On Friday the 5th of February the East End Art Gallery will be hosting a reception for a featured gallery artist. The reception will be from 5:30pm – 7:30pm with light refreshments served.

This type of event will be repeated every first Friday of each month.

During each First Friday Art Exhibit the artist will be available to visit with.  The exhibit will stay up for the rest of the month, until the next reception.

We invite the public to join us, no reservation, or fees and dress casual….just come!

For our 1st… First Friday Art Exhibit we are featuring artist:  Elizabeth Rhoads Read.

Elizabeth is inspired by the environment and nature that surrounds her.

She is drawn toward simple materials to create her visions, including paper, used fabric and abject items.

Elizabeth received a BA degree in 1972 in the areas of art and political science from Cornell College. Since graduating, Elizabeth has pursued many careers including teaching in an alternative high school, being a private investigator, and counseling women on employment issues. She has also devoted many hours to community improvement. During this time, she continued creating art.

Over the years, Elizabeth has experimented and created wonderful works of art in several mediums. As her artwork continued to evolve, her pieces leapt off the watercolor paper and transformed into three-dimensional creations. The environment and nature that surrounds her inspires Elizabeth’s work. She is drawn towards simple materials to create her visions including paper, used fabric, and abject items.

Elizabeth’s work involves varying texture and illusive lights interspersed with minute details, concentrating on the forcefulness of dark areas and the contrast between spaces. These pieces exude recesses, secret hiding places that pull one in for shelter. Her philosophy is to immerse herself in textures and tones to express the intensity of emotions.

She has participated in juried and invitational shows with her large fiber wall hangings and unique fibre rush sculptures. Elizabeth has been involved with public art projects and her work can be found in private and corporate collections. Currently, she is part of the Cedar River Artisans.

Once again, please join East End Art and Elizabeth Rhoads Read for a reception on Friday, February 5th. Light refreshments will be served and her stunning pieces will be on display.

The reception will be held in the Library, next door to the East End Art Gallery, at the First Street Community Center in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

We hope you can join us for this special event!