Community Calendar

This free workshop will provide the opportunity to create a pillow from a loved-one’s button-down shirt or t-shirt. Sewers will be available to assist you, all you need to bring is the shirt you would like for your pillow. Individuals or family groups can create up to two pillows during the one-hour workshop. Please do not bring jackets, denim, or thick fabrics.

Bereavement support and information will be available. Registration is required, as supplies are limited. All ages are welcome.

Missing our loved ones is difficult; create a huggable, loveable memorial to cherish. This program is held in conjunction with Northern Illinois Hospice.

For additional information, please contact Chelsea at chelsear@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1700.

You are invited to join University of IL-Extension Master Gardeners as we host our 2nd DeKalb County Master Gardener Seed Giveaway in the library’s main lobby.

Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions about seed starting, germination testing and transplanting.

This is a free, educational event for all ages. No registration is required.

For more information, contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100.

Chicago-based artist Michael x. Ryan gathers the quiet imprints we leave behind — from sidewalk stains and river paths to shower puddles and fallen tree limbs — and gives them form, weight, and voice. Through drawing, mapping, wood relief, and 3D printed objects, Ryan captures traces of human presence — the edge of a river, the imprint of a wet body, the marks on a street — and renders them as physical forms that evoke movement, memory, and place.

This exhibition brings together key installations spanning over four decades, from early works shaped by the Ox-Bow landscape to large-scale reliefs inspired by the streets of Chicago to one tree of interest on the family property in Woodstock, Illinois. By drawing attention to overlooked details, Ryan invites us to consider how our everyday movements shape the spaces we inhabit — and how those spaces, in turn, record and reflect our presence and passage through time.

Homecoming: In Color celebrates the reopening of Rockford Art Museum after a year-long renovation closure. This exhibition features a selection of popular pieces and hidden gems, showcasing the rich diversity of our revered collection. Come witness the power of art and community as we welcome you back to a vibrant space of creativity!

If for some reason you did not have an opportunity to stop by the Coliseum Museum during the month of December, due to a reschedule of our calendar the artwork of Carolyn McKee-Freese will remain on our Feature Walls until January 31.

Now a private and group art instructor in a variety of media, Carolyn has been published in many magazines and exhibited at numerous venues including Norris Gallery and the New York State Museum. We are pleased to say that Carolyn has served as one of our awards judges and also serves as our instructor for the weekly art class each Wednesday morning.

Peoria Camera Club

Taft Gallery, December 1 – January 31
We are pleased to host the photography work of 12 artists from the Peoria Camera Club during December and January.

Participating artists include Joe Virbickis, Jill Attaway, Marilyn Rierma, Becky Dailey, Ray Keithly, Cindy Brackney, LaDean Spring, Tom Ruhland, Lori Townzen, Andrea Monninger, Bennett Johnson and Dan Ricks.
The Peoria Camera Club (PCC) was founded in 1954. Over these 70+ years, the PCC has worked to promote the art and science of photography in Central Illinois. As a group, PCC members produce a diverse array of images in both digital and print formats. They have received awards and recognitions at the local, regional and national levels. The PCC meets twice monthly from September through May. Website: www.peoriacameraclub.com

The art of David Van Delinder is now on display in the Lowden Gallery from January 1 – February 28.

David’s career actually began in the music business. Blessed with talent in both art and music, he was a premier area guitarist at a young age, recording and performing with Chicago folk legends Bonnie Koloc, Steve Goodman, John Prine and others. His songs have been published and recorded by name artists.

When the road became unsuitable for a married man and father, he turned to his other muse, art. He worked his way up to senior art director for a well-known Chicago agency before deciding to go out on his own. He became a successful and respected freelance illustrator and graphic designer creating art and designs for billboards, magazines, packaging, and books.

David’s fine art is rooted in traditional technique and classical composition. His pen and ink drawings of abandoned barns and jazz musicians, impressionistic florals, landscapes, and classical oil portraits all display both virtuosity and inspiration.

Mr. Van Delinder also accepts commissioned portraits and other works in oil, pastel, charcoal and pen and ink. His pencil portraits of musicians and dancers are very popular and highly sought after.

He lives and works in Cherry Valley, IL.

A cornerstone of the TNPS calendar, this annual survey celebrates the depth of creativity found throughout the Rock River Valley. Each year, the exhibition highlights the work of regional artists across a wide range of 2D and 3D media, offering a snapshot of what’s happening right now in the local art community.

TNPS is open Wed.-Sat. or by appointment

Since 1986, James Ember has been creating and performing magic.

He has performed his award winning, interactive, comedy magic show throughout the world.

Performing magic with a wild passion since he won his first talent show at the age of 6, his exceptional magical talent has been showcased at school programs, during weddings, at corporate events, on stages, on the street, and everywhere in between.

There’s one thing that drives every single one of his performances – he knows joy is contagious. It’s passed from the performer to the audience, then from audience members to each other and, by the end of the show, everyone is laughing, amazed, and having fun.

This magic show is free and intended for ages 5 and up, even adults! No registration is required.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

For additional information, please contact Chelsea at chelsear@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1700.

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have THE 39 STEPS, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This show is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters, an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance!

In The 39 Steps, a man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she's a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called "The 39 Steps" is hot on the man's trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale! A riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft.