Fall 2007
views from the
225 West 2nd Street Davenport, Iowa 52801 t 563.326.7804 f 563.326.7876 www.figgeartmuseum.org
Go West!
September 29, 2007 – January 13, 2008
Year in Review – 2006-2007 Annual Report
Letter from the Director
VIEWS from the Figge
FALL 2007
A publication of the Figge Art Museum
Development Department
Figge Art Museum
225 West Second Street
Davenport, IA 52801
563.326.7804
www.figgeartmuseum.org
[email protected]
HOURS
Tuesday through Sunday
11 am–5 pm and Thursday until 9 pm
ADMISSION
$ 7 adults; $ 6 seniors and student with ID
$ 4 children under age 12
Museum members admitted
free of charge
The first day I visited the Figge it was supposedly springtime. However, you wouldn’t have
known it as there was a sudden severe ice
storm across Illinois and Iowa. On the highway, I witnessed hailstones falling, cars spinning and trucks breaking down. Needless to
say, I was cold, wet, stressed, and tired when
I arrived at the Museum, one and a half hours
late for my meeting with Interim Executive
Director Tom Gildehaus and certain members
of staff. Not a great start, to say the least.
But the moment I walked up to the Figge
entrance and stepped inside I felt transported to another planet. “What a fabulous building,” I thought to myself. “This
museum, right here in the Midwest, could
be in London or Milan or Tokyo!” I immediately realized that I was in probably the top
museum building in the country.
Later that day, I was further impressed as
Tom gave me a tour of the exhibitions and
galleries. “The local community is extremely
lucky to have access to such a superb collection,” I told him. However, after chatting with
him more, it dawned on me that luck played
but a tiny part in building this great institution:
the Figge is a result of massive support on the
part of the board, the staff, the community
leaders, and those citizens who believe in the
Figge’s cultural and social mission.
It is widely known that the Figge Art
Museum has its roots in the oldest municipal
art gallery in Iowa. Early last century, Mayor
Charles Ficke had the vision to accumulate
a great collection of European and Mexican
art and then donate it to his beloved city. So
good was his collection that the Director of
the Chicago Art Institute at the time stated
that, to his knowledge, no American public art
W
gallery had “started out with so large a number of important paintings as a nucleus.” Many
like-minded benefactors followed his example
and gave money, art, and time, culminating in
what we see today.
Once I understood how this institution was
built and appreciated how much effort had
been invested, I was even more impressed.
Once I met the people involved in making it all
happen—the board and staff, the community
leaders and visitors, the donors and the collectors—I knew that this was a museum with
an extraordinary amount of potential.
As the new Executive Director, I truly
believe that the Figge Art Museum could one
day be considered one of the great cultural
institutions of this country. It has the right
ingredients: great support, a fabulous collection and a first-rate physical infrastructure. With careful consultation, planning and
implementation involving other community
groups in the area, we can all work together
to make this goal a reality.
—Sean O’Harrow
hen Tom Gildehaus arrived at the Figge’s Super Hero Saturday last June dressed as
the Incredible Hulk, it came as no surprise to the Figge board and staff. For sixteen
months Tom has tirelessly given his precious time and unbounding energy to the
Figge as Interim Executive Director, keeping us on track and on course during the search for
a new executive director. Our thanks and sincere appreciation go out to Tom and his equally
superhero-like wife Mary for giving so much in so many ways to the Figge.
Jacob Lawrence
Programming
TEACHER PROGRAM
Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series:
Selections from The Phillips Collection
Organized by The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
September 29 – October 28, 2007
Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) was only
24 years old when he painted the 60-panel
Migration series, a masterpiece of narrative
painting portraying the movement of African
Americans from the rural south to the
industrial north ca. 1914-1940. Originally
entitled The Migration of the Negro, the
series was first exhibited in New York City
and attained national recognition when it
was profiled in Fortune magazine in the fall
of 1941. The even-numbered panels were
purchased for The Museum of Modern Art
and the remaining odd-numbered panels by
The Phillips Collection.
This exhibition, organized by the Phillips
Collection, features 17 panels. Told through
vivid patterns and colors, the series chronicles
the struggle, strength and perseverance of
African-Americans from the rural South in
search of a better life in the urban North.
Like story boards for a film, the panels were
numbered and sequenced by scene with an
accompanying script. The text, which he
carefully researched and wrote before any
images were painted, clearly explains why
people had to leave and why they were still
leaving. Abstract, expressive figures act out
causes and consequences as the journey continues panel to panel. Despite the great range
in settings, a consistent palette ensures a
visual integrity for the entire series.
The son of migrants, Lawrence was inspired
by the oral history of his community. The panels reveal a visual synthesis of that oral tradition, carrying a bold, powerful social realism
and rhythmic, patterned formal abstractions.
While they address the specific mass migration of African-Americans from the South
to the North, they also address matters of
migration and immigration that reflect the
experience of the nation as a whole.
More than 60 years after the completion of the series, migration once again has
resurfaced as a current “hot topic” in political
discussions and agendas. Given our region’s
rich heritage and important geographical
position at the crossroads of America, this
exhibition provides a dynamic opportunity
to explore the topic of migration and its universal themes of conflict, struggle, hope and
empowerment that continue to shape and
transform lives today.
This exhibition has been made possible through a grant from the National Endowment
for the Arts as part of the American Masterpieces program, with additional support from
MetLife Foundation and the Henry Luce Foundation. Local funding was provided by the
Scott County Regional Authority and the Iowa Arts Council.
“The Art and Life of Jacob Lawrence”
4-7 pm Thursday, September 6
Suzanne Wright, Director of Education
Paul Ruther, Manager of Teacher Programs
The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
Education Department staff from The
Phillips Collection will present the exhibition teaching kit and share curricula developed for the exhibition. This program is
free, although registration is required, and
includes the teaching kit and a light dinner.
Funded by a NEA grant. Contact Heather
at [email protected] or
563.326.7804 x2045. CPDUs: 3
FAMILY PROGRAM
“Telling Your Story through Art”
1-3 pm Saturday, September 29
Join us for an exhibition tour, hands-on
activities, music, and refreshments. The
first 75 families who attend the program
will receive “The Choice is Yours: An Art
Activity Handbook for Young Artists” produced by The Phillips Collection.
EXHIBITION TALKS
“Reading Imagery: Jacob Lawrence’s
The Migration Series”
Jo-Ann Morgan, PhD
7 pm Thursday, October 18
Morgan will discuss Lawrence’s career
while taking a look at his artistic influences
and African American life in the first half of
the 20th century. Dr. Morgan is an associate professor of Art History at Western
Illinois University in a dual appointment
with the departments of Art and African
American Studies. CPDUs: 2
“Destination: ‘The Promised Land’:
Chicago and The Great Migration”
Kim Glenn
7 pm Thursday, October 25
Kim Glenn examines the Great Migration
and its impact upon the cultural flowering that emerged circa within Bronzeville,
Chicago’s African American community
that flourished during this historical period.
Glenn is a doctoral candidate in art history
at the University of Iowa. CPDUs: 2
Go West!
Exhibition
Programming
FAMILY PROGRAM
1-3 pm Saturday, October 20
Everone’s welcome to the fun at the
Go West! family day at the Figge! Tour
the exhibition, then mosey down to the
studios for some wild west art activities
with food and fun in the lobby.
EXHIBITION TALKS
“The Changing Image of
William ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody”
Kate Elliott
7 pm Thursday, November 8
William “Buffalo Bill” Cody is one of the
archetypal figures in American history.
Born in 1846 near Le Claire, Iowa, Cody’s
own history parallels that of the Western
frontier. During his long life he worked as
a cowboy, a wagon train guide, a trapper,
a miner, a rider on the Pony Express, and
an Army scout. Cody, however, is best
known for his Wild West show, which
allowed his talent of self-promotion to
shine. CPDUs: 2
“Remington, Russell and the
Western Experience”
Kate Elliott
7 pm Thursday, November 29
More than any other artists, Frederic
Remington and Charles Russell have
come to define our idea of the American
West. In reality, however, both artists
were much more likely to see a landscape
divided by barbed wire and dotted with
towns and than the great cattle drives
and buffalo hunts depicted in their work.
Instead of documenting life as they knew
it, both artists tried to eulogize a passing
way of life on the frontier. CPDUs: 2
Kate Elliott is a Ph.D. candidate in
American art history at the University
of Iowa. A recent Smithsonian American
Art Museum Predoctoral Fellow, she
currently holds a United States Capitol
Historical Society fellowship.
Go West!
September 29, 2007 – January 13, 2008
Organized by the Figge Art Museum
Images of the American West have captured the imaginations of countless artists,
from the earliest visual records of European
explorers to the artists of the present
day. When the United States bought the
Louisiana Territory 1803, a 200-year-old
love affair between the American West
and the rest of the world began. Western
landscapes and Native American life were
drawn, painted and sculpted, the West was
fictionalized in dime novels read by millions
of Americans and Europeans, and dramatized in film and radio and sensationalized in
traveling Wild West Shows. Indeed, the West
was not just a geographic region; it became
a cultural phenomenon.
There was much to draw artists to the
western frontier. Past artists were inspired
by dangers and conflicts, some others
wished to record a disappearing lifestyle
or to perpetuate images of a heroic and
romantic landscape, while still others were
used by commercial interests to promote
the settling of new territories. By the
turn of the 20th century, the “wild” West
was gone, but the West was imbedded in
American culture as a symbol of greatness, noble innocence, individuality and
untapped potential.
Artists’ depictions became nostalgic,
depicting scenes of rugged wilderness
and Native American life when in fact the
West had been settled with paved roads
and Indian reservations. The romanticized
vision of the frontier was reinforced by the
western movie genre. In traditional American
Westerns of the 1940s and 1950s, progress
is positively associated with the American
values of innocence, honor and sacrifice
that resonated during the post-war years;
Westerns made in the 1960s and 1970s
often have a decidedly more pessimistic view
toward progress, glorifying the individual
and highlighting the cynicism, brutality and
inequality in the American experience.
Contemporary artists, though still inspired
by the beauty and drama of the West, tend
to destabilize the cowboy image along with
the “wilderness” and “civilization” archetypes. Many have explored the duality of the
hero/villain myth, especially in regard to the
treatment of Native Americans, often lending humor and satire by incorporating scenes
familiar from movies and television.
