I'm a graduate of Illinois Valley Community College & North Central College, where I focused primarily in Art & Art Education. I'm a lifelong Illinois Valley resident, who has devoted my time to pursuing professional & educational art careers where I can foster the development of creativity, originality, self-discovery, utilizing the fine arts as a form of expression.
In my time pursuing my educational career, I've had the pleasure of working with students, unlocking their potentials/talents, discovering & developing character/integrity, & instilling the rewards of a hard working ethic. My objective has always been to help students achieve the dreams & career aspirations they have, while discovering more about themselves (in the process). I'm currently instructing students K-12 with the DePue School District, where students have the opportunity to pursue Art History & Digital Arts, at the high school levels. My background within the professional arts field has been primarily as an audio engineer, graphic designer, print media specialist, photographer, & web designer/developer. Through a variety of multi-media projects, harnessing the Adobe Creative & Autodesk Suites of programs, I've had the pleasure of exceeding client's creative needs through advertising/marketing to deployment/publishing of creative content (traditional/digital). Through my career, I've tried to constantly grown my set of artistic abilities, assimilating other disciplines to apply my personal philosophy of creativity, originality, & fuse it with the current emerging & industry leading techniques. I'm always interested in aiding fellow creatives, whether it's simply bringing an idea to fruition, or actively playing a role in the creation of the idea/project(s). This is naturally why I gravitated towards education, where I can aid students in discovering the talents they can bring to the Illinois Valley or communities they choose, after pursuing technical or collegiate training. I invite anyone interested or in-need of creative project development to contact my personal studio, whether is a custom fine arts commission, or a more technical digital project requiring high specialized media knowledge. Some of my talented multi-media artists, or industry leading developers, like myself, would love to make your idea/vision come to life. Contact Information: Cory Willet, 1009 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL. 61350, 815.503.0885 [email protected] |
The August 8th exhibition features the work of Ruth George, who creates art that blends realism, nostalgia, and storytelling—celebrating beloved pets, fandoms, and personal identity through custom paintings, photography, and scaled models.
Using a stained glass-inspired technique, she turns her canvas paintings and portraits into vibrant windows of memory and meaning. Rooted in her theatre background and committed to inclusiveness, her work invites connection, authenticity, and a little bit of magic. Originally from Utica, Illinois, Ruth spent over 20 years living in Arizona and Florida while working regionally and internationally in the entertainment industry. She now calls Ottawa home, where she lives with her wife, two dogs, and two cats. Follow her work at: facebook.com/NerdStuffCustoms Email: [email protected] |