PJ Young focus of FMAAA exhibit

FORT MADISON - The Fort Madison Area Arts Association will be examining the Many Faces of PJ Hogan. 
The November exhibit is an examination of artistic interpretation and is a new type of exhibition on display for the month of November at the FMAAA Art Center. Eleven artists in this group exhibition have all created artwork in a variety of media about a single subject, long-time FMAAA member, PJ Hogan.
Everyone is invited to attend the Opening Reception of this exhibition on Friday from 5-7pm. The FMAAA is grateful to PJ Hogan for his support of local artists and sponsorship of this show.

Hogan has been very involved at the FMAAA Art Center since 2009 as a volunteer and later as an assistant to former Director, Brian Riggs. During that time, he watched many member artists develop their artistic skills and settle into their own style. It sparked an idea to support local artists by showcasing them in some way.

The idea of using himself as the subject of this exercise became a practical matter. Hogan has eleven nieces and nephews. He decided to approach at least eleven artists to commission portraits of himself that he could in turn give to those family members. Some of the artists regularly produce portraiture, others usually focus on other subject matter in their work. The resulting exhibition for November is a mix of creativity and interpretation by each artist of the same subject.
In addition to the wide variety of portraiture, many of the artists will also be displaying pieces of their typical genre. The exhibition will be on display in the Main Gallery Friday through Nov. 28. 

November's Lunch ala Art Gallery talk at the FMAAA Art Center will be held on Friday, November 21 at noon. This final lunch talk for 2025 will host a variety of artists from the show to discuss their work. Reservations for lunch are required and can be made by contacting the FMAAA Art Center at 319-372-3996, or by pre-registering online at fortmadisonart.com. The deadline for lunch reservations is Wednesday, Nov 19 at noon. You are not required to pay for a meal to attend the artist talk and are welcome to bring your own lunch. Alternatively, the lunch usually wraps up around 12:30 pm. Those interested in just attending the artist talk are welcome.

Dawn Ebbing’s sculptural figures have been gracing the Art Center of Burlington’s mini gallery in the Crossed Paths exhibition and are traveling to the Pop-up Gallery at the FMAAA Art Center for the first half of November. Ebbing’s cast of characters suspended by lines or hovering over reflective surfaces interact with their space, each suggestive of movement, with stories all their own to tell. The work is an interesting installation, with cast shadows or reflections that enhances the overall imagery underlining the visual story these pieces whisper to us. Dawn Ebbing makes rough human forms, “because I’ve always been drawn to the way people are both beautiful and imperfect. No two of us look alike, and no two of my sculptures ever turn out the same. Each one takes on its own personality as it comes together, sometimes awkward, sometimes graceful, but always unique.” 

Ebbing reports that her impulse to create these sculptural figures, “Started when I sat in on a figure drawing class. I tried making my own clay version of the model and that opened the door for me.” The artist began incorporating figures on hanging in various poses using wire in ways that suggested they were engaging in movement. They bend and lean, hanging in ways that reminded Ebbing, “how life pushes and pulls us along different paths.”

Ebbing works mostly with ceramic and wire. She strips away things like hair, clothing, or other details so the figures feel more universal allowing the viewer to explore their own story playing out in the in the actions of these sculptures. Ebbing’s exhibition will be on display in the Pop-up Gallery Saturday, November 1 through Tuesday, November 18.

The second annual Member MINIs exhibition is set to open on Saturday, November 22 and will extend through the end of December. FMAAA Member artists will be displaying artwork sized at approximately eight inches just in time for end of the year gift giving. Drop in to check out the many unique items available including books by local authors, fiber art, glass, and many creative or traditional forms of fine art.
Please note: the November Opening Reception in the Main Gallery at the FMAAA Art Center has been shifted from the normal first Thursday of the month to the next day on Friday, November 7 from 5 to 7pm to take advantage of the expected BNSF Bridge reopening.