Go West! highlights 30 objects in the
Figge’s impressive collection of Western art,
which is not often on view. Included are late
19th and early 20th century artists such as
Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Frank
Tenney Johnson, and William Robinson Leigh.
Alongside are contemporary artists such as
Fritz Scholder, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith,
Anne Coe and Jon Lightfoot. The exhibition
is enhanced with several impressive loans
from the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and
Karges Fine Art.
David Rathman:
Every Day Above Ground Is a Good One
October 13, 2007 – February 3, 2008
2nd floor orientation gallery
This companion exhibition of ink drawings by
David Rathman complements Go West! with
a postmodern tribute to the Western genre.
Fluctuating between reverential and irreverent, Rathman’s ink images are paired with
darkly humorous texts to present brooding
vignettes of the American West.
Rathman’s shadowy characters—ranch
hands, gunslingers, drunkards and desperados—stand silhouetted against stark
Western landscapes culled from the
Hollywood westerns of John Ford, Sergio
Leone and Sam Peckinpah. The minimalist images, sepia-toned ink on a ground of
bright cream-white paper, seem parched by the high western sun and await some imminent
action. These scenes are punctuated by handwritten quotes gathered from movie dialogues,
country-western lyrics and other sources as varied as Jonathan Swift and Golda Meir. These
cryptic captions, which double as the image titles, are as integral to the work as the gestural
ink drawings themselves—“No need to shoot straight when you shoot often,” “I learned them
sad songs early on” and “Every day above ground is a good one.”
Go West! Film Series
All shows start at 1 pm and are free with
membership or paid admission.
Sept. 30 • My Darling Clementine
John Ford directed this 1946 retelling of
the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. Starring
Henry Fonda and Walter Brennan. Rated G.
Oct. 7 • The Wild Bunch
Sam Peckinpah helmed this violent 1969
film about a band of thieves who decide
to pull one last job. With William Holden,
Robert Ryan and Ernest Borgnine. Rated R.
Oct. 14 • The Long Riders
Directed by Walter Hill, this 1980 film
tells the tale of the James and Younger
brothers. Rated R.
Oct. 2 • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Clint Eastwood stars as “the man with no
name” in this Sergio Leone classic from
1967. With Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach
Rated R.
Oct. 28 • Once Upon a Time in the West
The haunting music of Ennio Morricone
is as much a part of this 1968 “spaghetti Western” as the steely glint of
Clint Eastwood’s eyes. Directed by Sergio
Leone. Rated PG-13.
Nov. 4 • True Grit
John Wayne stars as the cantankerous
Rooster Cogburn in this 1969 movie. Kim
Darby, Glen Campbell and Robert Duvall
also star. Rated G.
Coexistence Comes to the Quad Cities
Seen: The Body
and Photography
Print Gallery
October13-February 3, 2008
The second of several shows highlighting the Figge’s expanding photography
collection, this exhibition explores this
medium with thirty black-and-white
and color photographs and photo-based
works from the permanent collection
that explore the body as subject matter. Artists include Luis Gonzales Palma,
Lauren Greenfield, Aernout Overbeeke,
Robert Mapplethorpe, Gerhardt Richter,
Edmund Teske, and Carrie Mae Weems.
The photographers in this exhibition have used the human body both as
a subject matter as well as an object in
a broader landscape. Some photographers such as Lauren Greenfield politicize
the body or use their work to highlight
social and cultural issues. Others such as
Edmund Teske use the medium to experiment with the body as part of the landscape. Still others such as Gonzales Palma
specialize in capturing the human spirit
on film. All of the artists in this exhibition
have made significant contributions to
the medium and have approached photography in innovative ways.
Coexistence: The Art of Living Together is an
internationally acclaimed traveling art exhibition
that consists of forty-five banners with images
created by artists all over the world that carry
the universal message of diversity and acceptance of all in the global community. These
9’ x15’ bill-board sized panels will be displayed
outdoors in four downtown Davenport locations: in the green space at RiverCenter south,
in front of the Sky Bridge, at the Figge Art
Museum plaza and in the parking lot near
Le Claire Park. Admission is free and the exhibit
is open 24-hours a day. The Figge is pleased to
partner with the Jewish Federation of the Quad
Cities to present Coexistence to the community. It is a special honor that the Quad Cities
has been chosen to host the exhibit because
it normally only travels to larger metropolitan
areas. More than 25,000 people are expected
to view the exhibition and 10,000 students are
anticipated to visit. The exhibition is the cornerstone of a series of community-wide activities
revolving around the theme of coexistence.
Jose Rementeria / USA
Coexistence Exhibition Programming
2 pm Sunday, September 16
In conjunction with Western Illinois University, two exhibition talks will focus on the artistic
achievement by Jewish and modern artists during the Nazi era. CPDUs: 2
“Theatrical Performance during
the Holocaust”
Al Goldfarb, PhD, will give a brief presentation on theatrical performance in the ghettos and concentration camps during the
Holocaust. Goldfarb has been president of
Western Illinois University since 2002. A
professor of theatre, Goldfarb continues to
teach theatre history and has written numerous articles on the subject. He and Rebecca
Rovit co-edited Theatrical Performance
During the Holocaust, which was a 1999
National Jewish Book Award Finalist.
“Defying the Nazis: Diversity in
the Art of Exiled Visual Artists
from Germany”
Keith Holz, PhD, will discuss how visual artists
exiled from Germany responded to the Nazi
party’s assumption of power after 1933, and
to their intolerant policies toward art and artists deemed “Jewish,” “Bolshevik,” “modernist”, or “international.” Holz teaches art history
at WIU. His current research interests include
the Jewish collectors of modern art and the
role of the visual arts in German governments’
foreign policies, ca. 1918-1950.
The Figge Builds Partnership With
Western Illinois University
The Figge Art Museum and Western
Illinois University are committed to
working together to present exceptional educational programs to the
Quad Cities community. This summer, that
partnership brought the first annual Summer
Drawing Academy to help area students
improve drawing skills and prepare portfolios.
Currently, in conjunction with the Figge, WIU
is developing a proposal to establish a master’s
degree in Museum Studies that is tentatively
scheduled to begin in the fall of 2008.
The purpose of the Museum Studies
Program is to further educate students to
the history of museums and various aspects
of museum work including administration,
collections management, exhibition development, education, tourism and fundraising.
The program also strives to acquaint students with the opportunities and problems
faced by museums and to create career
opportunities for students who might seek
employment in a museum.
wonderful facility for learning and a dedicated staff that is excited about educating
the public.
Meet Molly
Molly Vadnais joins the Education
Department as coordinator of the
Studio School at the Figge
What made you interested in museum
education?
I taught high school art for four years before
returning to get my master’s degree at the
University of Iowa. While taking graduate
course work, I took a course called Art, Law
and Ethics and enjoyed it so much I decided to
get my museum certification. I feel museum
education is a wonderful way to combine my
love of education in a much different setting
than the traditional school classroom.
What do you see as the benefits of
museum education?
The ability to enrich the public for future
generations while retaining a strong tie to
the past and present. Few other instructional institutions have the luxury of having
a collection of art to use as a resource and
the ever-changing exhibition schedule as
supplementary material. The Figge has a
The studio programming is undergoing
some changes. What are they and how
will they help the public?
We are looking at how to best serve the
public and help them to become life long
learners who appreciate art in their everyday lives. We’ll be doing a lot more assessment and evaluation of the courses to
better serve the needs of all those involved
and offering a new format to our core studio courses to keep everyone engaged no
matter what level they are at artistically. At the same time, we are offering a wide
variety of classes ensuring that there is something for everyone at the Figge. Right now
we’re setting a foundation for this program
to grow with the museum and become a vital
cultural cornerstone of the Quad Cities.
What sets the Figge apart from other
programming in the area?
The Figge has a fantastic facility, great staff,
a wide variety of programs and a willingness
to embrace change and grow with the needs
of the public. The studio space is amazing
and the instructors we have teaching the
courses are dedicated artists and educators
with years of experience in their fields. The
staff at the Figge is dedicated to serving the
public and creating the best environment
possible. We are working to provide the
unique and rewarding art education opportunities to the public and know the importance
of listening to feedback. I am excited about
the opportunities at the Figge and can’t wait
to watch the program grow. Community Gallery
Summer Drawing Academy Exhibition
Public reception 1 pm Sunday, September 16
This exhibition features drawings by more
than 60 high school students who participated in the Summer Drawing Academy.
The exhibition also includes drawings by
WIU professors who taught the program:
Susan Czechowski, Bill Howard, Damon
McArthur, and Bruce Walters.
The Drawing Academy, exhibition
and reception were funded by the Brand
Boeshaar Foundation Fund and WIU.
Scholarships were provided by Beverly
Freeman and Michael Collins, Eric and
Natalie Bowers, Elise Brett, and Robert M.
and Barbara L. Casey.
Studio School at the Figge
Faculty Exhibition
October 20-December 9, 2007
Public reception 3 pm Sunday, November 4
This exhibition features work by artists
who teach classes and workshops at the
Studio School at the Figge. Works in a
variety of media will be presented, reflecting the depth and broad span of course
offerings at the Figge.
Happy Birthday at the Figge!
Wouldn’t you like your child to celebrate their next birthday surrounded by art? Then come
to the Figge! Kids will experiment with fun art materials and learn all kinds of cool art trivia
while they explore the galleries. After the activities, they can enjoy pizza, birthday cake, and
ice cream. Choose from three themed parties: Animal Antics, Beach Birthday Bonanza and
Tropical Twist. Each child also receives a free Figge goodie bag!
For program information and prices, please call Heather Aaronson at 563.326.7804
x2045. Figge members receive a 10% discount.
Docent Tours
Figge docents offer regularly scheduled
tours to help visitors learn more about the
permanent collection and/or special exhibitions. There is no charge for the tours
which generally last about 45 minutes and
start in the main lobby.
Join the Figge docents on the first
Thursday or third Sunday of each month
for an entertaining look at selected
works in the collection.
Collection Tours
Day of the Dead
Saints & Sinners
7 pm Thursday, September 6
1:30 pm Thursday, September 16
El Día de los Muertos Altars Displayed in Figge Lobby
Haitian Vodou
7 pm Thursday, October 4
1:30 pm Thursday, October 21
The Figge lobby will be filled with vivid
colors, mementos and memories as we once
again collaborate with Casa Guanajuato
Mexican Cultural Center to present El Día de
los Muertos/Day of the Dead Altar Exhibition
to the Quad Cities. This celebration is one of
Mexico’s most traditional holidays, reuniting and
honoring beloved ancestors, family and friends.
