ROCKFORD ART MUSEUM | COLLECTION

Permanent Collection

Rockford Art Museum accessioned, or officially received its first piece in 1913. Since then it has grown to a collection of over 1500 pieces representing five different focuses: Modern and Contemporary American Art, American Masters from 1830-1940, Photography, Contemporary Glass and Outsider Art. Local artists, national and international artists are represented with special emphasis on local and Chicago artists.

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Focus Areas of the Collection

Modern and Contemporary American Art
Rockford Art Museum's collection of Modern and Contemporary American Art represents approximately a third of the entire collection. The collection first started to develop in the late '50s and early 60s with purchases made in exhibitions such as 50 States/50 Artists and Art in Other Media. Over the following decades the collection expanded and kept pace with emerging trends thanks to a number of donors and purchases. In 1994, the collection gained a tremendous boost from the promised gifts of June and Francis Spiezer whose collection of Chicago artists represents the largest collection of Chicago artists in the region. In 2009, Rockford Art Museum will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Spiezer's donation. more...

American Masters
The American Masters Collection at Rockford Art Museum represents a blend of styles that were created between 1830 and 1940. Many of the earliest paintings were produced by artists working the Midwest including George Robertson, the first artist to have permanently settled in Rockford, Elbridge Ayer Burbank, who produced the only known painting of Geronimo from life, and Lorado Taft, founder of the Eagles Nest Colony in Oregon, Illinois. Since the founding of the Rockford Art Association in 1913, artwork from across the United States found its way into the city and the museum acquired some of its most important pieces of American Impressionism and Taos Society of New Mexico artists during its first two decades. more...

Photography
During the early 1970s, the Rockford Art Association sought to expand its collection into fine art photography. The Radius exhibitions produced several purchase awards, but more importantly it brought the association into contact with Arnold Gilbert, collector and champion of photography as a fine art. The Gilbert Collection donated in 1974, 1976 and in 1991 forms the backbone of the more than 290 photographs in the collection. Today, Rockford Art Museum collects from the beginning of the process of photography to contemporary and experimental photographers. It holds a substantial collection of prints by Brett Weston and Mexican photographer Manuel Carrillo. more...

Contemporary Glass Art
Although Rockford Art Museum collected its first glass piece in 1968, a humble vessel blown by Marvin Liposfsky in 1964, Glass Art is one of the youngest focuses of collection at the museum. Two generous donations have provided the core of our glass collection. June and Frances Spiezer began donating Contemporary Glass Art to the museum in 1994 and continue to make donations. Carol and Don Wiiken doubled the size of the collection and expanded its international significance with their donation in 2004. more...

Outsider Art
Rockford Art Museum's collection of Outsider Art is comprised mostly African American Self-Taught Art from the 104-piece Hager Collection, donated in 1994. This art developed in the Deep South in isolated African American communities. Unlike Folk Tradition, which is commonly handed down, these artists have refined their skills through personal effort, trial and innovation. Their choice of expression and their means of execution are self-taught and unique to each. This artwork, despite being uninformed by the mainstream artworld, cannot be seen as simple. The choices these artists make in materials and depiction are the result of the artist's personal life experiences, their religious beliefs, their connection with the land, politics and their heritage. more...