Visual Arts Faculty Show: Teachers As Makers

“The faculty art show is a really important tradition here, because we are all practicing artists,” says Visual Arts Department Chair Tim Clark. “The show provides an impetus to have new work and an outlet for the community of artists that are here. And it allows us to showcase our work for the community.”

Last year, a new twist was added to the tradition: One member of the department mounts a solo exhibition in conjunction with the show. “Because we have the luxury of having both galleries,” explains Clark, “we have two spaces to put on shows, giving us an opportunity to highlight one of our colleagues.” Last year’s inaugural solo exhibition featured the work of Nicole Winters. This year, ceramicist Gretchen Nash filled the Bell Gallery with her new pieces in clay. Solo artists have the option of choosing either gallery; Clark says Nash decided the smaller Bell Gallery would best suit her work. Clark concurs: “The Bell is a nice, intimate space, and the work commands the space beautifully.” 

Nash’s exhibition showcases recent work made using two time-honored techniques: coiling and wheel. (Most ceramic techniques, Nash points out, are time-honored, reaching back centuries in many cases.) The name of the show is “Scapes,” and each piece, she notes in the artist’s statement that accompanies the show, “represents different environmental imagery, or ‘scapes,’ that will be individual to the viewer. Whether it is the ocean, the sunset, the sky, or an atmospheric element, each piece tells its own unique story.”

The abstract pieces certainly suggest various natural environments, but what’s most immediately striking about the coil-built works is how little they resemble coil pottery. Nash built the pieces using the traditional clay strands or coils, letting the shapes unfold and reveal themselves as she went, but she also smoothed the sides to erase the traces of the coils themselves, a process she says was “meditative.” 

The work was both an experiment and an extension for her. “Most people who know my work will consider this a total departure, due to the scale and sculptural nature,” Nash says. Another new aspect of this work, she says, is that—unlike much ceramic work—the pieces are not functional. “I like challenging the idea of function,” she says. “None of the pieces in this show is utilitarian, so you have to see the work for what it is, not what it’s for.”

Over in the Baldwin Art Commons, there’s a striking array of pieces by the other members of the department in a wide range of media, including Christopher Wiley’s carved wooden tongue drums, Lily Gillett’s cyanotype prints, Clark’s 3D-printed clay works, Rindy Garner’s stoneware vessels, Nicole Winters’ portraits of her toddler daughter, Sophie Lane’s highly personal photos, Jeff Nisbet’s series of drawings exploring the anatomy of the ribcage, Chris Love’s witty works on paper, and Robin Sallie’s self-portraits. The show will be on display until December 1. 

Clark notes that, beyond the opportunity it affords the visual arts faculty, the show gives students a chance to view their teachers as practitioners and gain a window into their vocation as artists. “They get to see the results of our creative process, and there’s the potential for wonderful, deep discussions about the trials and tribulations of making art,” says Clark. “In some ways, the arts—both visual and performing—are a unique opportunity for students to witness their teachers as makers. We are very fortunate that we get to do that year after year for the community.”

Click here to view a gallery of the faculty artwork on display.