The historic origins of the Day of the Dead date
back to pre-Columbian societies. Throughout
central and southern Mexico, private and public
spaces are filled with altars adorned with food
and flowers as well as pictures and mementos
of the deceased to remind the living of their
familial and communal roots. The exhibition will
be free and open to the public featuring altars
created by local Mexican families, students and
community organizations.
The Life of the Virgin Mary
7 pm Thursday, November 1
1:30 pm Sunday, November 18
Sacred Christmas
7 pm Thursday, December 6
1:30 pm Sunday, December 16
October 29-November 1
Open House
5:30-8:30 pm Thursday, November 1
Celebrate El Día de los Muertos at the
Figge with a special program and
refreshments. Admission is free.
Student Tours
Esteban Loustaunau, associate professor
of Spanish at Augustana College, will
lead 45-minute tours in either Spanish
or English on Tuesday, October 30 and
Thursday, November 1. Tours must be
scheduled by October 12. Please contact
Heather at 563.326.7804 x2045 or
[email protected].
October is National Arts and Humanities Month
Exhibition Tours
Learn more about our special exhibitions
when you visit the Figge on the first
Sunday or third Thursday of each month.
1:30 pm Sunday, September 2
1:30 pm Sunday, October 7
1:30 pm Sunday, November 4
7 pm Thursday, November 15
1:30 pm Sunday, December 2
7 pm Thursday, December 20
Celebrate National Arts
& Humanities Month by
previewing two episodes
of the award-winning
series Art in the Twenty-First Century at the
Figge. Season four of Art21, the only television
series dedicated exclusively to contemporary
art, will be shown on PBS later in the fall. Our
screenings are presented in collaboration with
Art21 (www.art21.org), a nonprofit contemporary art organization serving artists, students, teachers, and the general public.
“Romance”
1 pm Tuesday, October 9
Featuring four distinctly different artists
(Pierre Huyghe, Judy Pfaff, Lari Pittman, and
Laurie Simmons) and the role of emotion,
regret, fantasy and nostalgia in contemporary
art. CPDUs: 2
“Ecology”
7 pm Thursday, October 11
The relationships between nature and culture,
as seen through the works of artists Robert
Adams, Mark Dion, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle
and Ursula von Rydingsvard. CPDUs: 2
To better serve museum
members and visitors,
Riverview Café at the
Figge was opened in
August. The café is a
casual grab-and-go
concept that offers sandwiches, salads
and desserts, along with a beautiful view of
the Mississippi River and LeClaire Park from
the dining room or the River Drive veranda.
The food is prepared by our catering partner,
Steve Rosetti, and is
healthy, delicious and
reasonably priced.
Museum members
receive a generous 20%
discount on all café
purchases. Keep Riverview Café in mind on
your next museum visit or if you happen to
be downtown and in the mood for food with
a view! Café hours are 11 am-2 pm TuesdayFriday and 12 pm-3 pm Saturday-Sunday.
Membership News
Figge-blasts for Figge
Members!
If you would like to be kept up-to-date
on what’s going on at the Figge, be sure
to let us know your e-mail address so we
can send you our e-blasts. There are times
when programs or opportunities develop
between newsletter publications—this
way you won’t miss a thing! Rest assured,
we don’t share our lists with anyone, and
you can remove your name from the
list at anytime. E-mail Susan Horan at
[email protected] and she’ll
be sure you get the next Figge-blast!
Members get Extra at
Figge Family Days!
Migration Series:
Saturday, September 29
Go West! : Saturday, October 20
2007 Beaux Arts Fall Fair
10 am - 6 pm Saturday, September 8 • 10 am - 5 pm Sunday, September 9
Be sure to come to the Fall Beaux Arts
Fair—the Quad Cities oldest and premier art
festival! Since 1953 the Beaux Arts Fund has
supported educational and exhibition programming at the museum through its activities. Don’t miss this great opportunity to find
exceptional local and regional artwork and
support the Figge at the same time. Shop the
fair, visit the children’s art activity area and
food concessions, and make a day of it on
Second Street in downtown Davenport!
JOIN US FOR SOFA CHICAGO 2007!
14th Annual International Exposition of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art
Saturday, November 3
SOFA is a gallery-presented, international art
exposition in Chicago dedicated to bridging
the worlds of design, decorative and fine art.
Works by emerging and established artists and
designers are available for sale by 100 premier
galleries and dealers. Glass, ceramics, textiles,
jewelry, and furniture are just some of the
exquisitely crafted objects that are on display.
The Figge is organizing a trip to SOFA for
the FAM membership and friends. The motor
coach will depart at 7:30 am and return to
the Quad Cities by 9 pm. While light snacks
will be provided, participants are on their own
for meals at SOFA or on Navy Pier. The bus
will leave Chicago at 5:00 pm. The trip fee is
$65 for Figge members ($75 non-members)
and includes admission to SOFA. Reservations
are first come, first-serve and non-refundable.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact Heather at 563.326.7804
x2045 or [email protected].
Family Days are a great time to come to
the Figge—when members check in they
will get a ticket for a free snack pack for
kids and a VIP lounge to enjoy them in!
Tea with a Tour!
Saints & Sinners Tour
Sunday, September 16
Haitian Vodou Tour
Sunday, October 21
In conjunction with the themed tours
being offered this fall, the Figge
Membership Department is offering
coffee, tea and sweets after the above
mentioned tours. Non-members are
welcome to indulge for $5.
Figge Member’s Holiday Party
Join your fellow members for a special
evening that will kick off your holiday season with live music, heavy hors d’oeuvres
and a chance to meet our new Executive
Director Sean O’Harrow. More information
will be coming soon…
And watch for more information on
the annual Holiday Membership Special—
Figge memberships make the perfect gift!
2x10=20!
This is a historic year for Design Ranch!
We are celebrating three major anniversaries and invite you to join in the fun!
Inspiring New Gifts
Chris, Gary and Kristy have returned from
the New York International Gift Fair with
exciting new gifts for the holidays, adding to
our vast array of exhilarating gifts, jewelry
20 years • Design Ranch Studio
opened in March of 1987 by Chris and
Gary Gnade, each holding MFA degrees
in design from the University of Iowa.
10 years • Design Ranch expanded
its focus from graphic design and
opened a retail design store in Iowa
City in 1997. December 1, 2007 is the
10th anniversary of sharing their love
and knowledge of good design.
and furniture, that are sure to appeal to all
age groups.
We are excited to introduce Clocky—an
adorable alarm clock that runs away and
hides if you don’t get out of bed in time.
Discover unique new canvas bags by
Shinzi Katoh, a Japanese artist and designer.
These casual canvas bags are silkscreened
with cheerful, whimsical images and quotes,
bringing a smile to your face, while carrying
your daily essentials.
Q-BA-MAZE interlocking marble game.
These durable and colorful units combine
endlessly into fascinating movement through
the interlocking structures, providing hours
of creative play for kids and adults.
2 years • Two years ago Design
Ranch opened a second store. The Figge
location allowed the introduction of new
avenues of design including museum
exhibit materials, books, stationery, and
additional artisan and handmade gifts.
Products of
the MOnth
To celebrate two years at the Figge
and 20 years of Design Ranch, FAM
members will save 20% on 20 selected
items throughout this fall, beginning
in September.
Design Ranch Hours
10 am-5 pm Tuesday-Sunday
Open until 9 pm on Thursday
563-326-7804 x6
10
Eames 100th Birthday!
Eames Demetrios, author, filmmaker, artist, and grandson of
Charles Eames and director of the Eames Office, will visit both
Design Ranch locations September 19-21. Demetrios
travels widely, speaking on many topics including
the work of Charles and Ray Eames from a historical and aesthetic perspective. He will share his
new multi-media presentation, showing material
never seen before, to celebrate the 100th birthday
of Charles Eames.
Join us in Iowa City at 7 pm Wednesday,
September 19 at the Art Building West on the
University of Iowa campus, and in the Quad Cities
at the Figge Art Museum at 7 pm Thursday, September 20 in
the John Deere Auditorium. A book signing with Eames will follow in
Design Ranch.
Molded Plywood
Two years ago, Demetrios delighted a packed house at the
Lounge Chair (LCW),
University of Iowa Museum of Art. He is a lively and engaging speaker, 1945. Selected by Time
bringing an authentic point of view and unique history with Charles
Magazine as “Best Design
of the 20th Century”.
and Ray. Both events are free and open to the public. Please call
Design Ranch for more details.
Year
in
Review
2006-2007 Annual Report
Letter from the Interim
Executive Director
I
take great pride in writing the 2006-2007
Annual Report of the Figge Art Museum. All
executives show great satisfaction in an organization that finishes the year in a stronger
position than it started, and that is most certainly true of the Figge. As interim executive
director, I am eager to share the accomplishments of the Figge and thank our members,
donors and the community for the support
that the museum has been shown. The Figge
produced great exhibitions, excellent programming, entertaining events and dynamic
community partnerships that made the past
year a great success for the nearly 60,000
who came through our doors.
Last August, the Figge celebrated its first
anniversary by throwing a grand “Thank
You Party.” Knowing how vital our community support has been, what better way
to start our second year than with a party
that included art activities, music, dancing,
balloons, 30 gallons of lemonade and over
1,650 pieces of birthday cake! But most
importantly, more than 5,000 people experienced in one day what the Figge offers yearround. The following paragraphs provide a
small sampling of this year’s occurrences
and accomplishments.
Curator of Exhibitions and Collections
Michelle Robinson and her staff presented a
full array of exhibitions this year ranging from
improvisational textiles and quilts to stained
glass windows, political conventions to suburban nostalgia, and found-metal horses to
comic book super heroes. In addition to our
12
exhibition schedule, much work goes into
the care and upkeep of our collection. We
welcomed an old friend back to the museum
this spring when we reinstalled the stained
glass window River of Life by Louis Comfort
Tiffany. Tucked away in storage for the past
two years this historic window from the
Denkmann family mausoleum is now on view
in the second-floor permanent collection
galleries. We are pleased to have this masterpiece back and are extremely grateful to
the Denkmann and Hauberg families for putting the piece in our care.
