Community Calendar

Rockford Art Guild Exhibit
Main Floor, December 12 – January 16
Opening Reception, December 13​

​In 1955, a group of 10 area artists formed the Rockford Amateur Artists, whose mission was to hone their expertise and expand community awareness of and exposure to the visual arts. Rockford Art Guild (RAG), as it is now known, is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Their mission is to promote, exhibit, and preserve visual art, focusing on education and creative exploration.

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!

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

For 24 years, Carolyn Lee McKee-Freese served the public school system with honor, devotion and skill. Having the opportunity to teach was a dream come true, as she loves sharing knowledge with others. She prepared for her endeavors by earning a Bachelor of Education from North Illinois University in 1969 and by becoming a certified teacher in Illinois. The degrees propelled Ms. McKee-Freese to become an art teacher at Simmons Junior High School immediately following graduation, where she stayed for three years. After that, she worked as a substitute teacher at Moose Heart School for a year and as an art teacher at Yorkville District High School for 20 years.
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Although Ms. McKee-Freese has since left the public sector, she remains committed to education. She currently using her background and expertise as a private contractor in the education department of the Chicago Field Museum, where she has been since 2002, and as the visual art curriculum developer for Yorkville District 115, where she has been since 1990. She also holds membership with the Illinois Art Education Association, the Illinois Artisans Program and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.​ Over the years, Ms. McKee-Freese has found a variety of mediums, through which she can express herself in addition to academia. She has published artwork in exhibitions at the Norris Gallery, the Ironwood Gallery of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, the Sprague Gallery, Aurora University, the James R. Thompson Center Atrium and the New York State Museum in Albany, among other places. She was also an art contributor to the Life Over Time Exhibit at the Chicago Field Museum, and was an art show judge at regional shows and fairs. Further, Ms. McKee-Freese has been published in Nature Magazine, Natural History Magazine and the British Journal of Paleontology. She has authored the likes of “A Popular Guide to the Nature and the Environment of the Fossil Vertebrates of New York” and “Papers in Paleontology.”In recognition of her achievements, Ms. McKee-Freese received a variety of accolades. She was named Teacher of the Year by Yorkville High School students in 2006 and 2007, Most Influential Educator for several years between 1996 and 2007 and Educator of the Month by Coco-Cola Co. in 1995. Further, Ms. McKee-Freese was honored to be featured in numerous editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who of American Women.

When Ms. McKee-Freese isn’t working, she enjoys horseback riding, hiking, bird watching and paleontology. She also likes to teach scientific illustrations at summer camps for children; she thinks combining nature and art is fascinating. If she could offer some advice to the younger generations, it would be to find a passion and pursue it, just like she did. She still finds joy in receiving letters and emails from former students thanking her for the life lessons they learned from her classes.

Run, run as fast as you can, to the library to see the Gingerbread Man! Cozy up with your favorite blanky in our children’s story time room while Miss Stormy, and her friend ‘Gingy’, read and sing-along to their favorite Gingerbread Man tale. Following story time, stay for some warm cocoa and to decorate your very own ‘Sugar Cookie Man’.

This program is free and intended for ages 3-12. Younger children will need a parent to assist.

This program will be first come, first served, as space and supplies are limited.

For more information, please contact Stormy at stormye@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3310.

Select members of the Plein Air Painters Of Rockford (PAPOR) are exhibiting their interpretations of "The Thankful Path" to coincide with Klehm Arboretum's event by the same name. A selection of 24 original artworks is on display December 2 through mid-January 2026.

PAPOR posts their activities and Art results on their Facebook fan page - Plein Air Painters of Rockford

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!

Join us on Sunday, January 4 at 1:00 pm at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau for a free screening of the bat documentary The Invisible Mammal hosted by DeKalb County University of Illinois Extension.

The Invisible Mammal tells the captivating story of a dedicated team as they strive to protect North America's bats against a deadly disease rapidly spreading across the continent. Filmmaker Kristin Tièche takes us on a thrilling journey as women bat scientists fight to save a species from the deadly white-nose syndrome (WNS). This film follows Project Fat Bat, a potential solution to help rebuild healthy bat populations across North America.

At once a nature film, a science film, and a character-driven adventure film, The Invisible Mammal will immerse you in the world of bats and forever change the way you feel about these amazing little creatures.

Please RSVP to the DeKalb Extension office at 815-758-8194 or cahandel@illinois.edu if you plan to attend so we know how many to expect.

A $1.00 donation at the door is appreciated to help defray the cost of the screening.

Call or email program coordinator Connie Handel with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation at cahandel@illinois.edu or 815-758-8194.