Art and Design Exhibition
The walls of the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center’s art gallery are adorned with photographs, ceramics, paintings and more as part of the Art and Design Faculty Exhibition. Nine members of the Art and Design department faculty have contributed their own original works to the show.
Donna Adams, associate professor of art and design, explained that it’s important that the professors make time for their own “art journeys,” something they push their students to do as well.
“We are going beyond teaching in the classroom, showing students that we are still growing and working as well,” Adams said.
Adams contributed six photographs to the exhibition, explaining that the setting of all her work has a special meaning and significance to her.
The Soloist and Anger Management, two characters from Dee Schaad’s 12 character series “Myth of Uncertainty,” are displayed in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center art gallery through Dec. 10. Photo by Chris Hartley.
Marilyn McElwain, instructor of art and design and key advisor for the fine arts, also contributed photography to the show. Much like Adams, McElwain’s pieces on display reflect important aspects of her life: her children as well as a self-portrait.
Additionally, Nelson Wei Tan, assistant professor of visual communication design, did a series of photographs that depict common stereotypes of Asian males.
Aside from photography, faculty members displayed paintings, works of graphic design and ceramics.
With paint as a medium, Katherine Fries, art and design administrative assistant, did a self-portrait entitled “Homework’’ that depicted five images of herself doing various household responsibilities. Associate Professor of Art and Design Jim Viewegh did six landscape paintings for the exhibition as well.
“All of the works are current,” Adams said. “This shows students that we are making time for our own creativity and artwork on top of our teaching, scheduling and other commitments.”
Art and design faculty members Julia Taugner, Earl Snellenberger and Carolyn Springer also contributed works to the show, ranging from Taugner’s graphic design work with post cards to Snellenberger’s work with ambigrams and Springer’s mainly floral-focused painting series.
Dee Schaad, chair of the department of art and design, did both ceramic discs and a series of ceramic figures entitled “The Myth of Uncertainty.”
The clown-like figures in the series represent things like politics, playing the second fiddle and truth versus fiction. Twelve figures were included in the series.
“I always do a series of pieces for the exhibition,” Schaad said. “When the faculty is actually doing and creating things, students learn from watching and experiencing.”
The department of art and design puts together a gallery show every two years, the most recent in 2008. This year’s exhibition will be open for viewing from Nov. 1 to Dec. 10.
