Press Room --

A Closer Look at Two Artists: Julius Moessel & Mary Agnes Yerkes

LOCKPORT, IL— Join us at the Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery on Sunday, February 9 for a lively discussion about two historic Illinois artists in the current exhibition sketches, journals, preparations. . . Everything in Place.  Assistant Curator Doug Stapleton (ISM Chicago Gallery) will present the work of Julius Moessel and exhibition curator Jennifer Jaskowiak (ISM Lockport Gallery) will speak about Oak Park native Mary Agnes Yerkes.  This event begins at 2:00 pm and will last approximately one hour.  Admission to the museum and the event is free.  Reservations are not required, though seating is limited. 

The work of German-born artist Julius Moessel reflects that of an observer of the natural world, a visionary artist, and a biting satirist.  He arrived in Chicago in the late 1920s after nearly 30 years as a painter of interior architectural decoration.  Moessel achieved success in Chicago as a muralist, illustrator and painter, most notably for his murals for the Hall of Plants at the Field Museum of Chicago.  Oak Park native Mary Agnes Yerkes is most noted for her light filled paintings of the national parks and coastline of the American West.  In 1918, she married a Navel officer, Archibald Offley, taking her away from the Midwest on an artistic adventure lasting over 40 years.  Yerkes’ paintings are a legacy of the plein-air California Impressionists.

Everything in Place focuses on the preparatory materials kept “at hand” that both inspire and document the creative process.   Rarely seen outside of the studio or field, these preparations record all stages of the creative process, from the spark of an idea through the proposal of a final project.  Likewise, they offer a glimpse of what is happening in the personal life of the maker, their insights and responses to the world around them.  The exhibition includes the work of 29 artists.  Also included are archaeological sketch maps from the late 19^th century and the mid-20^th century, plus species identification drawings.  The exhibition continues through April 13, 2014.  Addition events are scheduled in March and April.

The Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery is located on the first floor of the historic Norton Building at 201 West 10^th Street in Lockport, Illinois, and is fully accessible to all physically challenged individuals.  Museum hours are noon to 5:00 pm on Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.  Museum is closed Saturdays and State Holidays.  Admission is free.  For information on exhibitions and related programs, becoming a member of the Friends of the Lockport Gallery, directions, or to schedule a group tour of ten or more, please visit the museum online at https://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/lockport/ or call  (815) 838-7400.  The Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery is part of the Illinois State Museum system, including sites in Springfield, Rend Lake, Chicago, and Lewistown.