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Providing year-around classes in Textiles, Pottery, Metals, Glass, Painting, Papermaking and other Art Forms.
6N158 CRANE ROAD
ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS 60174
630.584.9443
FAX 630.584.9490
CENTER HOURS
Mon. - Sat. 10 AM - 5 PM
CLASSES
Mon. - Thurs. 9 AM - 9 PM
Fri. - Sat. 9 AM - 5 PM
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About Us
History
The Fine Line opened its doors in September of 1979 as a small gallery
on James Street in Geneva, Illinois. The founder, Denise
Kavanagh, belonged to the School Sisters of St. Francis, an order
of nuns devoted to teaching children and supporting women. She had been
a school principal and after retiring at the age of 40, went on to pursue
her dream of exploring her creative spirit. As a student at Northern
Illinois University she quickly discovered that weaving was her passion.
She brought a loom to the gallery and soon visitors asked if she would
teach them to weave. That was the beginning of The Fine Line as a teaching
center.
By the second year there were 40 students, and classes in knitting and
painting were added. A few years passed and Denise and her community
of artists had outgrown the gallery and moved to a store front in Geneva.
In 1986 another move was in order and The Fine Line moved to a restored
barn on four acres in the St. Charles countryside. The acreage and barn
were donated to the School Sisters of St. Francis by Gerald Dempsey.
There, Denise was joined by two fellow School Sisters of St. Francis,
Geraldine McGovern, business and facility manager, and Peter Julian Werner,
resident graphic artist. Students kept coming, more classes were added—crochet,
spinning, papermaking, pottery, basketmaking — and fundraising
efforts increased.
In December the first Christmastime in the Barn: Members
Show and Sale (now known as Christmastime at The Fine Line: Members
Show and Sale) drew hundreds of people. Every October, a national juried
show, Uncommon Threads, features the work of fiber artists
from across the country, and attracts as many as 600 art-to-wear enthusiasts.
Over 100 volunteers each year combine their talents to make this event
a breathtaking success.
In 1999, another of Denise’s dreams came to fruition with the completion of an $800,000 addition. The new building houses The Kavanagh Gallery and five additional studios.
Denise passed away in December 2002, following a long
battle with cancer. She was a force of nature—an enthusiastic teacher
who encouraged all who knew her to be passionate participants. Her joy
at finding her own creative spirit and her willingness to share her gifts
and her great sense of humor affected the lives of all who knew her.
She left behind a gift to the community.
Today, The Fine Line is one of only a few regional art centers in this country. Internationally known artists teach a variety of workshops. The membership draws from the Chicago area and surrounding states. There are as many as 1,100 students a year, a teaching staff of 30-plus and well over 200 class offerings a year. So passionate are her friends, students and supporters that the center is run almost entirely by volunteers.