FEATURED ARTIST DISPLAY
January 15 - March 15, 2023
Featured Artist: Ariana R. Cherry Featured Artist Display - Cross County Mall Mattoon, IL 
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Graham Highland
Featured Artist November 15, 2022 and January 15, 2023
May 15-July 15, 2022
Jamie Willis
MARK BEASON (pictured with his wife, Karen)
I began my art practice 10 years ago. I was off work with an injury and I needed a hobby to fill my time. I’ve always wanted to learn how to paint, at the first stroke of the brush I was hooked.To me painting is so relaxing, a time to forget about problems and worries and get lost in the art. I work with the acrylics on canvas and recently started to work with oils. Most of the work was inspired by sci-fi movies. I love quotes and simple truths. The beauty of painting on canvas is that one day you may feel like expressing your feelings and then another day you may want to create for fun. I hope my work inspires people. You’re never too old or too young to try something new. Contact and Purchasing Information:
mebeason27@yahoo.com
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FEATURED ARTISTS OF THE PAST
Mattoon Arts Council, West and Co. and the former Common Grounds
sponsored area artists' work for over 10 years to be on exhibit every two months.
sponsored area artists' work for over 10 years to be on exhibit every two months.
Mattoon Middle School-October & November 2018
Artsy Chic Studio & Boutique will be our new host for the MAC Arts Display
More details coming soon!
Prairie Stitchers "Seaglass" display May, June & July 2018
Ethridge photographs on display during August-September
Photographs by Joe Ethridge of Charleston are on display at Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Ave., during August and September.
A reception to meet the artist was planned at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. The show features photos of various personal projects, interests and travels, and “whatever caught by eye,” Ethridge said. Ethridge worked as a truck driver for 25 years and as a photographer for 23 years, the last 12 in a professional capacity. “Sometimes photography is three parts journey and three parts communication,” Ethridge said. “The journey consists of light, space and time. The communication process involves the subject, the photographer and the viewer. Time and space (location) always have a hand in making a photograph, and without light there is no photograph. “Whenever I can be at the right place at the right time with an interesting subject and light, with luck, I can create an interesting image,” he said. “And if it interests me, perhaps it will interest others, thus completing the communication trilogy. In any case I mostly enjoy the journey, which never ends.” Ethridge previously taught digital photography classes at Lake Land College and works as a professional photographer, digital photography workshop instructor and one-on-one photography tutor. Ethridge says he is enjoying part-time retirement with his wife, Karen. |
Lincoln Log Cabin
Through the Rainbow
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June-July 2017
Modern quilts crafted by Jamie Willis of Mattoon were on display at Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Ave., during June and July. The show featured several quilts based on personal images of the artist. Some include surface design and hand-dyed fabrics. All were original designs and patterns. Willis is a retired art teacher from the Mattoon school district, teaching in public and private schools for more than 29 years. She and her husband, Roger, have three children.
April-May 2017
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Artwork by students from the Lake Land College Art Club will be on display at Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Ave., during April and May.
This exhibit features a number of original works that showcase the individual talents and interests of our members in a variety of media. Included in the exhibit are explorations of printmaking, painting, drawing, photography and mixed media. This collection of works displays the creativity of Lake Land's young, driven artists, both in and out of the classroom environment. The artists are the students of teacher Ben Cohan. The exhibit is sponsored by Common Grounds, the Mattoon Arts Council, and West and Co. 
These are just a few of the artworks created by students in the Lake Land College Art Club. The work will be on display through May.
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February-March 2017
Williams Elementary artists pose at the reception in their honor with teacher Joyce Jackson.
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Artwork by students from Riddle and Williams elementary schools was on display at Common Grounds during February and March. The show will include a variety of media and subjects, including landscape drawings with pastels, crayon and watercolor; collage compositions; colored pencil drawings; and two-dimensional grid drawings. Fifth-grade students from Riddle school created projects depicting a variety of animals, superheroes and pop culture stars. The artists are the students of teachers Joyce Jackson and Rob Niemerg. 
Riddle Elementary artists pose at the reception in their honor with teacher Rob Niemerg.
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December 2016 - January 2017
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Artwork by Kim Hanley of Mattoon was on display during December and January. Hanley is an artist and a member of The Vault Arts Collective in Tuscola. “My painting style tends toward abstraction with some representational and recognizable elements as well. I paint from life and immerse myself in the relationships between line and color, real and unreal, control and uncontrolled.”
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October-November 2016
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Artwork by painter Clyde W. Sims Jr. of Charleston was on display at Common Grounds during October and November. Sims said his paintings are derived from three main sources: the natural world, music and literature. “The primary source for the majority of my works is nature in its myriad forms; enticing landscapes, atmospheric conditions and seascapes all provide a starting point for my works,” he said. Sims has been drawing since he was very young, inspired by his father, who was an aspiring cartoonist. He continues to paint and draw, working in oil, acrylic and watercolor. He earned a bachelor’s of education degree in art and a master’s degree in art, both from Eastern Illinois University, and works as an advertising layout artist and salesman.
