Welcome to RutabagA! At right is Kathy Williams with October or light-themed art and most have the color orange for this fall time of year. The “Happy Halloween” sign comes from our 2021 Scarecrow Row entry but the sentiments are just as (if not more) important in 2026.
Below is a photo of Karen Vroman with her art from the September window. Karen does free motion quilting and her pieces are very intricate. Glad to have gotten this photo to feature the work but it’s even better up close!
Member Les Hoste offered to enter a painting of his each month to be drawn at the monthly meeting. Les’s watercolors are beautiful and enjoyed by many. So far he has donated a painting at the September and October meetings, the last was drawn on State Street Market day, October 3. Stop by to enter into the drawing which will be selected at our November 7 meeting.
We are continuing group painting times on the 4th Thursdays of the month from 10:30 to 12:30ish (we are open until 3, so if we are in the midst of a masterpiece we’ll keep working!) but for November and December we’ll do the 3rd Thursday to avoid holidays. It’s great to work in a group, and this writer looks forward to enjoying them! October 22, November 19 and December 17 are the next few dates. Start now to get your work ready for 2027’s Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit!
Our regular hours are Thursday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. On a rare occasion we might not have a member to staff the gallery, but we do our best! If you miss us, please stop back.
Karen Vroman is pictured with quilts she had in the September window. The quilt behind her has cutout images from fabric she dyed herself. The “snowball” quilt at lower right has different quilting on each ball and is a beautiful piece of fabric art that would keep you warm! At left is another quilt with designs done by Karen. You owe it to yourself to look at these beautiful pieces.
Pictured above are some of our members at the August meeting. From left to right they are (1st row) Les Hoste, Sue Elliott, Karen Stewart Casper and Karen Vroman. Back are Kathy Williams, Stan DeDecker, Sharon Michaelsen and Joyce Mattan. We are grateful to our photo taker! Thank you.
Our book bench is now installed at the Geneseo Public Library. Above are Geneseo Art League president Marie Skiles at left and our president Sharon Michaelsen at right. Sharon painted the front of our bench, and did hide some bookworms and butterflies in the painting. See if you can find them! The Art League and Smith Studio also painted benches. They are all different but all well done and we appreciate the library inviting us to participate!
The Geneseo Public Library’s reading gardened opened on July 1. Above a young butterfly fan is pictured in front of one of the butterflies. Fantastic!
RutabagA was honored to be asked to paint butterfly wings for the Geneseo Public Library which are now installed in the garden there. Above are the painters of the wings, from left to right, Karen Stewart Casper, Sue Elliott, Bob Claerhout, Joyce Mattan and Sharon Michaelsen.
Sharon’s granddaughter has some of her yiayia’s artistic talent. Here she works in the gallery on a project.
Pictured are Sue Elliott and Joyce Mattan at ArtWalk 10. Fun day in Geneseo!
Below are some past fun photos from events. :-)
New member Jeanne O’Melia presented two Chinese Brush Painting classes in March. Above is Jeanne (in red hat! :-) ) with the class attendees and their work.
Members, clockwise from top left, Elaine Hofman, Mary Copersmet, Joyce Mattan, Sharon Michaelsen, Lexi Gordon and Les Hoste on a gallery studio day.
Karen Vroman photographing our cyanotype class projects for our FaceBook page. Class was great fun!
Sharon with a pastel of our mascot, Clancy. He has crossed the Rainbow Bridge but is not forgotten. <3
Kathy with October (“read orange and gold”) art in the RutabagA window.
Above is member Les Hoste. He is offering this beautiful fall forest watercolor in a drawing for the month of August. Interested persons may stop by the gallery to enter. Once per person, ages 16 and up. Thank you, Les!!
The Geneseo High School Awards Night was held on May 6. RutabagA provided scholarships to two recipients - the Decnie Jeschke Memorial Award (provided by Pauline Swanson and Jeremy Jeschke in honor of her granddaughter/his wife) was awarded to Hayley Henry and the RutabagA Art Scholarship was provided to Hannah Stone. Hayley and Hannah are pictured above with Sharon Michaelsen of RutabagA who presented the awards. Congratulations to you both! Best of luck in your studies/artistic endeavors!
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE FINE ARTS? Want to share your skills, learn more or help other artists promote their work? RutabagA formed in Geneseo in 2016. We are a non-profit entity that promotes the fine arts and membership is open to the general public, high school age and up, by means of exhibits hosted, participation in Geneseo Chamber of Commerce events, hosting an annual art exhibit and regular gallery activities. We would like new members to join us and welcome meeting you.
We are also a separate for-profit entity which sells work by artists who are juried in by the non-profit members. Artists have the opportunity to display their art, host and exhibit, offer classes and display their work at local businesses. Art sold in the gallery is charged a commission based on the artist’s level of participation. At this time we would like more members who can be active to spread the joy of creating art!
Here's a sampling of the community enrichments our members have been involved in over the years.
Sponsoring a regional judged art competition, the Maple City Fine Arts Exhibit, for 35 years and now starting our own, the Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit, begun in 2023.
Partnering with civic groups to provide low- and no-cost instruction for children.
Leading art projects for life enrichment at area senior care facilities.
Teaching art for local home-schooling families.
Teaching classical fine art techniques.
Bringing nationally-known instructors to teach in Geneseo.
Painting community murals.
Giving time to area causes, such as Dress For Success, Henry County Humane Society, Braveheart Childrens' Advocacy Center, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, and others.
Below is a group photo of members from late 2021. It is a pleasure to work with these artists and call them friends. Salute! We honor founding members Pauline Swanson, Shirley Burnett and Warren Hadley (pictured in middle row and at back) who are missed and were wonderful members!
Blick Art Materials can be found online at: https://www.dickblick.com. We are grateful to Blick for helping support our annual Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit! And we love their materials! ;-)