Joy Meyer

Taft Gallery Artist, February 1 – March 31

Joy Meyer earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art and Art Education from Northern Illinois University. She retired in 2005 after teaching art for thirty years, the last twenty years at Rock Falls High School in Rock Falls, IL. Joy also taught many workshops for both teenagers and adults during her career and shortly after retirement. She has won numerous awards for both her painting and her teaching.

Joy has enjoyed working in many different media including watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, glass etching, stained glass, and silk painting, but the medium she has chosen to specialize in during recent years is Acrylic Painting. She enjoys working in a fairly realistic style using primarily bright, cheerful colors. Her actual painting techniques vary depending on the subject matter being painted and the mood desired, often using many techniques within a painting to better represent the details within the painting. Joy also enjoys the challenges of working in an increasingly wider variety of subject matter.



Blooming Fusion returns to The Next Picture Show after its successful debut in 2024, bringing back a vibrant 2D art exhibition inspired by flowers, plants, and gardens. Running February 18 through March 28, 2026, this juried show highlights fresh perspectives and creative connections rooted in the natural world. The exhibition features original works in watercolor, oil, acrylic, mixed media, pen & pencil, and charcoal.

The gallery is open 10-4 Wednesday-Saturday or by appointment.

Lowden Gallery Artist: Ellen "Ellie" R. Bartels
March 1 - April 30

​Ellie has a BA degree in Education and a BFA in Studio Art , both from the University of Washington. She taught art, K – 12, in Orangeville, Il for 12 years. She currently lives in Freeport, Il.

Ellie states, “ The process of transforming paint and canvas into an appealing and effective image scares, frustrates, excites and inspires me.

My work starts out with a subject or theme in mind, usually based on my personal response to nature or a past experience, and a general plan on how to accomplish my goal. As it progresses spontaneity and intuition take over and my unconscious becomes the director.
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I have found that both oils and acrylics work well as vehicles for translating my inner vision to outer reality. Both comply with my enjoyment of layering paint and working the canvas by scraping, rubbing, scratching through, dry brushing, etc., to create depth and texture and to bring the surface to life.

It is my wish that the viewer will want to spend time with my work, to contemplate its meaning, discover its complexities, or to just enjoy the colors and shapes.

Cora Hutchison is a life-long resident of the Rock River Valley, Midwest roots and a love of animals and nature has inspired much of Cora Hutchison’s past and current work. A self-taught artist, with some formal education, Cora has been active in the arts throughout her career. A soft style and photo realism in her work has brought her animals, landscapes and portraits to the forefront.

Originally, her art centered around pastels and eventually embracing watercolors for her animals and children. In recent years graphite has dominated her work in portraits and “Americana” scenes.

Cora has shown her art in galleries and venues locally and throughout the Midwest for several years working closely with the community and local groups.

The Prairie Arts Council hosts an exhibit of paintings by Princeton native Brian Taylor during the month of March in the Prairie Arts Center Gallery.

Brian Taylor says about his works, "The art presented is a reflection of doodles and patterns practiced over many years. As time evolved, the practice was refined into its own colorful and unique style, evoking influences of various concepts from surrealism, abstract and indigenous art. The natural world is also an influence through travel, time working in arboriculture and landscape design.”

The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays, March 7 - 29 from 1:00-3:00 PM.

www.PrairieArts.org
Facebook.com/prairiearts

Reception for Doug Overton's Solo Capstone Exhibition for MFA degree. The exhibition runs from March 24 to April 4. This is a NIU and DeKalb Community collaboration event! Doug is lifelong DeKalb resident, retired high school teacher, and NIU Alumni (BS jn Physics). Come celebrate the completion of his MFA degree at Jubilee Art Gallery in DeKalb.