A rare summer exhibition at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, features works by Galesburg artist and photographer Rich Ankeney. Titled "Improvisations in Light," the show runs through July 31 in the Len G Everett Gallery at Hewes Library, with a reception on June 5 during the college's Golden Scots Celebration. Ankeney, who has over fifty years of experience in photography, draws inspiration from jazz music and artists such as the Fauves and Kandinsky, using color and abstraction to create rhythmic energy.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the ongoing contribution of a regional artist and educator who taught at Carl Sandburg College for more than 25 years. It also underscores the role of small liberal arts colleges like Monmouth College in sustaining local art scenes and providing public access to visual art outside major metropolitan centers.