Artist Reception: April 5, 2024 // 5-8pm
This series of work is an experimentation.
A playful combination of materials, textures and colors.
All inspired by the land surrounding me.
Created with materials I’ve used before.
Created with materials I’ve never used.
Capturing the feeling of being among the garden, watching the seeds turn to plants, turn to flowers, turn to fruit.
Capturing the colors of the first ripe tomato, the grapes on the vine, the flesh of a peach.
Exploring the beauty around me.
Amanda Weygand is a mixed media artist based in Ottawa, Illinois. She is the owner of Open Space Art Gallery and Studios in Ottawa. Weygand primarily works with photography and acrylic or oil paints but also has a strong affinity for sculpture. Recently, she, along with her husband and two sons, relocated just outside of town and established a small homestead where they engage in gardening, beekeeping, and exploring new ways of sustainable living. This newfound connection with the natural world has sparked experimentation in her artistic endeavors, leading her to explore innovative methods of creating inks and pigments using materials from her surroundings, combined with those she has used in her previous work.
Weygand's artistic focus delves into the relationship between humans and the natural world. Influenced by the idea of letting go of materialistic objects and embracing the soul's connection with nature, her work aims to convey the positive feelings that arise when the boundaries between self and nature dissolve, forming a seamless connection with one's surroundings.
Weygand has recently exhibited her work at the NCI Artworks gallery in Peru, IL, the Prairie Arts Center in Princeton, IL, and the Open Space Gallery in Ottawa, IL.
My artwork is created with energy and passion. My inspiration is raw human emotions. I tackle subjects that are part of the human experience. I want you to look at my artwork and feel deeply. Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.
Lorri Lee McCall-Miller was born in Clarion Iowa in April of 1972. The only thing she ever wanted to be was an artist. She moved frequently when growing up. She was raised mostly in the Cedar Falls Iowa area. She attended Cedar Falls High School. She had very supportive art instructors in the Cedar Falls school system. She went on to study at Upper Iowa University in Fayette. There she studied art and management. She got busy raising her family shortly after college, putting her artwork on the back burner for many years. Now that her children are raised she has once again started to paint and show her artwork.
Exhibition: 5.3-5.30.2024
Artist Reception: 5.3.2024, 5-8PM
Giving kids an appreciation for art encourages exploration, self expression, logical thinking, self-esteem, imagination, and creativity. We’ve made up a fun little scavenger hunt for your family to do together at the Art Center! Just stop by the front desk anytime for the scavenger hunt.