Exhibition of Fox River paintings opens Feb. 2 at the Geneva History Museum
Original oil paintings showing the beauty and many moods of the Fox River by local plein air artist Joel Sheesley as part of "A Fox River Testimony" will be exhibited at the Geneva History Museum beginning Saturday, Feb. 2, through Friday, May 24, during the museum's regular hours.
A selection of about 20 paintings created by The Conservation Foundation's artist-in-residence Joel Sheesley will be exhibited from a total of 72 paintings commissioned for Art of the Fox as part of its Fox River Initiative. The program aims to connect residents with the river and engage them to become environmentally conscious through local projects.
Sheesley originally planned to produce 50 to 60 paintings, but after spending nearly two years along an 80-mile stretch that took him from Dundee down to Ottawa, the collection grew to 72. He admitted he couldn't see a place to stop, and that number "has a kind of indeterminate feel - as if in midstream."
The project took Sheesley along the banks, hiking on trails, and even canoeing to some locations, all with his French easel and paint box across his back. He even camped overnight to capture the light from the sunset and sunrise on the river's surface.
The works selected for the exhibit show the changing character of the Fox River down into LaSalle County, where the sandstone cliffs offer a unique beauty showcasing the river's geological past, in contrast to those reflecting the numerous urban areas along its path.
The exhibit will be available during regular museum hours Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a museum charge of $3 per person to view the exhibition, which also provides access to the museum's other local exhibits. Admission is free to The Conservation Foundation members.
Sheesley, an Emeritus Professor of Art at Wheaton College, chronicled his field experiences along with photos of the paintings in a 160-page coffee table book titled "A Fox River Testimony," which will be available for purchase at the exhibit for $55.69 with tax.
The Conservation Foundation partnered with the Geneva History Museum for the exhibition, which is also sponsored by the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission and Geneva Foundation for the Arts.
The original oils and high-quality prints are available for purchase online by visiting artofthefox.org.
The Conservation Foundation is one of the region's oldest and largest not-for-profit land and watershed conservation organizations, with more than 4,000 members. Founded in 1972, TCF has helped preserve more than 35,000 acres of open space, restored and cleaned miles of rivers and streams, and educated thousands of kids by engaging them in nature and the outdoors.
TCF's mission is to improve the health of communities by preserving and restoring natural areas and open space, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of the environment.
Work is focused in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties to preserve and restore nature in your neighborhood. Find out more at theconservationfoundation.org.