Rochester Art Center

Rochester Art Center presents "Forms of Care: The Art of Representing the Body." This exhibition grapples with this timely debate around the ethics of representation within the artistic fields that pride themselves on depicting the human body closely and with attention: medical illustration, figurative drawing, and portraiture, and how these fields have struggled to be inclusive and ethically center diverse perspectives. By bringing together fifteen artists that work regionally, nationally and internationally in these fields, "Forms of Care: The Art of Representing the Body," proposes contemporary pathways for “careful” representation. Co-Curated by: Zoe Cinel @zcinel & LaVanda Mireles Featured artists: Leslie Barlow, Marra Evans, Sarah Faris, Jessalyn Finch, Ni-Ka Ford, Life Drawing for the End of the World, Lucia Garces, May Ling Kopecky, Marianne Petit, Steven Premo, Jenny Schmid, Christopher Selleck, Dan Thompson, Megan Vossler, Jess Kiel-Wornson @lesliebarlowartist @marraevansart @bioartgirl @jessalynfinch @enlight_visuals @lifedrawing_endoftheworld @luchagarces @mayling.k @mariannerpetit missjenski @christopher.selleck @vosslerm @jkwornson @danthompsonart Exhibition on view: Saturday, May 16, 2026 - January 31, 2027 Artist Spotlight Tour with Megan Vossler: Sunday, June 14 Figurative drawing workshop: led by Megan Vossler (in the Gallery): June 28, 10 AM - 12 PM. Registration on our website. Reception: Saturday, August 22, 1:00 - 3:00 PM | Free Artist Spotlight Tour with Marra Evans: Sunday, June 23 Learn more at Illustration by Lucia Garces @luchagarces A sepia brown colored hand extends its index finger, creating a finger print on a cream colored background. As the finger and knuckles meet the top of the hand, the skin fades and internal structures are present, in a traditional medical illustration style. At the top, Forms of Care is in a bold font with the dates, May 16, 2026 - January 31, 2027 centered beneath.

Amy Cannestra: Liminal Dwelling at Rochester Art Center Opens May 23, 2026 Rochester Art Center presents a solo exhibition of Milwaukee-based artist Amy Cannestra. In this exhibition, Cannestra examines how domestic spaces—traditionally understood as sites of comfort and refuge—can quietly transform into environments shaped by self-loathing, comparison, and depression. Through gestural pastel drawings, hanging and mixed media sculptures, and video works, the exhibition traces a shift in perception: what begins as a sanctuary becomes a crucible of diminishing thoughts and emotional unrest. Beds turn cold and unyielding, and bathrooms become stages of scrutiny—sites where the body is both observed and negotiated. Continue reading at artdosemagazine.com/posts Image: Punching Bag 03 by Amy Cannestra @amy_cannes @rochartcenter

This weekend is your last chance to view "Ageless Art," an annual exhibition that showcases the creativity of RPS students. Artwork on view represents students ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade and includes various mediums including painting, digital arts, clay arts and photography. . Plan you visit this weekend, Friday - Sunday, 11am - 4pm. Student artists and their families have free admission! . Lean more: /exhibition/ageless-art

Closing soon! "Face in Clouds, invisible ink" is a solo exhibition by Ryan Woodring curated by Zoe Cinel @zcinel and will be on view through May 10, 2026. Gallery hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11am - 4pm. Ryan Woodring @r_woodring "spot healing" 2024. Single channel video. 9 minutes. A short film posing as a software tutorial from the “Image E.R.” YouTube channel in which the host undergoes a series of intense physical and emotional transformations while demonstrating how to “heal” sick images using increasingly experimental methods ranging from miming to machine learning. This metadrama plays with the intricacies of illness, diagnosis, and labor in post-AI visual culture. Alt id: An HD (16x9) video still depicting three men in just about the same standing side-pose in a well-lit apartment. 2 of the characters are 3D-modeled construction workers identifiable by hard-hats and tool belts while the third is a white male in his thirties who tries imitating their posture.

Soft Sculpting: 3D Modeling Well-being Workshop May 9th from 10 am to noon at Rochester Art Center Join us for a 3D modeling workshop led by exhibiting artist Ryan Woodring (@r_woodring ) and co-facilitated by Jacob Smithburg (@jacobmichaeljacobs ). Woodring’s art and teaching explores 3D modeling as a tool for creating and grappling with soft (qualitative) data for lived experience. In Today and Possibly Tomorrow, on view at RAC, Woodring 3D modeled and printed the contours of an invisible illness throughout the course of a year. In this beginner-level workshop, participants will learn both re-mesh and sculpting workflows in Blender, a dynamic free software used in art, entertainment and other industries. This 2 hour workshop examines both technical and conceptual underpinnings of software as means for visualizing soft data on health and well-being. Participants are expected to bring their own computer with a recent version of Blender installed (please reach out for assistance if needed) and mouse. The Art Center will provide tables, seating, extension cords, outlets and wifi. The workshop is offered in a hybrid format: local participants will meet in the Art Center’s classroom (third floor). Participants will receive screen-recorded tutorials following the workshop’s conclusion. This workshop is part of the programming for Face in Clouds, invisible ink is a solo exhibition by Ryan Woodring curated by Zoe Cinel and will be on view from September 13, 2025 through May 10th 2026. Gallery hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11am - 4pm.

