Talking Art

Ballet Quad Cities will perform the quintessential holiday favorite The Nutcracker this weekend at the Adler Theatre in Davenport.

Miguel Rosas is the owner of both New Style Barbershop and New Style Hair Academy in Moline. He has become well known for his hair portraits in which he shaves the incredible likeness of well-known personalities and cultural icons into the back of customers' heads.

Felix Vallejo purchased in 2017 a dilapidated building at 820 5th Avenue in Moline that had originally been a Skelly gas station. Built in 1932, it needed significant repair work and had become an eyesore in the Floreciente neighborhood. A collaboration between Felix and the Global Communities organization resulted in the historic renovation of the building’s exterior and the painting of a brightly colored mural on the retaining wall adjacent to it.

William L. Hawkins was a self-taught artist who created an astonishing body of vibrant, colorful, and large-scale paintings late in life, executed in a highly personal style. Hawkins incorporated collage and assemblage of found objects to create work meant to both shock and delight viewers. His cityscapes often portrayed buildings in his beloved town of Columbus, Ohio. He also vividly portrayed historical events, religious subjects, and animals in his unique and joyous style.

The Beréskin Gallery & Art Academy moved to its expanded gallery and classroom space at 2967 State Street in Bettendorf, Iowa, in August of 2017. The top floor is a large light-filled space featuring the work of various local artists in all mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, fiber, ceramics, and more.

The internationally bestselling author Ross King will deliver two lectures at the Figge Art Museum in conjunction with the current "French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950" exhibit.

"French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950" will be exhibited at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport from Oct. 9, 2018, to Jan. 6, 2019. Featuring 60 works curated by the Brooklyn Museum, the exhibit is a veritable art history course displayed through painting and sculpture, showcasing work by icons including Monet, Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, Degas, and Rodin.

The Iowa Oriental Rug Company and Renaissance Antiques, owned by Naim Bouchareb, is located in Davenport. The decorative arts are well represented here, where you will find a large selection of new and used exotic rugs in addition to high end antiques, including Tiffany glass, sterling, and porcelain.

Sally Gierke is a potter and muralist from Bettendorf who creates utilitarian earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain objects. Her large-scale murals have adorned local schools in Davenport, Bettendorf, and Moline, with the largest at Neil Armstrong Elementary School in Bettendorf.

The 2nd annual Alternating Currents festival will take place Aug. 23-26 in downtown Davenport. Featuring a dizzying array of film screenings, music performances, comedy acts, and art displays, over 100 events will be held in 16 venues within walking distance over the course of the four-day event.