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Monmouth College students, faculty and staff get free membership at Figge Art Museum, where seven students to have art displayed

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, IL (05/03/2018) — Seven Monmouth College students will have their works on display at the Figge Museum of Art in Davenport, Iowa, and it won't cost members of the College community a dime in admission to see all the museum has to offer.

Monmouth Dean of Faculty David Timmerman worked with the College's Art Department to arrange an institutional membership for faculty, staff and students. The membership provides free admission all year long to the museum, and the only requirement is having a valid Monmouth College ID.

"This helps facilitate class visits to the museum, as well as encouraging everyone at the College to enjoy this amazing museum," said Timmerman. "Monmouth is fortunate to have a great working relationship with its wonderful local art center, the Buchanan Center for the Arts, and this membership with the Figge Art Museum will expand the resources made available to our students, faculty and staff."

The Figge Membership also includes:

• opportunities for students to speak with artists during visits at exhibition openings;
• opportunities for classes to view permanent collections that are not on display;
• free private guided tours;
• discounts on classes, workshops and special events;
• a 10 percent discount in the museum store;
• and a 10 percent discount in the Figge Café.

The museum's 10th annual College Invitational exhibit will open May 3 with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Awards will be announced at 6:30 p.m. It will be on display through Aug. 12.

Students to be included in this exhibition hail from eight area colleges and universities, including Monmouth, as well as Augustana College, Black Hawk College, Clinton Community College, Knox College, Scott Community College, St. Ambrose University and Western Illinois University.

Monmouth artists with works on display include 2017 graduates Nicholas Callaway and Taylor Jones, seniors Tessa Barry of Monmouth, Ashley Carnes of Gladstone, Ill., Lily Guillen of Round Lake, Ill., and Mickayla Valenzuela of Chicago, and sophomore Amy Vellenga-Buban of Monmouth.

"It is an amazing experience for student artists to have their work shown in a museum," said Monmouth art professor Brian Baugh. "They get a chance to see how their work looks among the works of seven other colleges. In the past, our students have won numerous awards, with Best of Show going to sophomore Robin Weiss last year."

Thanks to a generous scholarship from Barbara Leidenfrost in loving memory of her husband, Oscar, the Figge will award cash prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges composed of local artists.

The College Invitational exhibition is one of many Figge events scheduled for this summer. To see more, go to figgeartmuseum.org/Exhibitions/Upcoming.aspx.

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