Little City Artists Spotlighted at Prestigious Rockford Art Museum until January

Approximately 100 works from Little City artists are on display in the Full Circle: Little City Foundation exhibit at the Rockford Art Museum until Jan. 6, 2013. Featured artwork include fascinating paintings, colorful drawings, unique sculptures, computer-generated images, videos and a 40-foot mural created by talented artists who work out of Little City’s award-winning Center for Arts.

For nearly 100 years, the Rockford Art Museum has occupied and enjoyed one of the largest gallery spaces in the state and is consistently named a Partner in Excellence of the Illinois Arts Council.

“Little City constantly strives to serve as a leader in the field of disabilities and the Center for the Arts is truly a pioneer when it comes to showcasing the talents of individuals with disabilities,” commented Executive Director Shawn E. Jeffers. “We’re very proud of our artists and the contribution they have made to the world of Outsider Arts and art, itself.”

For more than 20 years, Little City’s Center for the Arts has provided individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to explore and expand unique and creative talents, promoting a sense of accomplishment and empowerment through the arts.

“It is extremely gratifying for me and for all of our artists to see their artwork presented in such a professional manner and to hear the praise of all those admiring their work at the Rockford Art Museum,” commented Little City Center for the Arts Administrator Frank Tumino.

Little City artists and participants, along with other guests and museum members enjoyed the Full Circle: Little City Foundation opening reception held on Oct. 5. The exhibit features work from Steve Bloom, Peggy Brostrom, Jeff Burke, Tarik Echols, Joe Flasch, Harold Jeffries, Brian Kaplan, John King, Angelo LaPietra, Mike Lyon, Wayne Mazurek, John McClelland, Luke Tauber and more.

“Some of the artists were extremely moved by the presentation of their work,” added Tumino. “John King, for example, was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. Others, such as Wayne Mazurek, held court in front of their art work and shared the story of its creation with all guests.”

Admission to the Rockford Art Museum is $7 for adults, $3 for students and seniors and free for museum members and children under 12. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on the exhibition, visit: www.rockfordartmuseum.org/exhibition.html or Little City’s Center for the Arts at www.littlecityarts.org.

To support individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, visit www.littlecity.org/support.

For complete information, visit www.littlecity.org or contact Sally Blake at sblake@littlecity.org or 847-221-7831.