The Figge was awarded a $120,000
grant from the prestigious Henry Luce
Foundation to support the conservation of
the Grant Wood Archives. In addition to a
wide variety of personal possessions, we
have scrapbooks of letters, photos and
gallery announcements from the 1920s to
1942, as well as material that Nan Wood
Graham collected until 1975. The archives
have been used by numerous American art
scholars and researchers who have studied
and written about Wood’s studio, his art and
his life. In order to preserve the Grant Wood
Archive and make it useful and accessible to
researchers, the museum will professionally
assess the value of each object, catalogue
and digitally photograph it.
Another important conservation project
underway is the Centennial Mural of 1936
illustrating the first 100 years of Davenport’s
civic history. Painted by Helen Johnson
Hinrichsen (1896-1983), this eight-panel
mural was previously displayed in the Wiese
Annex on the old museum campus, and
many have asked what came of it after our
move. It is currently with Barry Bauman
Conservation in Chicago and when the conservation and cleaning is finished, we will
bring it home and show it off!
More than 25,000 people attended education programming at the Figge this year—a
fine reflection on the quality of our offerings.
Curator of Education Ann Marie Hayes and
her staff have done a great job of producing imaginative and instructive workshops
and classes for all ages, as well as attracting
first-class scholars to come to the museum
and discuss the themes and artwork of our
special exhibitions.
In an effort to respond to the interests
and needs of the community as well as fulfill
our own mission as an educational institution, this spring the Education Advisory
Committee evaluated and defined the goals
and vision of our studio program. The product of that evaluation was the Studio School
at the Figge, which focuses on life-long
learning and encouraging youth and adults
to interact comfortably with art, both in
our galleries as well as in their daily lives.
By developing a curriculum based on these
values, the Studio School at the Figge will
surely set itself apart and establish itself
as the place people will go to learn about
art. You’ll be hearing more about this in
the coming months as this program is
further established.
A specific objective of the Studio School
is to train young students for careers in art.
The Figge is privileged to manage the Brand
Boeshaar Scholarship, an exceptional opportunity for college art education. The Studio
School will provide resources for high-school
students to develop and prepare portfolios
for admission and/or scholarship needs. This
summer we initiated the Summer Drawing
Academy, a new program in partnership with
Western Illinois University, with week-long
workshops led by WIU faculty for 10th,
11th and 12th grade students interested in
pursuing art-related careers. We look forward to future opportunities for partnerships
with Western to enhance the offerings of
both institutions.
This year the Community Gallery hosted
six different installations of Young Artists
at the Figge, presenting artwork from elementary schools in the Moline, Muscatine,
Davenport, Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf and
North Scott school districts. More than 1,250
family and friends attended receptions honoring the students whose work was displayed.
Visitors to the Community Gallery may have
been surprised and amused to see the colorful installation Smiling Cats and Pink Monsters
in the adjacent Family Activity Center. This
new installation is a colorful visual delight and
encourages imaginative and creative thinking to all who enter. Using oversized works
from the collection, the FAC inspires visitors
to think differently about art by introducing basic concepts in unexpected ways. With
valuable input from the Education Committee,
this installation features art activities, a reading corner and an oversized refrigerator gallery and is a wonderful space for adults to
interact creatively with children and encourage artistic expression.
Another creative and profitable endeavor
at the Figge was the Follow the Horses
exhibition and auction, a companion to
the Deborah Butterfield exhibition and an
integral component of the Under the Big
Sky at the Figge fund raiser. Facilitated by
the Artists Advisory Council, a juried competition was held for regional artists to
create artwork inspired by the Butterfield
sculptures. These original works of art were
displayed at the museum and a live auction was held at the gala that netted close
to $12,000 to benefit programming at the
Figge. Under the Big Sky at the Figge was
a terrific success, due in large part to an
exceptional committee who put our first
signature event in place and managed to
transform the Figge lobby into open country. Varied and exciting raffle packages,
the silent auction and strong attendance
brought the proceeds for the evening to
close to $50,000. Our special thanks go to
our lead sponsor Sears Manufacturing and
all others who contributed to making the
event such a sensational success.
We are especially appreciative of the
continued support from you, our members,
donors and corporate partners, whose generosity has helped the Figge accomplish so
much this year. Each and every one of you is
the foundation that this magnificent museum was built upon, and that foundation will
allow us to grow taller still. I would be remiss
not to make note of the passing of Walter E.
Neiswanger, a special friend of the Figge,
whose support has made such an indelible
mark on this museum. A humble man, Walter
did not think himself anymore important
than any other member and supporter of
the museum.
If asked to describe the past year I might
borrow the theme of one of our recent
exhibitions, Accidentally on Purpose, which
explored improvisation in the construction
of African American quilts. Improvisation
may indeed be the telling characteristic of
this past year at the Figge, and like those
magnificently vibrant, textured and storied
quilts, the outcome was not certain at the
onset. While my tenure as interim executive director lasted considerably longer than
expected, it was an honor to spend the
year working alongside the Figge staff and
appreciate even more the work that goes
into bringing exhibitions and programming to
the community. I thank you for the opportunity and look forward to working alongside
our new Executive Director Sean O’Harrow
as he leads the Figge onward.
13
Exhibitions
Seen Outside: Photography from the Collection
July 29 – October 8, 2006
The first of several exhibitions focusing on the Figge’s expanding photographic collection, this
exhibition explored the medium in 35 black-and-white and color photographs from the permanent collection that incorporate the landscape as subject matter. All of the artists in this
exhibition used the camera as a window onto their view of the world around them—a means
to express their own ways of seeing what is seen outside.
The Architect’s Brother
Photographs by Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison
Organized by the George Eastman House
September 2 – October 29, 2006
The ParkeHarrisons’ exquisite and evocative black-and-white photographs were presented in
this exhibition showcasing their talent in combining elements of literature, science, theater and
art. The ParkeHarrisons use a painstaking process called photogravure in combination with an
elaborate process of setting up theatrical landscapes to tell the poignant story of an “everyman,” whose job it is to take care of the devastated planet earth with inadequate and outdated
equipment. In an age of environmental concerns and anxieties ParkeHarrison ironically represents our own frustrated attempts to right the Earth’s wrongs and make the planet safe again.
Adventures in a Temperate Climate: Martin Mull
Organized by the Las Vegas Art Museum
October 29, 2006 – January 21, 2007
The paintings of Martin Mull reflect an understanding of American family life and its ironies,
with a backdrop of popular culture employing humor and satire to explore the popular conceptions of Midwestern family life in the 1950s. Mull’s work is rendered in abstracted landscapes
that contain realistic imagery of human figures and Americana motifs. Stylistically, the paintings
resemble photographic collages of memorabilia and mementos to assemble a still life of a specific time and place. This retrospective revealed Mull’s developing style, from loose abstractions
to the tightly constructed images of his present work.
Accidentally on Purpose: Improvisation in
African Textiles and African-American Quilts
Organized by the Figge Art Museum
November 18, 2006 – February 11, 2007
This exhibition celebrated the sophistication, vivacity and significance of improvisational
African-American quilts, both as artistic achievements and as expressions of AfricanAmerican traditions. The quilters maintain a generous attitude toward the accidental, using
irregular patterns that might be otherwise perceived as mistakes. An accompanying catalogue, Accidentally on Purpose: The Aesthetic Management of Irregularities in African Textiles
and African-American Quilts, was written by guest curator Eli Leon and edited by Figge
Curator Michelle Robinson, PhD.
14
Marlene Miller: Girl Series
January 27 – April 22, 2007
Sculptor Marlene Miller, of Washington, Illinois, created a sculptural grouping entitled Girl Series
consisting of isolated figures on tree stumps or stonework. The series of girls, 1991-1995, draws
on her childhood growing up in the 1950s and is reflected in the clothing style of the figures:
very proper dresses, nightgowns, and Mary Janes. Miller’s principle interest is in the psychological
aspects of her figures, who seem at once both familiar and strange. The first of the series, Girl I,
was purchased by the museum in 1994 from the Biennial Bi-State Exhibition. The complete group,
Girl I-Girl VIII was exhibited together for the first time in the second-floor Orientation Gallery.
Deborah Butterfield
Organized by the Yellowstone Art Museum
March 3 – May 27, 2007
This in-depth survey of the artwork of internationally acclaimed Montana sculptor, Deborah
Butterfield, offered a comprehensive overview of Butterfield’s art, showcasing 16 of her
magnificent horse sculptures. Butterfield transforms found metal into objects of majestic beauty and her wood-into-bronze horses are objects of great technical mastery. Both
reveal enormous insight into one of America’s great icons. The horse is frequently associated
with the past—mythologized, romanticized, used for centuries as tools of both warfare and
labor—and Butterfield investigates this rupture between the past and present, and between
the traditional and the contemporary.
Edward M. Catich: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Glass
A Selection of Works from St. Ambrose University
Organized by the Figge Art Museum
March 17 – May 13, 2007
Catich, one of the world’s finest calligraphers, was known as an international authority on stone
incising, typography and stained-glass fabrication, and as the foremost authority on the Roman
alphabet. As chairman of the Art Department at St. Ambrose University he saw art as an
expression of his faith. Author and art historian Deba Foxley Leach guest-curated the exhibition,
which coincided with the 100-year observance of Catich’s birth, and revealed how his chosen
imagery and signature style produced a unique vision in a variety of materials.
The Floating World: Japanese Woodblock Prints
from the Collection
May 26 – July 1, 2007
The Floating World, or ukiyo-e, refers to the impetuous young culture that bloomed in the
urban centers of Edo (modern day Tokyo), Osaka, and Kyoto. The original subject of ukiyoe was city life, in particular activities and scenes from the entertainment district. Beautiful
courtesans, bulky sumo wrestlers and popular actors would be portrayed while engaged in
appealing activities. Later landscapes and famous locations also became popular. These prints,
all part of the permanent collection, reveal much about daily life in Japan during the Edo
Period (1603 – 1867).
15
Comics, Heroes and American Visual Culture
The Dan F. and Barbara J. Howard Collection of American Popular Art
at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery
June 16 – September 9, 2007
Appealing to young and old alike, this exhibition traced the development of comic art from
early full-panel works, through the comic book and, later, the graphic novel with 60 drawings and paintings from the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Nebraska.
Although cartoons and caricatures have played an important role in Western culture since the
Middle Ages, the development of the comic strip is a unique American phenomenon that has
embraced mass production in order to communicate to as wide and diverse an audience as
possible. Along the way a few artists made comics one of the great forms of personal expression in 20th century America.
