University Gallery: PLU Faculty Show

The Ingram Hall University Gallery opens its season with a collection of recent work by faculty of PLU’s Department of Art & Design. Each year, the University Gallery showcases work from local artists, students, emerging talents and faculty alike. The space not only offers a unique place to display compelling pieces of art, but also a learning opportunity for PLU students and the community.

The Faculty Show runs through Oct. 9. This will be just the first of many opportunities to see great works throughout the year. Check on the inline media gallery to the right for the sample of the faculty artists’ work.

Faculty artists

JP Avila, assistant professor of art, department chair

Area of Emphasis: graphic design

Craig Cornwall, Assistant Professor of art

Area of Emphasis: printmaking and foundations

Spencer Ebbinga, assistant professor of art

Area of Emphasis: sculpture and ceramics

Artist statement: This body of work explores the pursuit of survival that all living things share. What do we choose to “graft” to our backs and bring along for the long haul? In a time of environmental and economic deterioration it is for me a question of what is necessary, and perhaps more importantly, what is not.

Slow moving and awkward on dry land, the sea turtle symbolizes patience, wisdom, tenacity, and perseverance. Water (implied) is really the key here, perhaps in its promise of sustenance and a hope that it exists. The materials chosen are significant in composing what I hope are engaging narratives. In using metaphors such as buildings, inner tubes, and turtles I attempt to imply concepts of progeny, resourcefulness, stewardship, and dominion of the natural world.

Becky Frehse, lecturer of art

Area of Emphasis: art education

Artist statement: Oasis (2010; mixed media with font type drawer).

One of my deep and fond memories of an exotic place is an oasis I visited while attending the camel races in Douz, Tunisia. The immense contrast between vast desert sands and the lush vegetation that springs up around a dab of water is miraculous. And maybe the little darbukkas add drumming sounds to the experience too.

Bea Geller, associate professor of art

Area of Emphasis: photography and electronic imaging

Artist statement: My Hearts of Deception narrative is presented in a series of vignettes. I want my viewer to be seduced by the color, lured by the playful shapes, then drawn into the photographic narratives. Each photographic narrative is intertwined with the forms. I find digital photography’s mutable nature an advantage, and the way photography, painting and design can be integrated and restructured into a new paradigm.

Steve Sobeck, lecturer of art

Area of Emphasis: ceramics

Jessica Spring, lecturer of art, Elliott Press manager

Area of Emphasis: printing and publishing arts

Artist statement: Sheets is a collection of four homeless haiku by Dolores Connelly, each poem capturing a moment within a season. The ongoing cycle of homelessness throughout a year is reflected in the patterns and cycling colors printed on the interior of each paper house, muted but shining through translucent fiber. The haiku are handset and letterpress printed on handmade abaca, then housed in boxes made with Paper Studio’s recycled cardboard box paper. Sheets was printed and bound in an edition of 30 copies by Jessica Spring.

Michael Stasinos, assistant professor of art

Area of Emphasis: painting and drawing

Artist statement: In the Untitled, Model in the Studio, painting various drawings and paintings can be seen around the model. Besides these works being used to create the overall composition, these drawings and paintings are done to isolate and work out parts of the painting that may prove difficult when tackling the whole.

A portrait study on pink paper is seen on the table and a portrait painting is seen over her left shoulder. Drawings working on the whole composition can be seen on the floor and over the models right shoulder. The blue paper on the table has a drawing of the models legs and feet.

These works shown in the painting represent about half of the drawings and studies created as a part of the paintings preparation. Only a few of the studies are in this show.

Find out more about the University Gallery, including upcoming exhibits, HERE.