Begalka: Count chickens hatched with creativity

Harvard business owners Sue and Bruce Dietz have decorated their eggs in an unconventional, post-Easter fashion.

The 5-year-old Harvard Eggs, Feed and Produce,172905 McGuire Road, now boasts a series of five acrylic murals showing horses, pigs, chickens, cows and sheep.
“The wool looks like you could sink your fingers right into it,” Sue Dietz said. “The murals give our feed store a warm, welcoming feel.”

The Dietz duo stumbled on the work of artist Jessie Caswell after stopping at a Stockton restaurant. They thought it would be just the thing to jazz up their business.
“Jessie is so talented. We would ask her to add a certain feature and a few brush strokes later, there it would be,” Sue Dietz said.

An open house is planned 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16 at the store. Caswell will be on hand to greet the public and talk about her work. For information, call 815-943-4837.

Graham and Coffey

Two visual artists from the area are exhibiting their work through June 24 at the Raue Center for the Performing Arts, 26 N. Williams St. It is the fourth and final visual art show of the season.

Photographer Scott Graham of Woodstock has assembled an exhibit of black and white and color photography. Nature, landscapes and architectural detail are the focus of his work, captured using digital and 35-milimeter cameras. Gregg Coffey of Chicago offers a selection of his multiple plate colored prints, monotypes, cine colle and edicion variete etchings.

The Raue Center for the Performing Arts welcomes submissions from established and emerging artists for its 2009/2010 gallery season. The theater has two exhibition galleries providing a venue for artists to share their original fine art with the public. These exhibits are a wonderful opportunity for the artists as well as for the theater, its patrons and the community. For a prospectus or for more information, call general manager Kate Wilford at 815-356-9010.

Art fair awarded

The Old Town Art Fair recently was ranked the top fine arts and craft show in Chicago and among the top 10 such shows in the country by The Harris List, which annually rates the top 125 best fine art and craft shows in the United States based on artist surveys and objective measurements. For information, call 312-337-1938 or visit www.oldtownartfair.com.

Volo Bog art

Those wishing to participate in the Volo Bog State Natural Area’s Summer Bog Art Show July 3 through Aug. 7 can begin registering Wednesday.

Artists ages 12 to adult may contribute one item to the show – provided it is representative of or inspired by bogs or wetlands. Acceptable media include sculpture, photography, paintings, drawings, mixed media, textiles, carving, glass mosaic and poetry.

The show runs July 3 through Aug. 7 at Volo Bog – off Route 12, between Routes 120 and 134, in Ingleside.

For information, call naturalist Stacy Iwanicki at 815-344-1294 or visit www.friendsofvolobog.org.

• Kurt Begalka may be reached at 815-526-4432 or at kbegalka@nwherald.com.