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August-September 2016
Artwork by painter Stacey Zerrusen of Teutopolis was on display at Common Grounds during August and September. Zerrusen primarily works with pets of close family and friends, but says she’s always looking for new and interesting subject matter. “My work is a constant experiment with color and light and how animals, landscapes or objects can be brought to life with unrealistic hues.” Zerrusen is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University who has been painting since she was a child. She has been exhibiting her work ever since she took private lessons at age 10. She primarily paints on wood using acrylics with a wet-on- wet technique, but enjoys drawing, as well.
June-July 2016
Artwork by the late Marie Moore was on display during June and July. Moore of Mattoon, who died in 2015, said she had more ideas for paintings than she could get done in her lifetime, and she tried to keep a list for future projects. She was still painting right up until her death at the age of 86. She painted mostly landscapes or flowers, and water was a recurring theme in her work. She painted scenes she had seen and photographed from around Lake Mattoon, local gardens and from her extensive travels. She loved the outdoors and wanted to preserve it for people to enjoy. She did her own framing and cut her own mats.
April-May 2016
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Artwork by students from Lake Land College’s Art Club was on display at Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Ave., during April and May. These works showcase the individual talents and interests of club members in a variety of media. Included in the exhibit are explorations of printmaking, painting, drawing, photography and mixed media.
A reception to honor the artists was held Friday, May 6. |
February-March 2016
Artwork by students from Riddle and Williams elementary schools was on display during February and March. From Riddle school, 12 works of art were chosen for the display from students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Teacher Rob Niemerg said the two-dimensional works are of a wide variety of subject matter with the full range of medium, including watercolor, crayons, tempera paint, colored pencils, Aboriginal dot art and more.
Williams school art teacher Joyce Jackson said her exhibit will include drawings of winter and fall landscapes by second- and third-grade students. Artwork by fourth-graders includes a dot painting inspired by art from Australia, a colorful crustacean design and radial designs inspired by stained-glass rose windows. Fifth-graders’ work includes perspective drawings of buildings and portraits inspired by the artist Picasso.
The exhibit is sponsored by Common Grounds, the Mattoon Arts Council, and West and Co.
Williams school art teacher Joyce Jackson said her exhibit will include drawings of winter and fall landscapes by second- and third-grade students. Artwork by fourth-graders includes a dot painting inspired by art from Australia, a colorful crustacean design and radial designs inspired by stained-glass rose windows. Fifth-graders’ work includes perspective drawings of buildings and portraits inspired by the artist Picasso.
The exhibit is sponsored by Common Grounds, the Mattoon Arts Council, and West and Co.
December 2015-January 2016
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Artwork by Gena Bunch-Epperson was on display at Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Ave., during December and January. An opening reception was held Dec. 16. The exhibit included several types of media, including graphite portraiture, watercolor paintings, photos, artisan jewelry, digital art, multi-media and artist trading cards.
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October-November 2015
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Artwork by Mattoon Middle School students was on display during October and November. The students featured in the exhibit participated in after-school drawing workshops in the spring, sponsored by the arts council. The students created their own manga/anime drawings under the direction of EIU art student John Ward. Several examples of their drawings were part of the display.
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August-September 2015
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Artwork by Marcia Boroughs of Charleston was on display at Common Grounds during August and September.
"Choosing a subject for painting may be simply that a light, shape, color, or a combination of these caught my attention and cried, 'Paint me!'" Boroughs said. "Many of my paintings are of favorite places we have visited on our summer trips, mostly the American west. Also, I love painting the faces of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren." Boroughs and her husband, Lowell, moved to the Charleston area in 1990 to be near family. She is a member of the art guilds in Mattoon, Paris, Effingham, Sullivan and Palestine, and is a member of the Coles County Arts Council. Other interests include spinning, weaving, knitting and natural dyeing. 
Winter Bird, watercolor
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June-July 2015
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Artwork by Jacqui Worden of Charleston was on display during June and July. Worden has worked as a naturalist, illustrator, art instructor and reference librarian. Since 1988 she has owned her own business, Earthstar Creations. She makes and sells porcelain and stoneware jewelry, sculpture and functional ware at art fairs and galleries.
Worden has completed many workshops, conference and courses in various types of media; however, she says clay is her preferred medium. "I can draw, paint, print, create textures on it and make functional ware, jewelry or sculpture," she said. "Making things makes me happy, so I am constantly exploring other media and trying new processes. I like sharing what I see and what I am learning." A Danville native, Worden has lived in Charleston for 30 years. She is active with the Coles County Arts Council and enjoys traveling, pets and writing, among many other hobbies. 
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"Early Spring! En route to Eagle Nest, Fox Ridge State Park"
"The Traveling Heart"
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