Iowa Pastimes: Politics and State Fairs
Works by Thomas C. Jackson
Organized by the Figge Art Museum
June 16 – September 9, 2007
Iowa Pastimes displayed the contrast and similarities between two well-known Iowa activities: political involvement and state fairs. Iowa’s caucuses and early primaries signal the start
of a long political season that features prominently in presidential campaigns. State fairs represent activism on a different level, an annual tradition of participation and interaction. Both
share crowds of people, over-the-top marketing, and a sensory overload that are all explored
through the large-scale paintings by Cedar Rapids artist Thomas C. Jackson.
Loans
Loans to the museum
16
Long term loan from the Franz Mayer
Museum, Mexico City
Arm chair, New Spain, ca. 1750
Silver candlesticks, New Spain, ca. 1750
Silver cross, New Spain, 18th c.
Silver missal stand, New Spain, 1783
Silver lamp, New Spain, ca. 1700-1725
Alms tray, New Spain?, late 18th c.
Edward M. Catich: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Glass
St. Ambrose University
Private collectors
Deborah Butterfield
Des Moines Art Center
Principal Financial Group, Des Moines
Yellowstone Art Museum
Private collector
Loans from the museum
Marlene Miller: Girl Series
Marlene MiIler
Long term loan to Turner Alley,
Cedar Rapids: 2 trunks and easel owned by
Grant Wood
FY2007 Accessions
Gift of Dr. William Blair, 2006
2006.2 Artist Unknown
Chokwe people, Republic of Congo or Angola
Animal Mask, n.d.
painted wood with bone or plastic
2006.3 Artist Unknown
Fon people, Republic of Benin
Kneeling Female Figure, n.d.
wood with red ochre pigment
2006.4 Artist Unknown
Gbo people, Nigeria
Costume for Maiden
Spirit Mask, n.d.
cotton, burlap, and yarn
2006.5 Artist Unknown
Bamana people, Mali
Wrap (bogolanfiniw), n.d.
bogolan pigments on cotton
2006.6 Artist Unknown
Bamana people, Mali
Wrap (bogolanfiniw), n.d.
bogolan pigments on cotton
Her Gregorius Mercz
2006.7 Artist Unknown
Bamana people, Mali
Wrap (bogolanfiniw), n.d.
bogolan pigments on cotton
2006.8 Artist Unknown
BAMANA people, Mali
Wrap (bogolanfiniw), n.d.
bogolan pigments on cotton
2006.9 Ismael Diabate
Foule de Mars (Crowds of March), 1999
bogolan pigments on canvas
2006.13 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
2006.14 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
2006.15 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
2006.10 Ismael Diabate
Sebenden Saba (Three Amulets), 1998
oil and bogolan pigments on cotton
2006.11 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
Fleeting Time, Thou Hast Left Me Old
2006.12 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
Animal Mask
17
2006.16 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
2006.17 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
2006.18 Alou Traore
Boubou (Men’s Robe), ca. 1997
bogolan pigments on strip woven cloth
2006.19 Sidiki Traore
Untitled (Composition with Hand, n.d.
bogolan pigments on woven cotton strips
2006.20 Sidiki Traore
Untitled (Female Figure Behind House with
Pointed Roof), n.d.
bogolan pigments on woven cotton strips
Gift of Linda Downs
2006.1 Ellen Wagener
Study for F5 Tornado, 2003
pastel on paper board
Gift of Ellen Wagener
Untitled (Seated Woman)
Charles Bragg
Venus, n.d.
etching and aquatint on paper, 5/150
Sebastian Matta
Centre Noeuds, 1974
aquatint on paper, 20/125(?)
Antonio Frasconi
Portrait of Bertolt Brecht, n.d.
color lithograph on paper, ed. 80
Francisco Zuniga
Untitled (Seated Woman), 1971
bronze, 5 of 10
Jean Cocteau
Garcon a la TeteTournee, 1938
graphite (pencil) on paper
Abraham Rattner
Siege of Baghdad, n.d.
color lithograph on paper, AP
2005.21 Ellen Wagener
Study #1 for F5
Tornado, 2003
pastel on paper
Promised Gift of John A. Werner
Ivan Albright
Fleeting Time, Thou Hast Left Me Old, 1945
lithograph on paper, ed. 250
Hand Sebald Beham
Her Gregorius Mercz, ca. 1535.
etching on paper
Charles Bragg
Skull with Grapes, n.d.
etching on paper, 81/100
Siege of Baghdad
18
Education Galleries
FAMILY ACTIVITY CENTER
COMMUNITY GALLERY
Exploring Architecture
(through February 28, 2007)
Faculty & Student Exhibition
(June 24 – September 10, 2006)
Smiling Cats & Pink Monsters
(opened April 14, 2007)
Reception (4/14/07)
Earth Stories
(September 23 – October 15, 2006)
Companion exhibition to The Architect’s
Brother
Young Artists at the Figge
Muscatine Elementary Schools
(January 27 – February 4, 2007)
Bettendorf Elementary Schools
(February 10 – 25, 2007)
Davenport Elementary Schools
(March 3 – 18, 2007)
North Scott Elementary Schools
(March 24 – April 15, 2007)
Moline Elementary Schools
(April 22 – May 6, 2007)
LEARN TO LOOK GALLERY
Focus on Shape
(June 7 – November 30, 2006)
Pleasant Valley Elementary Schools
(May 12 – 27, 2007)
Narrative Art
(December 20, 2006 – June 9, 2007)
Brand Boeshaar Scholarship Exhibition
(June 9 – July 29, 2007)
One Story, Two Approaches
(June 20 – October 27, 2007)
Exhibition Programs
The Architect’s Brother
Lectures/Gallery Talks/Book
Discussions/Films
Lecture: Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison,
“A Conversation with Robert and Shana
ParkeHarrison” (9/28/06)
Art & Books: Kathleen Suchenski, Augustana
College, The Little Prince by Antoine de
Saint-Exupéry (10/03/06)
Lecture: Therese Mulligan, School of
Photographic Arts and Sciences at the
Rochester Institute of Technology, “Earth
Stories: Shana and Robert ParkeHarrisons’
The Architect’s Brother” (10/22/06)
Family Programs
Family Workshop: “Earth Stories” (9/30/06)
Teacher/Student Programs
Continuing Education Course: Teresa Bechen
and Ann Marie Hayes, “Earth Speaks through
Photographs” (6/06/06)
Teacher Open House (9/14/06)
PTA/PTO Program (10/12/06)
19
Teacher/Student Programs
Teacher Workshop: Faith Ringgold & Lincoln
Academy of Integrated Arts (11/29/06)
Teacher Open House (12/07/06)
Family Programs
Workshop: “Cocoa, Cookies and Quilters”
(1/06/07)
Adventures in a Temperate Climate:
A Retrospective of Paintings by
Martin Mull
Lectures/Gallery Talks/Book
Discussions/Films
Event: “Quilt Stories” (2/03/07)
Companion Exhibition
Deborah Butterfield
Quilt Stories: A Community Quilt Project
(January 20 - February 11, 2007)
Main Lobby
Lectures/Gallery Talks/Book
Discussions/Films
Film: “Target You” (11/03/06)
Artist Talk: Deborah Butterfield (3/03/07)
Artist Talk: Heidi Hernandez on Martin Mull
(11/12/06)
Art & Books: A Year at the Races by Jane
Smiley. Barbara Langley (3/21/07)
Gallery Talk: Lendol Calder, Augustana
College, “Haunted by the Fifties”
(12/03/06)
Film: Hidalgo (3/29/07)
Film: “Far from Heaven” (1/21/07)
Film: Sea Biscuit (4/26/07)
Art & Books: A Year at the Races by Jane
Smiley. Barbara Langley (4/18/07)
Gallery Talk: Barbara Langley (4/29/07)
Teacher/Student Programs
Artist Talk: Martin Mull (10/27/06)
Family Programs
Edward M. Catich:
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Glass
Event: “Game Night” (1/13/07)
Lectures/Gallery Talks/Book
Discussions/Films
Accidentally on Purpose:
Improvisation in African Textiles
and African-American Quilts
Gallery Talk: Deba Leach (4/18/07)
Lectures/Gallery Talks/Book
Discussions/Films
Lecture: Eli Leon, “African Influences in
American Quilts” (11/18/06)
Artist Talk: Faith Ringgold, “Faith Ringgold:
Story Quilts and Children’s Books”
(11/29/06)
Event: Quilting Memories of Our Past”
(2/02/07)
20
Artist Talk: Kristin Quinn (4/21/07)
Artist Demos: Amy Nielsen, Judy Gray and
Tom Chouteau, Sr. (4/21/07)
Teacher/Student Programs
Teacher Open House (3/08/07)
Continuing Education Course: “The Art
of Deborah Butterfield” (3/10/07 and
3/11/07)
Family Programs
Drop-In Drawing in the Galleries
(13 sessions: 3/10/07 - 5/26/07)
Film: National Velvet (3/18/07)
Film: The Black Stallion (4/15/07)
Film & Family Workshop: Spirit: Stallion of
the Cimarron (5/12/07)
Film: The Man from Snowy River (5/13/07)
Event: “Horse Fair at Schone’s Friendship
Farm” (5/19/07)
The Floating World: Japanese
Woodblock Prints from the Collection
Lecture: John Teramoto, Indianapolis
Museum of Art (6/21/07)
Collection Tours
Da Vinci Code Tour
Bling! Tour
Murder Most Foul Tour
Sacred Christmas Tour
The Passion of Christ Tour
The Garden Tour
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Art facilitation in collaboration with
Davenport Parks & Rec. Dept. • 6/14/06,
6/28/06, 7/26/06, 8/9/06, 8/23/06
Art facilitation • QC Ride the River event •
6/18/06, 6/17/07
Beaux Arts • 9/9 – 9/10/06
YouthFest • 7/12/06, 7/11/07
Family Fest • 9/17/06, 9/16/07
Montessori School Open House • 10/15/06
Eisenhower School Fine Arts Night •
2/22/07
Reading Rainbow Young Writers &
Illustrators Contest (in collaboration with
WQPT-TV) • 3/17/07, 3/19/07, 5/20/07,
6/09/07, 6/30/07
Bettendorf Middle School Fine Arts Night •
3/28/07
Orion Teachers’ Day • 3/30/07
QC Career Fest Presenter • 4/19/07
Brand Boeshaar Scholarship award
presentations
Butterfield “Follow the Horses” AAC Art
Works Contest • 3/24-5/27/07
STUDIO PROGRAMS
Fall session • 9/21/06-1/17/07
Winter Break workshops for children •
12/27-12/28/06
Winter/Spring session • 1/19-5/24/07
Spring break workshops for children •
4/3-4/5/07
Mini-Comics Scholarship Workshop •
4/3-4/5/07
Kid’s Summer Art Camps • June, July, August
Diá de los Muertos/Day of the Dead •
11/02/06
WEEKEND FAMILY WORKSHOPS
Eight workshops
DOCENT PROGRAM
Candidate Docent Training: 30 sessions
Active Docent Training: 15 sessions 21
Financial Statement
Statement of Activities – Operations
Revenues
17% Earned Income
Earned Income $ 528,688
Contributions 1,366,952
Testamentary Gift 1,283,844
43% Contributions
Total Revenue and Support
$3,179,484
Expenses
23% Programs and Exhibitions
Programs and Exhibitions
$
Building Operations and Maintenance
Security
Marketing and Fundraising
Museum Support Services
Total Expenses
40% Testamentary Gift
451,445
456,183
238,777
290,835
512,212
$1,949,452
24% Building Operations and
Maintenance
12% Security
15% Marketing and Fundraising
26% Museum Support Services
Statement of Financial Position
Assests
Liabilities and Net Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 2,851,396
Contributions and pledges receivable
947,257
Property and equipment, Net 1,013,431
Investments 3,232,188
Other Assets
56,040
Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 181,920
Due to Museum of Art Foundation
302,211
Deferred revenue
11,625
Note payable, long term
73,591
Net Assets 7,530,964
Total Assets
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
$8,100,311
The 2006–2007 fiscal year was one of stabilization for the Figge Art Museum. Several
variables settled out to give a much clearer
indication of standard operating costs and
revenues. Expectation at the start of the fiscal year was to end with a $400,000 deficit.
