Beloit Art Center announces January Gallery

        Beloit Art Center is pleased to announce the January exhibits which will open with a First Friday Gallery Reception on January 3rd from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. A gallery talk featuring the artists will be held at 6:00 p.m. Exhibits will be open through January 30th. Both the winner and the People’s Choice award for the 2025 mural project will also be announced at the First Friday reception.

      In the Sveum Gallery, we welcome artists Alice Blue and Connie Fry. Alice Blue’s paintings often show her love of water and its movements; its many moods and reflections. She paints plein air when the weather permits as well as in her studio. Many of her paintings reflect a connection to the destinations she
has traveled to around the world. Her preferred mediums are acrylic and oil using a palette knife and/or brushes. As an artist, Connie Fry is inspired by the natural beauty in the world around her. She enjoys painting landscapes but animals are her passion. Her favorite mediums are acrylic, oil and pastel. When painting she strives to capture the emotions and spiritual connection to the subject. Her landscapes bring a sense of peace to the viewer. Thank you to Christofferson Moving and Storage for sponsoring the Sveum Gallery artists.

      In the Bell Gallery, we welcome Leslie Crowhurst. A graduate of Northern Illinois Fine Art Department, Crowhurst’s artwork features the magnificent shapes and splendid colors of glorious flowers. “My camera has captured endless photographs of flowers where some manifest from the camera to canvas. Beautiful floral colors spill onto my palette with great anticipation.” Thank you to Christofferson Moving and Storage for sponsoring the Bell Gallery artist.

      Looking for more art in the community? Be sure to stop by the Beloit Public Library to view art by Joanne Kutter and Bagels and More to view art by Danny Burks. Both displays will be available through the
end of March. The last chance to view art by Billy Bishop in the Beloit Art Center Members Gallery is January 7th and new artists will be featured starting in February.

       Coffee 101: Seed to Cup Course is the perfect way to stay warm on a snowy January morning.  Discover the world of coffee presented for FREE by Snowdrift Coffee Roasters, located in Roscoe, Illinois.  Learn about coffee’s journey from farm to cup, including growing, roasting, and brewing techniques. Experience a slideshow, taste freshly roasted brewed coffee, and get answers to your questions during the open Q and A. This class will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 18th.

     Beyond Paint and Sip is the perfect class for those looking to expand their acrylic painting skills beyond basic paint-and-sip classes. Learn key techniques like proportion, perspective, shading, and more to create unique meaningful artwork. Students will need to supply their own brushes, palette paper, paint, and
towels or paper towels. This four week class will be held Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. from January 21st through February 25th. The cost to participate is $125.

      Call for Photographers: The 14th Annual Juried Photography Exhibition will be held March 7th through the 27th. Submit your best photographs in any style or subject matter. There are no theme restrictions. Submissions are due by 2:00 p.m. on January 26th and the entry fee is $35 for BAC members
and $40 for non-members.

     The Beloit Art Center Photography Club meets the 4th Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. to discuss photography topics and techniques. The annual cost to participate is $85 or $10 to drop in.

      Beloit Art Center was recently awarded an Ecolab Foundation Grant in the amount of $1800. Funding from the grant will be used for Summer Art Education for Young People in 2025. Beloit Art Center is grateful for Ecolab’s support of the arts. Beloit Art Center is located at 520 E. Grand Ave. in downtown Beloit. The gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery and gift shop hours are Monday 10 am – 2 pm, Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm and Saturday 10 am – 2 pm.