Begin your morning of Thursday, February 20, 2020, with a sociable visit to The Loft of Main, 112 E. Main Street, Morrison, IL, during the monthly “Third Thursday.” The free event is from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., before the gallery opens to the public. These convivial gatherings allow men and women to meet family, friends, and new acquaintances in a charming venue, surrounded by hundreds of art works.
Marcia Haag will provide banana muffins, bran muffins, and orange yeast rolls. Enjoy fresh baked items with good coffee and conversation. Take note of installations from the following three artists.
Benjamin Boyles, formerly of Morrison, now living in Orange, CA, is a graphic artist. He has several charcoal and pen and ink pieces for sale; some are displayed upstairs. Top-to-bottom are “Just Things,” “In the Breeze,” and “Clear Glass.”
Ed Hammelman is a chip carver from Rock Falls, IL. He has several, painstakingly built boxes and a tissue holder for sale, all with intricate designs. The interior lid is decorated, too. Note the two-tone, corner assembly and tiered wall construction. Hammelman used Basswood, Butternut, and Walnut for these pieces.
Sara Vanderkleed, nee Vankooten, is from Morrison and now lives in Lafayette, IN. She is an artist (“I create.”) and instructor (“I help you create.”) She produces fine art paintings and collages. Her women’s retreats, wine and canvas classes, creativity boot camps, and private lessons are means to inspire creativity in others.
She offers two programs in March at The Loft on Main. On Sunday, March 8, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Vanderkleed will give a lecture about her painting process and demonstrate it. Patron Donors who make purchases of her work that day will receive a 10% discount.
On Monday, March 9, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., Vanderkleed will offer a meditative, mixed media, collage class at the gallery. “No artistic skill is required, just curiosity and a willingness to try something new,” she stated. There is a materials fee of $40. Call the gallery at 815-772-4005 to reserve one of the 24 seats.