This deficit was planned, and funded as part
of our original capital campaign drive which
included $1.75 million for operating funds
in first few years of operation. However, the
year ended much better than expected with
positive net income of $1,230,000.
Several factors contributed to this success: significant planned giving gifts from Dr.
Walter Neiswanger, salary savings from the
22
unexpected delay in hiring an executive director, favorable outcome of a disputed liability
related to a prior year traveling exhibition, cost
savings associated with the stabilization of the
building environmental controls, and a successful annual fund drive of $220,000. In addition
the Museum received unexpected royalty
income in the amount of $70,000 for the use
of images from our permanent collection. This
demonstrates the strength of the collection.
The year was not without financial set
backs. The unfortunate decision by the owners
of Restaurant 225 to close the restaurant led
to a loss of lease income of $18,000. We hope
to recover from this setback by promoting
$ 8,100,311
the Museum for private events. In this second
year of operations we also experienced a slight
decline in attendance; resulting in lower admission revenue. This was anticipated. The drop
was less than industry standard and the membership base of 1,400 remained steady.
In summary, the Figge Art Museum has
built a solid financial base through careful
financial management and the generosity
of its donors to support its current level of
operations for the next several years. This
stable foundation will enable us to concentrate
on seeking further contributions and sponsorships that will help broaden and deepen our
offerings to the Quad City communities.
Benefits of Giving
With a membership to the Figge you have an invitation to view diverse art from around the world, and meet artists at exhibition receptions. Expand your knowledge by attending a lecture, or enjoy a film series. Explore art first-hand by attending a workshop or class at a
discounted rate. See a dance performance, or come for a party. All these things and more are available to museum members!
Grant Wood Society
Artist Circle
$25,000 and above
Gold • $500 - $999
• Special Museum Recognition
• One exhibition catalogue**
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
Silver • $250 - $499
Directors Circle
• Complementary Figge Tote
• Complementary admission for 2 guests*
Platinum • $10,000 and above
• Dinner with the Director and Curator
• One complementary facility rental
(entire museum) ***
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
Bronze • $100 - $249
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
Curators Circle
Gold • $7,500 - $9,999
Gold • $2,500 - $4,999
• One complementary facility rental
(including lobby) ***
• Two complementary tickets to two
Figge events****
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
Silver • $5,000 - $7,499
• Complementary use of boardroom,
library, and auditorium***
• Two complementary tickets to one
Figge event****
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
• Private donor tour of exhibition or
collections with curator
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
Silver • $1,750 - $2,499
• Discount on exhibition event tickets
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
Bronze • $1,000 - $1,749
• Donor museum updates
• Invitations to special donor only events,
including exhibition preview
• Complementary admission for guests*
(includes all benefits of levels listed below)
• 6 Guest Passes
• North American Reciprocal
Membership Program
(includes all benefits of general membership)
General Membership
Household $65
Individual $45
Senior/Educator/Student $35
Call Susan Horan at 402.326.7804 x2007 for more
information about general membership benefits.
* When attending with you
** Museums choice
*** Some exclusions apply
**** Excluding Figge’s Signature event
23
Annual Fund
Total raised $219,798
The Annual Fund provides important financial support above and beyond those funds
derived from membership and admission fees. Money from The Annual Fund is used
where it is needed most—from air conditioning on a hot summer day, to supporting
education programs, to providing care and conservation of our collection and much
more. Those who contribute more than $1,000 receive the added benefits of the
Donor’s Circle and are invited to exclusive dinners with exhibition artists or curators. As
seen in the pictures on these pages, this year Figge donors had the opportunity to meet
and preview the exhibitions of Martin Mull, Deborah Butterfield and Thomas C. Jackson.
Directors Circle
Platinum $10,000
and above
Birdies for Charity
Walter Neiswanger, MD
James& Sandra Figge
Martha Easter-Wells
Thomas & Jennifer Figge
Tom & Mary Gildehaus
Silver $5,000 - 7,499
Peter & Marion Lardner
Robert & Patricia Hanson
Al & Kristina Harris
Kimberly Findlay &
Rick Brackey
Budge & Sally Gierke
Randy & Linda Lewis
Ray & Jill McLaughlin
Silver $1,750 - 2,499
Gloria Gierke
R Josef & E R Hofmann
Ken Koupal
Louise J Petersberger Bequest
Prem Virdi
Hans & Michelle Becherer
Ken & Rose Ferenicik
Ralph & Marcia Congdon
Barbara Priester Deely
John & Frances Emerson
Tom & Karen Getz
Ralph Gibson & Mary Junck
Dorothy Gildea & Paul Cunnick
Perry & Elise Hansen
Shirley Harris
Dale Hendrick &
Alison McCrary
Ruth Evelyn Katz
Kevin & Jane Koski
Daniel & Ruth Lee
Brian & Elizabeth Lemek
John & Patricia Lujack
Nichols Aluminum
Michael & Linda Orr
Richard & Dianne Phinney
Mark & Karla Polaschek
Alan & Julie Renken
Chuck & Pam Roeder
Velma Seitz
Steve & Anne Sinner
John & Diane Slover
Mike & Sara Thoms
Benjamin Van Raalte
Catherine Waterman
Artist Circle
Hubbell Waterman Foundation
Stephen & Roxanne Alldredge
Rick & Linda Bowers
John & Patricia Figge
Daniel & Katherine Molyneaux
National City Bank
Curators Circle
Gold $2,500 - 4,999
Ted & Alice Sloane
Peter & Chris Lardner
Kimberly Bittner Montgomery
24
Bronze $1,000 - 1,749
Hunt & Diane Harris
Randy Hartten & Ron Lotz
Frederick & Jan Mayer
Frank & Ann McCarthy
Tom McCarthy
Susan Quail
Patricia Watkins
Ross & Judie Lance
Jane Werner
Shirley Heysinger
Len & Connie Sauer Adams
William & Judith Benevento
Scott & Susan Collins
Gold $500 - 999
Jim & Judy Hilgenberg
Jim & Tara Barney
Alan Marin
Twin State, Inc.
