pressly funeral home. The outside space is filled with original sculptural works by John Vandewalle, and inside you will find an eclectic mix of items curated by over 80 vendors.

The Spotlight Theatre Company is midway through their second season, with Matilda:  The Musical opening on August 2, 2019.  Located in the iconic building that was previously the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Moline, just west of the I-74 bridge, productions are performed in a meticulously crafted auditorium built by the Masonic organization.