December 11, 2024. Vol. 32. No. 29. RockRiverTimes.com.
New Downtown Rockford Public Library added to Rockford Landmark Ornament Collection at J.R. Kortman: The beautiful new Rockford Public Library has been selected as this year’s new ornament added to the Rockford Landmark Ornament collection at J.R. Kortman Center for Design at 107 North Main Street. “The new library is such a cultural and architectural asset for our Downtown and riverfront,” says Doc Slafkosky, co-owner of J.R. Kortman. “It is the first time we’ve selected a brand new building to be in the Rockford Landmark Ornament Collection, but the building has become an significant and admired landmark the moment it was completed this past spring.” The Iconic Building (formerly the Rockford News Tower) and the Times Theater are are also part this of unique collection of hand painted ornaments that have been created for J.R. Kortman of local landmarks since 1997. Other recent additions to the Landmark Collection include the Elks Lodge, the Embassy Suites Hotel, Coronado Theatre and the Rockford Armory. All are on Main Street and each are official Registered National Landmarks. Alexander Liberman’s “Symbol” sculpture in Sinnissippi Park along the river is by far the best selling ornament of all other buildings and places that have been made into ornaments since we started commissioning them back in 1997, said Slafkosky. “It really has become Rockford’s definitive landmark!” The Rockford Landmark Ornament Collection also includes the Prairie Street Brewhouse, East and West High Schools, St. Anthony Church, two views of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House, a special edition of Memorial Hall, the Beattie Park Gazebo, the Faust Landmark Building, the “Y” Log Lodge, Burpee Natural History Museum, Anderson Gardens, and the Coronado stage/proscenium. In addition to the Swedish Historical Society’s Erlander Home, other historic houses in the collection include the “Limestone Mansion,” home to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, and the “Cobblestone House,” located at 2127 Broadway, one of Rockford’s oldest houses. All the Landmark ornament images are individually hand-painted on the inside of a glass sphere, utilizing an indigenous art technique unique to China, originally applied to “snuff” bottles and other vessels since the early 1800s. Each collectable ornament is truly a miniature work of art.
W I N D O W
S H O P P I N G: art within a space
Featuring: Stephen Warde Anderson, Lynn Fischer Carlson, Molly Carter, Nick Cashmere, Jesus Correa, John Deill, Michelle Dorr, Drew Eurek, Fatherless, Drew Helge, Brian Hierstein, Lisa Jimenez, Carrie Johnson, Brent Jones, Jeremy Klonicki, Norm Knott, R. Scott Long, Nancie King Mertz, Jeanne Reitsch, Scott Snyder, Brett Whitacre, Dysen White, Kyle Wolfe, and Betsy Youngquist.
Nov. 22, 2024 Jan 11, 2025
107 North Main • Downtown • 815.968.0123 jrkortman com
OPEN: M-F 11-6, Sa 11-5, Su 1-5