From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, the Tarble Arts Center opened its doors to the public offering a final chance to experience the three exhibitions featured before they were taken down that weekend.
For textile artist Claudia Figueiredo, the closing was a full-circle moment.
“For me, it’s very, very meaningful because I have pieces of work exhibited in the ‘Touch Me’ and up until tomorrow,” said Figueiredo.” I have not considered myself an artist, so this is my debut. This is huge for me.”
Figueiredo makes quilt-like works. Her works in “Touch Me: A Flat File Exhibition” are part of what she calls her “fan series,” inspired by the various works of students in the undergraduate and graduate shows last year.
Deputy Director of Public Engagement Kaen Henry believes events like this are important for not only Tarble but the artists as well.
“Our main thing is that we want to celebrate the artists,” said Henry. “At Tarble, we really pride ourselves on working with living artists, so we love to be able to invite them to these to celebrate them.”
The exhibitions opened about a month into the fall semester on Sept. 23, 2024, and closed on Jan. 25.
The event atmosphere was very intimate with a crowd of about 30 people throughout the night. Light drinks and refreshments held the guests over as they mingled until the Exhibitions and Collection Manager Gisela Alvarez gave a speech to start the night.
Visitor Jerry Ittamore came to the closing reception eager to see the pieces one last time before they left for good.
“I’m just glad to see it again before you take it down because I might not ever get to see this stuff again,” he said. “It might be a long time before you can display it.”
Alvarez opened by talking about the pieces in the show, thanking the artists for their contributions to Tarble Arts Center and the community. She also thanked the student workers for their help at Tarble to bring these experiences to the public and thanked the audience members for their attendance.
After a brief round of applause, the guests could immerse themselves fully in the exhibitions.
The exhibition cycle featured three exhibitions from various artists: “Famous Black Americans: The Dolls of Ida Roberta Bell,” “An Other World” and “Touch Me: A Flat File Exhibition.”

“Famous Black Americans: The Dolls of Ida Roberta Bell” featured dolls created by Ida Roberta Bell whose passion for doll-making began in childhood, inspired by her father’s efforts to provide her with dolls she could identify with.
According to Henry, some of the most impactful student responses came from this exhibition.
“We’ve gotten emails of Black students letting us know that they feel seen and that their history is prevalent here, and that’s really great and so heartwarming,” he said. “We love that show so much, and we’re sad that it’s coming down, but we are lucky that we do have these dolls in our collection, so we’ll be able to show them again.”
Bell aimed to reshape the narrative around Black identity through meticulously crafted dolls that highlighted historical figures.
Having roots in the antique business, Ittamore was impressed with the dolls.
“My mother used to be an antique dealer, and I was always aware of antique dolls but this particular collection is very unique,” he said. “I don’t think you probably could travel anywhere and see anything like it.”
According to the Tarble Arts Center website, Bell is acknowledged as the first Black American in the National Institute of American Doll Artists.
Visitor Andrea Leege primarily came to see the dolls but said she left with so much more.
“I’m honestly feeling pretty inspired myself,” Leege said. “There were a really a couple of exhibits that were inspirational.”
“An Other World” showcases the Tarble’s first big reinstallation of artworks from the museum’s collection in five years, featuring a blend of familiar works and new acquisitions.
The exhibition presents a collection of regional folk art alongside pieces by contemporary artists, reflecting absurdist realities and speculative environments that illuminate the human experience, according to the Tarble Arts Center website.
All pieces in the exhibition focus on diverse techniques like painting, sculpture, and animation to make intricate landscapes, ranging from whimsical to anxious.

“Touch Me: A Flat File Exhibition” encourages visitors to touch the pieces presented, as visitors can interact with the artwork by going through portfolios of Tarble community-created pieces.
Each file includes up to ten works. Some artworks are for sale, with the Tarble facilitating connections between artists and collectors.
The next exhibition coming to the Table Art Center is “2025 Art from Here” from Feb. 7 to March 14.
Henry said the process of setting up and tearing down exhibitions varies depending on the semester and what’s being installed.
For instance, fall shows can take over a month to set up whereas in the spring, like “2025 Art from Here,” should take about a week.
The next show continues the Tarble’s annual tradition of showcasing artwork from kindergarten through high school students in east central Illinois.
Alvarez said she hopes more people will treat the Tarble Arts Center as more than just a place to observe the arts but as a resource for the community.
“We’re here for everybody. There’s spaces for students to study, there’s spaces for people to learn, we’re open, we’re inclusive and we’re welcoming and it’s everybody’s museum,” said Alvarez. “We want everybody in the community to feel welcomed here and to come and enjoy.”
Alexis Moore-Jones can be reached at 581-2812 or at admoorejones@eiu.edu.