Tom & Maria Waterman
Paul Barrosse &
Victoria Zielinski
Richard & Joan Bittner
Mary Cleaveland
Lori Estes
John & Lisa Figge
Susan Hanson &
Richard Vermeer
James & Betty Havercamp
George & Charlotte
Koenigsaecker
Richard & Judy Kreiter
Dennis & Pat Miller
Henry & Linda Neuman
Alta Price
Theodore Priester &
Emilie Giguere
Dennis & Lynn Quinn
Edward & Susie Slivken
Hugh & Debby Stafford
Sam & Lori Syverud
Douglas & Jean Vickstrom
Dana & Faye Waterman
James & Cathy White
Silver $250 - 499
Elizabeth Erickson
Domenico & Joan DiIulio
Mary Rose Hawkinson
George Koplow
Roger & Sarah Mohr
William & Lois Nichols
Edward & Anne MacBurney
John & Barbara Searles
Mark & Rita Bawden
Dennis & Lynn Blum
John & Susan Crosby
Dennis & Lynn Dixon
Joe & Mary Jo England
Rob & Dale Fick
Ron & Cynthia Freidhof
John & Ann Gardner
Kathryn Griffith &
Thomas Pirmann
Phyllis Hallene
John & Nancy Hayes
Harry & Gay Hoyt
Charles & Donna Kuykendall
Brian & Diana Lovett
James & Sylvia Martin
Joseph & Carolyn Martin
Kenneth & Joan McKay
Richard & Rita Nelson
Samuel & Elisabeth Norwood
John & Laura Oliva
Leanne Paetz
Charles & Rhonda Parsons
Stanley & Betty Reeg
Jerry & Carole Reid
Max & Judy Schardein
Peter & Christine Sharis
Alice Ann Staak
Stuart & Mary Thoms
George & Jane Vieth
Diane von Dresky
Catherine Weiderman
Steve & Karen Wohlwend
Bronze $100 - 249
American Honda
Gerald & Patricia Barenthin
Greg & Chris Bush
Perry & Julie Gere
Richard Jensen &
Candace Wong
Joe & Ana Kehoe
David McEchron & Rita Watts
Richard & Donna McKay
Susan Perry
Jim & Kathy Phelan
Dan & Mary Sue Salmon
Michael & Rosemary Sims
Scott & Barbara Tinsman
Wayne & Kay Wagner
Bruce & Susan Davis
Ed & Sandy Froehlich
Franz & Esta Helpenstell
Paul & Carol Schnyder
John & Beverly Sinning
Joe & Angela Woodhouse
Robert & Patricia DeBlaey
Dawn Fensterbush
Don & Dee Bruemmer
George & Nausika Coin
Blair & Melinda Foreman
Greg & Clare Gadient
William & Nancy Hass
Charles Horan
Paul & Joyce Johnston
Francis & Patricia Glowacki
Lois Larkin
Michael & Susan McPeters
Conway & Kimberly Chin
Robert & Doris Libey
Gene & Marianne Weis
Todd & Judy White
Lawrence & Kathryn Allen
Kevin & Susan Kraft
James & Dianne Andrews
Robin & Mary Jane Andrews
Michael & Barbara Bauswell
John & Marsha Beckelman
Leslie & Sara Bell
Sophie Bergman
Richard Dienesch &
Jane Cassidey
Bob & Ellen Boeye
Norm & Linda Bower
Thomas Bribriesco
Anderson & Emily Britt
William & Dixie Burress
Pleshette Butler
Ralph & Mary Ellen Horton
Charles & Ruth Ann Hyser
David & Margaret Iglehart
Dirk & Lois Jecklin
Douglas & Diane Johnson
Aaron & Dorole King
Brian & Tracy Kinman
Nile & Marjorie Kinsler
Georgie Koenig & Lloyd Kilmer
Scott & Celia Kool
Robin Kroloff & Kevin Bobst
Randall & Cathy Lengeling
Mary Lind & Tom Lytton
James & Mary Ann Linden
Richard & Linda Litt
Donald & Janet Luethje
John Luttig & Elizabeth Magee
Elliott & Julie McDonald
Ella McNamara
Daniel & Jennifer Molyneaux
Joseph & Bernadette Murphy
Emily Navarre
David & Martha Neal
Donald & Angela Normoyle
Greg Van Dusseldorp &
Elizabeth Holm
Delphine Van Raalte
Harry R & Maureen Wallner
Cal & Jill Werner
Bill & Kay Whitmore
Vernon Willits &
Kristin Garnant
Stephen Witte
Below $100
Marilyn Daniel
Conway & Kimberly Chin
Ray German & Clara Littig
Martha Harris
Robert & Doris Libey
Curtis Lundy
Rob & Julie Pearson
Gene & Marianne Weis
Todd & Judy White
MidAmerican Energy
Kent & Dorothy Douglas
Bob & Kathy Lelonek
George & Phyllis Cowen
Bill & Shirley Homrighausen
Aleen Dyer
Mildred Murray
Peter DeDecker
Matthew Hammill
Additional
Sponsorships
and Gifts
Lee & Nicole Carkner
Don & Mary Challed
Jacqueline Chandler
Harry & Susan Coin
Jack & Bridget Consamus
Roland Caldwell & Anne Corbi
John Corelis
Ed & Courtney Decker
Marlene DeSplinter
Richard Dienesch &
Jane Cassidy
Jeffrey D Donkers
Loryann Eis
John & Mary Joy Feeney
Todd & Angela Florence
Daniel & Kerri Foley
Shaun & Victoria Graves
Steve & Kelli Grubbs
Jerome & Catherine Halligan
Steven & Julie Hamilton
Jerry & Barb Hansen
Jan Jurgens Harper
William & Ruth Anne Hartman
Paul & Marcie Hauck
Shirley Hazen
Julie Henke
James & Rosemary Noth
Antoinette O’Connor
Marlene Osterhaus
Shirley Pfeifer
Robert & Jaclyn Phinney
Pi Lambda Theta
Anne Power
Dudley & Jean Priester
William & Marissa Priester
Kristin Quinn &
Anthony Catalfano
Anne Rapp
Rod & Kelly Reed
Stacey Replinger
Donald & Mary Ann Roth
William & Virginia Schaufel
Teresa Shannon
William Shore
Sandra Sohr
Donald & Ardell Staub
James & Jeanne Stopulos
Ishwar & Jaya Thakkar
Larry & Mary Alyce Tierney
Hovey & Maggie Tinsman
Julie Van Camp
$50,000 and above
Walter E. Neiswanger MD
Hubbell Waterman Foundation $25,000 and above
Anonymous Trust Distribution
Bechtel Trusts & Foundation
The Henry Luce Foundation
Brand Boeshaar Foundation
John Deere Foundation
Sears Manufacturing $15,000 and above
Vickie Ann Palmer
Iowa Arts Council
Genesis Foundation
Perry & Elise Hansen
Scott County Regional
Authority
$10,000 and above
Iowa American Water
Thomas & Mary Gildehaus
US Bank
$5,000 and above
IPSCO
MidWestOne Bank
Join the Benefactors Circle
A growing number of generous Museum members and
friends are helping the Figge prepare for the future
by making a planned gift or bequest to the Museum.
This year those who have chosen to support the
Figge in this way will be recognized by inclusion in the
Benefactors Circle. If you have included the Museum
in your estate plans or if you’d like more information
please call Mary Davidson at 563.326.7804 x2046.
We’d like to include you in the Benefactors Circle. All
information remains strictly confidential.
$2,500 and above
Richard Bittner
Elisa Brett
Eric & Natalie Bowers
Junior League Quad Cities
Community Foundation of the
Great River Bend
Quad City Int’l. Airport
Dan & Sheri Palmer/
Tri-City Electric
$1,000 and above
Beverly Freeman &
Michael Collins
Mike & Sarah Thoms
Thomas & MaryAnn Stofell
Harriette R. Freeman Estate
Shaun & Vickie Graves
Herb Tyler
Alcoa Foundation
LouAnn Goral
Bill & Maria Figge Wise
Vanguard Distributing
$500 and above
Tom & Debbie Bracke
Daniel & Katherine Molyneaux
Peoples Mini Storage
Alice Ann Staak
$100 and above
Robert & Barbara Casey
Charitable Fund
John Slover
Sana Harb
Peter & Marion Lardner
Hy-Vee
Criterium Financial
Mellow Blue Planet Comics
Ron & Tillis Hofmann
Jerome & Catherine Halligan
James & Elisabeth Leach
In Memory of Elizabeth
“Bubbles” Haines
Barbara & Suzanne Jakubawski
Shirley Jansen
Victor Quinn
Marlin Volz, Jr
Stuart & Nancy Goldsmith
James & Mary Ann Linden
Joyce Paustian
Nelda Paustian
Gary & Emmy Lou Venzke
In Memory of
Walter E. Neiswanger, MD
Ron & Tillis Hofmann
Harold & Patricia Rayburn
RSM McGladrey
Gerard & Nancy Kloppenborg
Harris Private Bank
Braren Mulder German
Kay Runge
In Memory of
Mel Foster, Jr.
James and Sandra Figge
In-Kind Contributions
Assumption High School
Jazz Choir
Lee Blackmon
The Brandt Company
Tim & Jennifer Chen
The Chordbusters
Hy-Vee Food Stores
Just for Fun
Lost Nation Station
Lowes
Nona Milakovich
Jack Moody
Panera Bread
Pepsi
Putnam Museum &
IMAX Theatre
Scott County Family YMCA
Swiss Valley Farms
TPC
Will & Pam Trotter
If you feel your name has been
omitted in this document, please call
Susan Horan at 326-7804 x2007
25
Under the Big Sky at the Figge
26
The Figge’s first
annual fundraiser –
March 24, 2007
27
Museum Staff and Board of Trustees
Figge Art Museum Staff Listing
Regional Board of Trustees
Finance
Thomas Gildehaus
Glen Gierke, Jr.
Peter Lardner
Al Harris
Linda Lewis
Rick Bowers
Kim Montgomery
Bobbi Rogalski
Tara Barney
Martha Easter-Wells
Frances Emerson
Cameron Davidson
Ken Koupal
Tom McCarthy
Jim Sears
John Slover
Larry Tierney
Prem Virdi
Todd Woeber Susan O’Malley
Chris Sweeney
CFO
Business Manager
Asst. to the Business
Manager
Marketing and Development
Mary Davidson
Linda Cook
Director of Major
Donor Development
Director of Marketing
Education
Ann Marie Hayes Curator of Education
Molly Vadnais
Coordinator, Studio
School at the Figge
Lynn Gingras-Taylor Youth/Family Programs
Heather Aaronson Education Assistant
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
President Emeritus
Executive Committee
Executive Committee
Executive Committee
Curatorial
Michelle Robinson
Pat Sweeney
Dana Densberger
Herb Meztler
Curator
Registrar
Assistant Registrar
Preparator
Membership and Visitor Services
Jennifer Brooke
Susan Horan
Director of Visitor
Services/Volunteers
Membership
Coordinator
Building
Bob DeBlaey
Facilities Manager
Regional Board member Peter Lardner, who passed away on August 14, 2007, was
an unfailing champion for the museum and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
This publication, which highlights the activities he worked so hard for and was so very
proud of, is dedicated to his memory with affection and gratitude. Peter always said
there was no better sound than school children in the Figge. The following is an excerpt
from Peter’s obituary:
The Figge Art Museum reflects Peter’s dream that the art museum could become a
teaching institution for all ages and all people. He envisioned, as a sign of its success, a
ring of yellow school buses on the streets of Davenport, bringing school children from
near and far. Public school children would be welcomed with open arms, Head Start
children, day-care children, middle school children whose ideas burst within them, high
school students, families with children, all welcomed with open arms to the Figge, where
each child would have a chance to see, to connect with a bigger world, to be encouraged to believe in their own good ideas, and to broaden their horizons through art.
