Plates are not only functional, but they have provided a medium for the decorative arts for thousands of years. They can be made from a myriad of materials, come in various shapes and sizes, and be passed on from one generation to the other. They serve as a conveyance for one of our most basic needs...food, yet they can be commemorative, collectible souvenirs, that celebrate places, people, and life events.
The Kortman Gallery celebrates the plate as art in a holiday group exhibition featuring 40 artists who have created works of art on or about the plate. The show, titled “Plat du Jour: Art” presents plates and images of plates in a diverse range of artists and media, including painting, drawing, digital imagery, ceramics, and sculpture.
“Souvenir and decorative plates have been around for a long time and collecting them was very popular in the 1950’s and 60’s,” says Doc Slafkosky, Kortman Gallery director. “That plate collecting trend is back, and taken on a more sophisticated flavor with more galleries and museums offering artist designed plates. We thought it would be great to see what some of Rockford’s most notable and prolific artists would create if inspired by this plate concept.”
See what plate themed works created by 40 artists have created for this holiday group exhibit, “Plat du Jour: Art” which opens Friday, November 20th from 5:30 to 10pm in the Kortman Gallery located upstairs at J. R. Kortman Center for Design, 107 North Main Street in Downtown Rockford. It will be on display Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sundays (in December) noon to 5pm. The show runs through December 31st.
Exhibiting artists include: Zoa Ace, Michelle Dorr, John Deill, Kyle Wolfe, Becky Pelley, Brian Hierstein, Joanne Gustafson, Sarah Danielle Stewart, Johnathan Kuss, Paul Pinzarrone, Drew Helge, Norm Knott, Margret Hesler-Hynes, Javier Jimenez, R. Scott Long, Betsy Youngquist, Joseph Goral,Lisa Jimenez,Lynn Fischer Carlson, Dave Menard, Jesus Correa, Molly Carter, Pam Kehoe-Peterson, Sarah Reed-McNamara, Valerie Olafson, Karen Harding, Cherri Rittenhouse, Jarrod Hennis, Britney Lindgren, Michael Bugler, Leslie Arbetman,Matt Vincent, Jeremy Klonicki, Louis Recchia, Jeanne Ludeke, Barry Treu, Michelle Dal Pra, Stephen Warde Anderson, and Ellie Pinzarrone.
.For more information call 815-968-0123 or visit www.jrkortman.com.