Our final meeting of the school year is upon us! This SUNDAY MAY 3 we'll be joining fiber artist @lydiahansen.art and helping install fiber fungi along the trail system of Eagle Bluff Park at 1PM!!!!! Be sure to MEET THERE at the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center and we'll begin our crocheted install session together!

Introducing SPARK! A new program at Rochester Art Center for people experiencing early to mid-stage memory loss and their care partners. . Through guided gallery experiences and hands-on artmaking, SPARK! offers a welcoming space for creativity, connection, and shared discovery. This free monthly program celebrates the joy, abilities, and perspectives of people living with memory loss. . Join us for meaningful art experiences designed to support well-being and community. . - Select Thursdays | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM - Free | Registration Required | Space is Limited . /items/spark!

Thank you to all the students, families, and art teachers who joined us for the "Ageless Art" Open House on Sunday! It was a joy to celebrate the creativity, imagination, and hard work of Rochester Public Schools students with our community. . A special thank you to the dedicated art teachers whose support and commitment make this exhibition possible. We are so grateful for all you do to nurture young artists. . Missed the Open House? There is still time to experience "Ageless Art," on view through May 11. Student artists and their families receive free admission to visit the exhibition. Rochester Art Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 AM - 4 PM. . /exhibition/ageless-art

Valerie DeCora Guimaraes, founder of the Greater Rochester Area Dakota Supporters (GRADS) and a member of the Heritage Preservation Committee, and the Rochester Art Center presents Spirit Tree, a group exhibition that celebrates the many ways trees support life on this planet and their longstanding witness to human history. Trees are sacred to Indigenous communities and also are fundamental to connecting all humans with nature. They are a connector with the land and they bring communities together. The exhibition features three contemporary artists with diverse backgrounds whose work uses primarily natural materials and directly addresses our connection to nature. Their work fosters deep reflections around the role of nature and art in sustaining life. Co-Curators: Valerie DeCora Guimaraes and Zoe Cinel (@zcinel ) Featured Artists: Chanelle Gallagher (@waabigan_clay ), Lela Pierce (@lela.pierce ), Stephanie Lindquist (@stephlindquist ) Spirit Tree opens at the Rochester Art Center on April 29, 2026 and runs to November 15, 2026 in the Main Gallery West. Open hours: Wednesday-Sunday 11am-4pm. Learn more at PC: Image courtesy of the Curator Image Description: Large, towering tree with bright green and dark green leaves with a thick trunk that disperses into three large sections. Soft, white fluffy clouds scattered throughout a bright blue sky overhead. The large tree is in a green grass yard in front of a house on the corner of a residential intersection.

Looking for a creative way to spend your Friday or Saturday? Drop in to The Creative Studio at Rochester Art Center, a welcoming, hands-on space where all ages can make art inspired by the exhibitions on view. . Explore self-guided art activities, experiment with provided materials, and create something uniquely your own. No experience needed, just bring your curiosity. A Creative Studio Assistant is always nearby to help you get started. . Perfect for families, friends, or solo visitors. Come get inspired, get a little messy, and discover the joy of making. . Fridays & Saturdays 11:00 AM - 3:30 PM /items/the-creative-studio

This month's Free Family Day will be an EARTH DAY EXTRAVAGANZA! Join us April 26th from 11AM - 4PM for an absolute Earth-shattering amount of activities to ground yourself in! 🌏 🌼 11AM: Seed Mosaic Art w/ Kelly Kirkpatrick ALL DAY! 👕 11AM: Clothing Patch Design & Sewing w/ Lydia Hansen ALL DAY! 🌱 11AM: Market items (sage kits, sweetgrass, leather, etc.) sold by Valerie DeCora Guimaraes, the co-curator of Spirit Trees, ALL DAY! 🍃 11:30AM: Art Activities in the Grand Lobby w/ Rochester Public Library! 🍎 12PM: Rochester Public Schools Student Art Showcase Open House! 🍀 12PM: Jade in D Minor, music generated by plants w/ Eric Anderson ALL DAY! 🎨 1PM: Introductory Tours of the Art Center! STRETCH them STEMS over here at the Rochester Art Center this Sunday April 26th as there's plenty to see, hear, and participate in 🍂 #downtownrochester #freefamilyday #freeartactivities #rochesterartcenter #plantmusic

Sharpen your skills and draw from life at our monthly Figure Drawing sessions. . Join us for an evening of focused, creative practice with a live model. Sessions alternate between traditional nude figure drawing on Tuesdays and costumed figure drawing on Wednesdays, offering a range of poses and styles to explore. We begin with quick gesture drawings, then move into longer poses for deeper observation. . Open to artists ages 18+ of all experience levels. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your practice, this is a welcoming space to grow your skills. . Tuesday, May 19 | Traditional Figure Drawing (nude model) Wednesday, May 20 | Costumed Figure Drawing 6 – 8 PM (doors open at 5:45 PM) . $15 Members & Mayo Clinic Staff/Students $25 General Public Advance registration required: /items/figure-drawing