OSU art faculty showcase their works in latest Gardiner Gallery exhibition
Friday, August 30, 2024
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu
The Biennial Faculty Exhibition opened at Oklahoma State University’s Gardiner Gallery of Art on Aug. 19, featuring work from full-time, adjunct and emeriti faculty members within OSU’s Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History.
“There is a saying that goes something like this: artists make art for other artists,” said Andy Mattern, a faculty member whose photography samples are on display. “Of course, we want general audiences to connect with our work as well, but when your peers look closely and recognize your efforts, it is something special.”
The exhibition, which closes Sept. 13, includes work from professors who specialize in painting, sculpting, graphic design, metalworking and even art history.
“We have the fine arts side, the graphic design side and also the art history side,” said Lindsay Aveilhe, Gardiner Gallery of Art director. “I think this is the first time we have really worked with the art history department. We wanted to make sure that they have a presence here, so we showcased academic research and publications.”
All art faculty members were invited to share their work in the exhibition. As one of the many professors represented in the show, Liz Roth chose to highlight pieces from her recent travels.
“I am in the middle of a 10-year project where I am circumnavigating the globe at 40 degrees north latitude and depicting what I see,” Roth said, explaining that her three-part painting and drawing series use mediums such as pencil, watercolor and ink. “The faculty exhibition includes three of my sketchbooks from my recent research trip to Changsha, Western China and Kyrgyzstan. These are preparatory materials for a solo exhibition in the spring.”
The Gardiner Gallery’s Biennial Faculty Exhibition not only shows faculty’s talents but also connects students with their professors’ art.
“My engagement with my art serves as an example for many of my students,” Roth said. “In my professional practices class, several students have written their own travel grants, been awarded them and have traveled the world making their art, too.”
The Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History will host a reception from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, that is free and open to the public. A faculty meet-and-greet will be from 4-5 p.m. in the gallery, followed by pizza and music with student clubs on the south side of the Bartlett Building from 5-7 p.m.
For more information, visit the Gardiner Gallery’s website.
Story By: Kierstin Pigg, OSU Arts & Culture Graduate Assistant | kierstin.pigg@okstate.edu