J. R. Kortman Center for Design / Kortman Gallery

    Artists Joel Hotchkiss and Matt Richards may live on different coasts, but they have two things in common: they both have made a career out of creating mobile art, and they both have their mobiles on exhibit in the Kortman Gallery.
    Hotchkiss of Stonebridge, MA and Richards of Portland, OR join six Rockford artists in “Balance: Art of the Mobile,”a holiday exhibition which is now open in the Kortman Gallery, Downtown at 107 North Main Street.
    “We are excited to show Joel and Matt who have years of experience creating mobile art, from small desk top kinetic sculptures to large public art installations,” says gallery director Doc Slafkosky. “But we also thought it would be great to challenge six Rockford artists who don’t normally work in this genre, to participate in this exhibit. And the result is a wonderful “moving experience” just to see what cool and fascinating works they’ve created.
    “Mobiles have been a part of the contemporary art world for decades since Alexander Calder created ‘moving art’ in the 1930’s inspired by the paintings of artists such as Mondrian and Miro,” says Lynn Fischer, Rockford ceramic artist and professor at Rock Valley College. “It was a little challenging for a clay artist to create mobile art, but I had a great time learning something new and be able to participate in this fun exhibition.”
    Mobiles are traditionally made of light metal that will move freely to make kinetic art. However, this exhibition, with featured works by artists like Lynn Fischer, John Verl McNamara, John Deill, Molly Carter, Jeremy Klonicki and R. Scott Long there are mobiles made not only from light metals like aluminum, but clay, wood, glass, steel, fabric, plastic, mylar, found objects, and even concrete!  
    “Balance: Art of the Mobile,” featuring mobiles by eight accomplished artists in mixed media is now open in the Kortman Gallery, located upstairs at J. R. Kortman Center for Design, 107 North Main Street in Downtown Rockford. The exhibit is free, family friendly and open to the public. Covid safe guidelines followed. The exhibit will run though January of 2021. For more information call 815-968-0123 or visit www.jrkortman.com.

 Rockford artist Valerie Olafson has reached another milestone in her life. In April she turned sixty years old. And as she starts a new decade in her life, Olafson has created an exhibition of her newest photographs in the Kortman Gallery, opening Friday & Saturday, October 9th and 10th

       The exhibition, titled “Old Bag” is the third in a series of photography shows she has exhibited in the Kortman Gallery…the first in 2000 when she turned forty, and the second in 2010 when she turned 50.

"Modern Design: The freedom to mix, to choose, to change." Explore J.R Kortman Center for Design Tuesday-Friday, 11am to 6pm & Saturdays, 11am to 5pm. Now on exhibit upstairs in the Kortman Gallery..."Eye to Eye:Here's Looking at You" featuring the works of Rockford artist, Norm Knott & Door County (Wisc.) artist, David Franke.

To visit our online store click on the link below:

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Hope you're enjoying these warm summer days of July! Stop by soon and check out our J.R. Kortman Summer Sale...Save 50% on items selected from throughout the store! New items added every week.

J.R. Kortman's new online store is now available for you to browse and make purchases of a limited selection items. We are able to provide curbside service, free local home delivery in the immediate Rockford area, or have your online purchases gift wrapped (by request) and ready for you to pickup in our store. We can arrange for shipping anywhere (standard rates apply). Our online store is designed to give you a sampling of some of the things we have available, however, for the best shopping experience, we invite you to explore and enjoy our store & gallery in person...

Tuesday – Friday, 11am-6pm
Saturday, 11-5pm
Enjoy shopping in a safe and comfortable socially distanced environment. We will be complying with all of the City of Rockford’s guidelines for small retail businesses.

Starting Wednesday, May 6th, J.R. Kortman Center for Design will be open for curbside pick-up from 1-5pm Wednesday through Saturday! We know that Mother’s Day,  birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions for gift giving go on!
    Let us be your personal shoppers! Check out J.R. Kortman Center for Design on Facebook or our #jrkortman on Instagram for gift ideas.  Besides our “store hours,” we can also be available anytime by appointment for curbside pickup or local home delivery. You can text 815-540-7187 to request purchases and delivery options…and we can gift wrap!
    Don’t forget you can buy a J.R.Kortman eGift Card on line, by clicking the link below. We are also participating in Rockford Art Deli’s T-shirt promotion “HereForGoodRKFD.” When you purchase a J.R. Kortman designed T-shirt from RAD, we get 40% of the proceeds…which is helpful in theses challenging times. There’s also a ink below where you can order a shirt online.
Hope you all stay safe and well!
Warmest regards,
Doc&Jerry
J.R. Kortman eGift Card link:https://squareup.com/gift/KY1M23Q2N1Q25/order?external_source=postoffice-egift-widget&external_token=aJONaSBq6MAh1nIL
Order T-Shirt here: https://rockfordartdeli.com/products/j-r-kortman-center-for-design

Store telephone: 815-968-0123