Some of the highlights at Rockford Art Museum, this year alone, are worth a membership. The Zhou Brothers: New Beginning exhibition, opening April 4 with
a reception for RAM members and special guests, features large-scale, abstract pieces that encompass both primitive and modern styles. Pictured above is
a previous RAM members-only reception.

RAM Talks Art: Join one of your museums, Rockford

By Carrie Breitbach, Customer Service Coordinator, Rockford Art Museum



Some of the highlights at Rockford Art Museum, this year alone, are worth a membership. The Zhou Brothers: New Beginning exhibition, opening April 4 with a reception for RAM members and special guests, features large-scale, abstract pieces that encompass both primitive and modern styles. Pictured above is a previous RAM members-only reception.

If you don't already belong to one of the many local museums in Rockford, you should consider all of the benefits that come with a membership. I work for a museum that happens to be located inside a great building called Riverfront Museum Park, which houses or offers easy access to three excellent museums: Discovery Center Museum (711 N. Main St.), Rockford Art Museum (711 N. Main St.) and Burpee Museum of Natural History (737 N. Main St.). Other local museums include Midway Village & Museum Center (6799 Guilford Road) and Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum (411 Kent St.).

Most museums offer many perks once you've obtained a membership, no matter which level you choose. Some incentives for joining a museum typically include: invitations to members-only receptions and special events, a discount off merchandise in the museum store, free admission to the museum, access to resource materials, and special rates for lectures and classes.

These perks are only the cherry on top. Not only are you experiencing new exhibits and expanding your knowledge of the arts and sciences, you're also supporting excellent learning establishments that benefit the community of Rockford immensely.

Some of the highlights at Rockford Art Museum, this year alone, are worth a membership. The Zhou Brothers: New Beginning exhibition, opening April 4 with a reception for RAM members and special guests, features large-scale, abstract pieces that encompass both primitive and modern styles. In addition to their paintings, wood sculpture will also adorn the gallery space, adding another unique element to the exhibit (April 4-June 29).

The 67th Young Artist Show: Youth Division opens less than two weeks later and features artwork by K-8 students from Winnebago County schools. The exhibition begins with a free public opening from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, April 13 (recognition ceremony 2 p.m.), and remains on display through May 11, Mother's Day. You won't want to miss this four-week celebration of the next generation of local artists!

After Zhou Brothers closes in late June, the 2008 Rockford Midwestern will be on display (July 11-Oct. 5). This exciting juried biennial exhibit features work submitted by artists in a nine-state area, and boasts media that range from still-life drawings to non-traditional sculptural installations.

And to end the year with a bang, RAM will be proudly featuring Vera Klement: Paint Into Icon (Oct. 17, 2008-Jan. 4, 2009). Vera's abstract painting qualities and personal experiences create innovative dualism in her pieces, combining two distinctly different ideas and making them cohesive. Vera is a highly-renowned artist in Chicago, actively showing her work since the mid-1960s. Other exciting RAM events taking place this year include the 60th Greenwich Village Art Fair (Sept. 13-14), Art in the Garden 2008 (Aug. 2) and Evergreen Ball XX (Dec. 6).

There are numerous benefits to joining a museum. From seniors to students, museums always offer a variety of classes and lectures related to their permanent collections or new exhibitions. Stimulating classes and lectures are such an important part of a community's cultural service, and it's time that more of us get involved.

I have noticed recently a lot of talk that Rockford doesn't have a lot to offer when it comes to culture. Although I think we have a long way to go to making Rockford more culturally accessible, we have the right foundations—and certainly the desire needed to make that happen.

But, before you start bashing, check things out! Log on to the museums' Web sites, check out the paper, or just GO VISIT the museums and see what classes, trips, lectures, etc., are being offered. There is more (and more!) going on that you need to be informed about. Take an interest, people. Support your local museums, learn something new, become an active part of Rockford's community. We can make this happen. Join a museum.

For more information about membership rates, call or check out these Web sites:

Burpee Museum of Natural History, (815) 965-3433, http://www.burpee.org

Discovery Center Museum, (815) 963-6769, http://www.discoverycentermuseum.org

Midway Village & Museum Center, (815) 397-9112, http://www.midwayvillage.com

Rockford Art Museum, (815) 968-2787, http://www.rockfordartmuseum.org

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, (815) 964-2424, http://www.tinkercottage.com

Rockford Art Museum Customer Service Coordinator Carrie Breitbach can be reached at cjohnson@rockfordartmuseum.org.

from the March 19-25, 2008, issue

 

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