‘On the Prairie’ art exhibition opens Wednesday at The Next Picture Show in Dixon
The juried show On the Prairie opens at the Next Picture Show Community Fine Arts Center in downtown Dixon on Wednesday and runs through November 14. Inspired by the region’s grasslands, the exhibition gathers Midwestern artists who interpret prairie landscapes, skies, wildflowers and wildlife in a range of media.
Visitors will encounter paintings, drawings, photographs, mixed‑media pieces and sculptures, many created outdoors as well as in the studio. The works range from sweeping vistas to intimate details, offering multiple perspectives on one of the Midwest’s most distinctive environments.
The gallery at 113 W. First St. welcomes the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, with free admission. Sauk Valley Bank sponsors the show, helping to sustain juried exhibitions that highlight regional talent.
A free opening reception is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests can meet the artists, enjoy live flute music by Carlyn Lloyd, and hear the juried awards announced around 7 p.m.
The exhibition was curated by juror Carolyn McKee‑Freese, an award‑winning artist and former art educator whose work has appeared in venues such as the New York State Museum and the Chicago Field Museum, and whose illustrations have been featured in Nature and Smithsonian’s Natural History magazine.