28
Committees
Acquisition and
Exhibition Committee
Larry Tierney (chair), Kat Anderson, Bruce
Carter, Andrea Diehl-Shepard (Beaux Arts
representative), Mark Fowler (AAC representative), Perry Gere, Leonard Kallio, Ruth
Evelyn Katz, Caroline Levine, Linda Lewis,
Randy Lewis, Julie McDonald, Kimberly
Montgomery, Bobbi Rogalski, Wynne Schafer,
Dr. Alex and Martha Stone
Audit Committee
Budge Gierke (chair), Michelle Simpson
Development Committee
Finance Committee
Martha Easter-Wells (chair), Rick Bowers,
Tom Gildehaus, Ken Koupal, Peter
Lardner, Linda Lewis, Amy Lynch, Kimberly
Montgomery
Al Harris (chair), Tara Barney, Rick Bowers,
Budge Gierke, Tom Gildehaus, Perry Hansen,
Kimberly Montgomery, Peter Lardner, Linda
Lewis, Ed Merschman, Judy Schardein, Jim
Sears, Michele Simpson
Education, Outreach And
Library Committee
Wynne Schafer (chair), Elizabeth Bouslough,
Marianne Corbin, Lynda Foster, Diane
Franken, Betty Hagberg, Kay Hall, Ana Kehoe,
Jane Koski, Judie Lance, Bobbie Lastrapes,
Linda Lewis, Victoria Navarro, Chris
Sederstrom, Kate Stangler, Zaiga Thorson
Marketing Committee
Tara Barney, Beth Clark, Charlotte DoehlerMorrison, Frances Emerson, Jenny Garner,
Chris Gnade, Joe Kehoe, Ken Koupal, Linda
Lewis, Julie McHard, Deb Robbins, Craig
Shoemaker
Special Events Committee
Buildings and
Grounds Committee
Endowment Committee
Budge Gierke (chair), Rick Bowers, Michael
Day, Tom Gildehaus, Al Harris, Peter Lardner,
Tom McCarthy, George Van Damme
John Slover (chair), Rick Bowers, Tom
Gildehaus, Perry Hansen, Al Harris, Perry
Hansen, Steve Haverkamp,
Wynne Schafer (chair) Ashlie Dellitt, Marcia
Eckerman, Lou Ann Goral, Jenny Hamilton,
Bernie Murphy, Angela N. Reier, Mary Sue
Salmon, Trisha Tinnes, Joanne Waterbury,
Dana Wilkinson
Docents
Judie Lance, Chair
Len Adams
Robin Andrews
Mary Jane Andrews
Cathy Berta
Sue Broderick
Spiro Bruskas
Caryl Bucksbaum
Sandy Cahoy
George Cowan
Dawn Fensterbusch
Sheila Fitts
Jane Florence
Bonnie Fox
Sandy Fritz
Barb Hansen
Marj Hier
Virginia Houlton
Gma Howze
Beryl Irvine
Anne Jochum
Mauri Johnson
Linda Johnston
Tracy Kinman
Dierdre Lavine
Linda Lewis
Gloria Malooly
Sue Manternach
Mona Martin
Sylvia Martin
Gisela McDonald
Nona Milakovich
Gene Miller
Jean Moeller
Sarah Mohr
Emily Navarre
Lois Nichols
Elaine Peaslee
Sue Quail
Judy Schardein
Nancy Schold
Laraine Shellenberger
Rosemary Sims
Donna Strieder
Larry Tierney
Pat Walkup
Lanora Welzenbach
Don Wilson
HONORARY
DOCENTS
Jayne Phelps
Jean Priester
ON LEAVE
Lynn Dixon
Marilyn Kester
29
Volunteers
Barbara J. Alvine
Geraldine D. Bakeris
Kelly Behrens
Johannes Belstra
Kara Bennett
Robert Bentley
Katie Bergthold
Kelsey Berryhill
Katherine Beydler
Peg Christensen
Jennifer Christiansen
Sean Condon
Janet Corcoran
Branwen Cromer
Corwin Cromer
Maria M. Cummings
Marta Currier
Jamie DeBischop
Megan Birnbaum
Amy Bloomquist
Cecilia Braam
Ruth Brauch
Sarah Brisch
Jessica Brocka
Janet Bruchmann
Joyce Brune
Roger Butts
Sarah Case
Sarah Case
Olivia Chen
Pat DeGreve
Marlene DeSplinter
Joan DiIulio
Betsy Dorris
Charles Dorris
Leslie DuPree
Marcia Eckerman
Valerie Ehlers
Taylor Ehlis
Angela Elliott
Barbara D. Emerson
Sandra J. Evers
Dorothy Feeney
Jessica Fester
James Foley
Nile Foster
Pat Francios
Adrienne Gabriel
Greg Gahard
Bridget Garnica
Gilbert Garnica
Erin Gehn
Mary Gehn
Mary Gifford
Dorothy GildeaCunnick
Stephanie Gillespie
Susan Goodley
Hannah Gough
Kelsey Green
Alyssa Green
Dylan Greenhalgh
Joan Haberkamp
Angela Handley
Arlie Hannon
Sue Hass
Judy Hazelton
Diane Hennan
Spencer Herring
Tova Hettinger
Kristin Hingstrum
Heather Holding
Mary Issa
Roselle Jackson
Anne Jochum
Henrietta Kenney
Claudette Klimes
Amy Kling
Basilia Koster
Ellen Krasnow
Galyn Landem
Rachael Lanman
Rachel Longstreet
Rona Loweth
Egan Maginas
Mary Manning
Sharon Maroney
Rosemary Mayberry
Carolyn Maynard
Jillian McCleary
Bryanna McManus
Lauren Mentado
Rose Metsa
Sylvia Meyer
Carol Micheel
Joanne Milleman
Jennifer Miller
Carol Minard
Courtney Mitten
Sarah Mohr
Chelsea Moore
Shirley Moore
Nancy Morris
Gladys Navarro
Ashley Nelson
Jean O’ Hare
Harold O’Dell
Mary Penniman
Kathy Phelan
Liz Phinney
Drew Phinney
Kayla Phumprey
Michelle Plante
Heidi Poleshaj
Ramya Prasad
Mehreen Rasheed
Lynn Reece
Edith Reike
Lynn Rider
Jean Rittmer
Emily Roldan
Laura Rosen
Connie Sauer-Adams
Samantha Scheckel
Ardy Schnittjer
Katie Seiz
Roberta Shadensack
Theresa Shannon
Sue Shawver
Malavika Shrikhande
Patricia Sierk
Deb Skold
Sandy Sohr
Lisa Steen
Pat Steen
Irene Stimmel
Sally Stringham
Lauren Swanson
Bethel Swartout
Sheila Tallman
Zach Taylor
Irene Thompson
Sean Tompkins
Meghan Treasure
Vicki Underwood
Tiffany Villalpondo
Theresa Vondran
Pat Walkup
Jim Walters
Beverly Warning
Lanora Welzenbach
Donald Wilson
Chandler Wright
Gerry Yeager
Dawn Wohlford
Metallo
Amy Nielsen
Steve Sinner
Carol Steinmetz
Sally Stiles
Dean Timmerman
Bill Wohlford - chair
Artist Advisory Council
Gloria Burlingame
Andrea Diehl
Mark Fowler
Joel Franken
Lynn Gingras-Taylor
30
Judy Gray
Melissa Hebert
Ralph Iaccarino
Ron Kessel
Rick Lodmell
Most of the photographs you see on
the pages of the newsletter or on
the Figge website are taken by Don
Retherford, who spends countless
hours at the museum documenting our
classes, events and other occurrences
and providing us with digital pictures
for our use. Don started taking pictures of the museum while it was
being constructed and has been with
us ever since, much to our delight. He
is ready with a camera, or a smile, at
moment’s notice. While he prefers to
hide behind his camera, Don deserves
to be in the spotlight for all he does to
help the museum. THANKS DON!
IMAGE CREDITS cover: Frederic Remington, The Blanket Signal, ca. 1896, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; The Hogg Brothers
Collection, gift of Miss Ima Hogg; page 3: Jacob Lawrence, The Migration Series, Panel 45, 1940-41, The Phillips Collection,
Washington, D.C.; page 4: Maynard Dixon, Wild Horses of Nevada, 1927-32, courtesy of Karges Family Trust; page 5: Frank Tenney
Johnson, Colorado Forest Ranger (Trail’s End), 1929, 50.876; David Rathman, Every Day Above Ground is a Good One, 2002, collection of the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Clinton and Della Walker Aquisition Fund; Page 6: Luis Gonzales Palma, Esperanza, 2000,
2000.8; page 14: Lauren Greenfield, The Image of Aki, the Star Showgirl of the Stardust Hotel, on the Tail of an Airplane, Las Vegas,
Nevada, 1995, 200.6; Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison, Forestbed, 1998, collection of the artist; Martin Mull, The Joys of Indoor/
Outdoor Living, 2004, oil on linen, collection of Richard B. Sachs; Nine-patch Medallion, pieced by Gladys Henry prior to 1996, quilted by Laverne Brakens, 2004; page 15: Marlene Miller, Girl Series, 1992-1995, collection of the artist; Deborah Butterfield, Isbelle,
2001, collection of the artist; Edward M. Catich, Lobster Slate, n.d., collection of Linda Kelty; Utagawa Hiroshige, Snow Scene along
the Sumida River (part of a triptych), ca. 1850, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Getz, 74.54; page 16: Sheldon Moldoff, The Batman,
ca. 1996; Tom Jackson, Democratic Convention, 2004, collection of the artist; Deborah Butterfield, Ferdinand, 1980, Yellowstone
Art Museum; back cover: Nancy Callan, Sea Urchin Top, 2007; John James Audubon, American Flamingo, 1858-1860, collection of
William Butterworth Memorial Trust.
31
Clear Your Mind:
Contemporary Glass Invitational
February 2 - May 11, 2008 • 3rd floor
This exhibition displays the unique approaches of contemporary glass artists that combine
both a respect for tradition and a cultural defiance. These artists use the material as personal expression and transcend the obvious by an in-depth study of technique, history, and
knowledge of traditional art forms. The objects range from highly refined glass blowing to an
almost brutal use of the medium. Artists include Hank Murta Adams, Sonja Blomdahl, Nancy
Callan, William Carlson, Dante and Paul Marioni, Jay Musler, Walt Lieberman, Michael Rogers,
Dick Weiss and Brent Kee Young.
Birds of America: John James Audubon
February 2 - May 11, 2008 • 4th floor
The Charles Deere collection of 98 John James Audubon “Birds of America” Bien edition prints at
the Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House has been conserved and re-framed. This is a
rare opportunity to see a large number of these popular elephant folio (approximately 3’ x 2’ in
size) prints. Audubon’s contribution to ornithology, first published as engravings in 1838 after
Audubon’s watercolors, was revolutionary. Instead of a static portrait Audubon chose dramatic
almost cinematic portrayals of the birds, life-sized, in their natural surroundings.
225 West Second Street
Davenport, IA 52801
www.figgeartmuseum.org
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Davenport, Iowa
Permit No. 151