New Museum Exhibit Depicts Batavia Past and Present Through Paintings

BATAVIA, IL – Luminous watercolors and vibrant oil paints capture visions of the Batavia landscape in a new exhibit at Batavia Depot Museum showcasing artworks from the Batavia Historical Society’s collection. “Through the Artist’s Brush” focuses on the works of local painters. The collection spans 17 decades and includes a painting from 1860 depicting the Revere House Hotel and more recent paintings of the Batavia Depot Museum and the Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory.

“There are so many amazing artworks in the collection,” said Museum Curator Jessica Meis. “Out of all the options, we chose landscapes for this exhibit because they show change and continuity in Batavia.”

One section of the exhibit will focus just on images of the Batavia Depot. The building has been an icon of the Batavia community for 170 years. It was constructed in 1854, relocated to 155 Houston St. in 1973, opened as a public museum in 1975 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It has been a popular subject for artists for decades both before and after its relocation.

“Batavia Through the Artist’s Brush” will feature works from well-known local artists past and present, including John Gustafson, Delbert Peterson, Patty Lazowski, Greta Bell, Kevin Hoepper and Nick Freeman.

"While the artists might not have known it at the time, they were preserving a snapshot of these sites for us to admire and learn from today," Meis said. “Batavia Summer” by Patty Lazowski is a folk art-style collage of notable buildings like Bellevue Place and the first Methodist Church. An untitled oil painting by Peg Bond, on the other hand, show an everyday view of downtown Batavia that looks very different from a drive down Wilson Street in 2024.

"The exhibit includes mediums like needlepoint and sculpture, but the watercolors and oil paintings have a special cozy glow," said Museum Director Kate Garrett. "There's something light and warm about the layers in works like Delbert Peterson's ‘Mail Time.’ And, you can feel a real connection to the artists when you've stood where they stood to paint."

The exhibit will open to the public on July 27, and a special opening reception will take place on Friday, Aug. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. Light refreshments and a cash bar will be provided.

As always, admission to Batavia Depot Museum and events is free. Museum hours are from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information on our Batavia Park District programs and events, call (630) 879-5235 or visit bataviaparks.org.


Original Batavia Depot: "Untitled" by Louis Roe, 1971


Depot Gazebo: "untitled" by Kevin Hoepper, 2014

Photos courtesy of Batavia Historical Society