J. R. Kortman Center for Design / Kortman Gallery

The Burpee Natural History Museum has been selected as this year’s addition to the Rockford Landmark hand-painted ornaments collection from J. R. Kortman Center For Design. Also new this year is a  second-edition version of the Nicholas Conservatory under construction in Sinnissippi Park.

“Burpee Museum and it’s famous resident Jane the dinosaur are certainly dominant landmarks, contributing greatly to Rockford’s cultural vitality,” said Doc Salfkosky, co-owner of J.R. Kortman Center for Design.

“The limited edition glass ornament features an impressive hand-painted image of the North Main Street museum building along with the “Jane” logo,” Slafkosky said. “The ornament is available not only at J.R. Kortman Center for Design, but also at the Burpee Museum where proceeds will benefit this wonderful and dynamic institution.”

 “We had another edition of the Nicholas Conservatory created because of popular demand. The excitement is mounting since the spectacular superstructure of the conservatory is now a part of our river front landscape,” says Slafkosky.

The Downtown Rockford design store/gallery has been creating new ornaments every year for more than decade.

Also in the collection is a special edition of Memorial Hall, the Woodward Governor building, and the North Main Street Armory. Other ornaments available in the Landmark Collection include “Guardians of the Rock” Sculpture by Theresa Agnew, the Beattie Park Gazebo, Sinnissippi Lagoon, the Rockford News Tower, the Faust Landmark Building, Coronado, and Midway Theater Buildings, and the Coronado stage, Sinnissippi Bur Oak tree, Old City Hall, and “Symbol” sculpture, the best selling ornament in the collection.

“Other top sellers include four ornaments depicting different scenes of the beautiful Anderson Japanese Gardens,” says Salfkosky. “They are also available at the Anderson Gardens gift shop and restaurant.”

In addition to the Swedish Historical Society’s “Erlander Home,” other historic houses in the collection include the  “Limestone Mansion,” home to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois,  and the “Cobblestone House,” located at 2127 Broadway, one of Rockford’s oldest houses. 

All the Landmark ornament images are individually hand-painted on the inside of a glass sphere, utilizing an ancient Chinese technique originally applied to “snuff” bottles. Each collectable ornament is a miniature work of art.  All ornaments are priced at $22 to $25 each.

Jeremy Klonicki is a sculptural display artist with a simple strategy: deconstruct and rebuild. Pam Kehoe-Peterson is an artist who creates distinctive “industrial poetic” jewelry. Both use reclaimed industrial relics to produce stunningly energetic art. The two Rockford artists collaborate and converge their talent in a Kortman Gallery holiday exhibition entitled “MainfraiM...Habitat for Art” opening Friday, November  26th .

Kehoe-Peterson who has been making her wearable art jewelry for more than a decade, has joined creative forces with Klonicki to bring a new visual quality to her work. Klonicki’s sculptural display pieces evolve from the same sensibilty...reclaiming, deconstructing, and rebuilding industrial objects into fine art display environments.

 “Together, the two artists bring a refreshingly imaginative visual experience to these found objects,” says Kortman Gallery director Doc Salfkosky. ”The result is elegant, exquisite and almost magical sculptural pieces that the artists’ refer to as Archaic 

Industrial Art.”

“When a piece of jewelry isolates an ordinary object, such as an old level, a compass, a tool part, or an unusual key, its inherent symbolism, mystery and beauty can evoke an emotion, a thought, a memory or an idea for the wearer,” says Kehoe-Peterson in her artist’s statement.

Referring to his work in his artist’s statement, Klonicki says, “When one deconstructs they salvage the knowledge to build it again, be it for its intended purpose, or for a new purpose.” 

  “The conceptual content and industrial style of both Pam’s and Jeremy’s work appeals to male and female collectors alike and will be a visual holiday treat for the entire family.” said Slafkosky.

The opening reception for “MainfraiM...Habitat for Art” will be from 5:30 to 9:00pm on Friday, November 26th in the Kortman Gallery, located upstairs at J.R. Kortman Center for Design, 107 North Main Street, Downtown Rockford. For more information call 815/968-0123 or visit www. jrkortman.com. 

What: “MainfraiM...Habitat for Art” an exhibition of works by Pam Kehoe-Peterson and Jeremy Klonicki

Where: Kortman Gallery, upstairs at J.R.Kortman Center for Design, 107 North Main,               Downtown Rockford

When: Opening reception, Friday, November  26th, 5:30pm-9:00pm. Gallery open Monday–Saturday, 10 to 6pm and Sundays (in December) 1-5pm . Exhibition runs through January 8, 2011. Free admission. 

Information: 815-968-0123 or www.jrkortman.com

To see images of the art works click on the "Current Show" option under Kortman Gallery on the left of our website.

Doc Slafkosky

J.R. Kortman 

Center for Design

815/968-0128