Kith and Kin Art Collective opens in ‘jaw-dropping building’ in downtown Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — If abstract artist Jessica Quam has her way, downtown’s newest art gallery will inspire people to ditch the kind of stock decor that often fills the walls of homes around the region.
“We don’t want you to have a ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ sign in your house. We want you to have a beautiful, abstract statement piece,” said Quam, one of seven hosting artists at Kith and Kin Art Collective. “All of our price points are reasonable enough for anyone who could walk through the door and want an original piece of artwork for their home.”
Kith and Kin Art Collective brings together seven abstract artists specializing in large-format paintings, photography and hand-blown glass to a shared gallery at 510 E. State St., in the heart of downtown’s Block 5.
Sandi Kohn, who has owned the building for 26 years, created the collective, bringing together Quam, Drew Helge, Carrie Johnson, Drew Eurek, Rudy Galindo and Valerie Olafson.
Kith and Kin welcomed its first guests during Spring ArtScene, and after a soft opening it will celebrate its grand opening with a lineup of events this weekend.
Aside from operating as a gallery, the collective will look to draw people in with pop-up events and classes such as figure drawing and abstract painting under the instruction of professional artists. There are also live painting days and live music events where you can sip coffee and shop.
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“That will build the momentum, help us grow and allow people to get to know us,” said Galindo, an artist and personal chef who leads abstract painting classes.
Creating an environment where you can forge a relationship with the artist and learn about their process is part of the goal of Kith and Kin. Those relationships help give you a deeper connection to the art that may one day hang in your living room.
“Drew (Helge) has this beautiful glass that you’re afraid to touch, but he always puts it in people’s hands, and he always talks about his process,” Kohn said. “These pieces that we have here are from his personal collection of what he thinks are the best of the best of what he’s got going.”
Helge creates hand-made glass art for the hospitality industry. He keeps some of his favorite pieces at Kith and Kin, such as an obsidian-colored orb that when you peer inside recreates the views of deep space captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.
“We want this to be public outreach,” Helge said. “Just really facilitating and creating community where they can support the arts even more.”
The space has been home to a number of retail businesses over the years, most recently Salvaged by Sonya, which moved at the end of February. It’s been revamped with a more open look that accentuates the art and highlights the architecture of the multi-level space, which has uniquely furnished lofts overlooking paintings hanging from the exposed brick walls.
“This is a jaw-dropping building. I brought a jaw-dropping building to begin with,” said Kohn, whose business MedicineMan Creative, a graphics design studio and advertising agency, also calls the building home. “I think this is the best that this storefront has ever looked because it’s so open now.”
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The furnishings help sell the artwork because it allows people to picture a piece in their home, Kohn said.
“I’ve had people come from out of town, and they told me ‘I didn’t feel like I was in Rockford. I felt like I was in New York somewhere at some really cool gallery,'” Galindo said.
Olafson said the collective works well together not only because their styles complement each other, but because the artists are often boasting about each other’s work to prospective buyers. Everyone in the group, she said, has helped sell another artist’s work.
“We’re here not just to sell our work but to sell everybody’s work,” Olafson said. “The whole point of being a collective is that you support each other. You’re a united front.”
Kith and Kin Art Collective | Grand opening weekend events
Where: 510 E. State St., Rockford
Gallery hours: Noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays (and by appointment)
Follow on Facebook: @kithandkinartcollective
Follow on Instagram: @kithandkinartcollective
Live painting
What: See live painting from Jessica Quam accompanied by music and shop the pop-up store from Cloth and Canva.
When: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 23
Coffee Saturday
What: The kick-off weekend for Kith and Kin Art Collective’s Coffee Saturday series. This week features live music from Tim Gill. You can sip coffee, have a slice of Bob Ross toast, shop the collective’s art and peruse the pop-up shop from Cloth and Canva.
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 24
Open studio figure drawing
What: Hone your figure-drawing skills with techniques from professional artists in this three-hour class.
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 25
Cost: $20
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
