Faculty Talent on Display in Bell Gallery
“On a conceptual level my sculptures are a nod to the idea of portals through which one’s life experiences are framed and witnessed,” says visual arts teacher Rindy Garner in her artist’s statement for the Faculty Art Show, now on exhibit in Bell Gallery. Her words sum up what the faculty offers the Rivers community each year—a glimpse into their artistic lives and their personal vision of the world around them.
A gallery reception on Thursday, October 11, in Bell Gallery kicked off the month-long exhibit of dozens of works in a wide variety of media. Given the myriad other responsibilities of the Visual Arts Department faculty, it is a wonder that they have the time and energy to devote to their own artistic pursuits, but every year, the Rivers community is dazzled by their creativity. It is no wonder that their students, in turn, receive wide-spread recognition for their own artwork.
The artist statements accompanying the exhibit (and excerpted here) give a glimpse into the goals and challenges that went into the creative process.
Department Chair David Saul has been exploring the northern reaches of the US and Canada for many years: “The panoramic silver prints included in this exhibition share my ongoing exploration of coastal locales from extreme Down East Maine to the Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada. This international border area is largely rural offering pastoral landscapes with broad views to distant horizons. I utilize the broad panoramic format since it approximates how we see with peripheral vision, embracing the whole view and enhancing our perception.”
Jeremy Harrison also has a long history of drawing upon the natural world for his paintings: “Immersion in nature has always nourished my soul, cultivating alertness and composure. It gives me a sense of freedom, and it reinforces my connection to the landscape. My thirst for nature leads me to make images in which I can reimagine and share its beauty with others. Often, our routines and habits cause us to overlook our surroundings. I want to foster connections with the beauty and fragility of the natural world and to remind us all to take the time to notice and absorb it.”
Rindy Garner put down her power tools, picking up hand tools and applying lots of elbow grease to series of soapstone carvings called “Portals” that beg to be picked up and touched: “At the beginning stages of carving I purposefully did not know how the final form would turn out, but I worked improvisationally as I carved, paying attention to the nuances in each stone and following my instincts. I find this to be an exciting way to work because I truly need to be present and pay attention with every tap of the hammer.”
Rindy Garner put down her power tools, picking up hand tools and applying lots of elbow grease to series of soapstone carvings called “Portals” that beg to be picked up and touched: “At the beginning stages of carving I purposefully did not know how the final form would turn out, but I worked improvisationally as I carved, paying attention to the nuances in each stone and following my instincts. I find this to be an exciting way to work because I truly need to be present and pay attention with every tap of the hammer.”
Tim Clark explored a variety of methods to produce the ceramic pieces he has on display, both in Bell Gallery and outside on a wooded knoll by MacDowell Library. Shoots of Hope was initially on display on the DeCordova Museum grounds in September. “Shoots of Hope speaks to the fact that we, as humans, are making a fine mess of planet Earth. Seemingly, everywhere we turn, one can find evidence of both our presence and impact. In spite of this, Mother Nature constantly adapts and sends up new shoots wherever possible. May we learn to live in harmony, and return to a life in balance with our surroundings.”
Lisa Townley ’01 chose to address a central question in the process of creating her ceramics and paintings: “I have been curious about layers and how it plays into the whole. When is an object or image finished? What happens when a layer is peeled away? The textures in both my paintings and ceramic works focus on building and taking away layers. My curiosity about layers comes from thinking about the human condition. What is on the surface? What lies beneath, whether deep or shallow? Are we ever done building our layers?”
Chris Love’s mixed media work jumps off the walls with its vivid colors and movement, and his statement lends a glimpse into the complexity behind his work: “I thoroughly enjoy the immediacy and efficient bold lines of my current work. I am less doubtful about the outcome, despite the tendency to not completely finish the work—little bits of reminding frustration. The figures are alone AND not lonely—finding strength in their solitude, their gaze and their circumstance. The bold use of color emanates from my need to fill space with calculated risks, mixing elements and media until an unconventional result is manufactured.”
Lily Gillett’s work employs a variety of media to explore the world around her, from a giant backyard maple tree to her growing children; “A theme I continue to explore in my art, both abstract and representational, is nature. I have a very large maple tree in the back yard, which we call Mama maple because it takes up a huge portion of the backyard and shields us from the sun and the rain in the summer. Carving out the wood was therapeutic for me. I feel that trees, no matter where you are, can offer endless inspiration.”
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