The Secret World: Wonder and Ritual in the Artwork of Dan Brinkmeier
November 20, 2026-March 14, 20207
Member’s Opening and Gallery Walk | Nov 20, 5-6 PM
Free Public Opening | Nov 20, 6-7:30 PM
A representational painter inspired by the WPA and Regionalist artists of the 1930s, Dan Brinkmeier explores the spiritual connections rural Midwesterners find in their landscape and the small ceremonies and rituals that shape the everyday lives of Illinois farmers.
The exhibition features more than 60 drawings and paintings spanning four decades, tracing the evolution of Brinkmeier’s visual language, ideas, and storytelling. Working primarily in oil on canvas and drawing on paper, he combines fables, illusions, fictional narratives, and real-life events to create memorable, often didactic stories.
Raised in Mount Carroll and still involved in his family’s farm, Brinkmeier draws on his deep connection to rural life. His work also reflects ideas developed while living and working in Europe, South America, and Central Africa, bringing a broader perspective to his depictions of the Midwestern landscape and the people who call it home.
The Secret World: Wonder and Ritual in the Artwork of Dan Brinkmeier is organized by Rockford Art Museum Chief Curator, Carrie Johnson. The exhibition is sponsored by Women’s Art Board, The Johnson Family Foundation, Scott Saporiti and Mark Fesenmyer, and partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Additional programming includes Music in the Museum on January 28th, 2027 and Coffee with the Curator on March 5th, 2027.
