Tools of the Trade: An Art Faculty Exhibit at MTSU

Jul 18, 2016 at 07:39 pm by bryan


Tools of the Trade: An Art Faculty Exhibit launches Todd Art Gallery's fall 2016 calendar with an artists' reception scheduled Wednesday, August 24, 2016, 5-7 p.m. The artwork at MTSU will then remain on display through Thursday, September 8.

Featuring work across a variety of media from our current art faculty, this year's edition presents exhibit attendees to favorite work tools and mementos. These items represent an integral part of each faculty member's studio practice. Most tools present are practical in application, others more inspirational. In this way the exhibit presents valuable insight into the creative process of each artist whether by its physical use or as a component of emotional, spiritual, or intellectual support.

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Contributors to the exhibit come from all areas of the department including Art Education, Art History, Foundations, Graphic Design, and Studio Art. A small sampling includes Foundations professors Erin Anfinson, Tanya Tewell, Jarrod Houghton and Dawn Dickins. Anfinson's encaustic collage works along with her tacking iron are present. Tewell is exhibiting her stimulus, an enamel on copper wall piece reminiscent of her many years studying ancient Etruscan and Roman frescos and tomb paintings. Houghton's involvement includes his finely-crafted mixed media boxes and Dickins has opted to showcase her works of charcoal on paper.

From Graphic Design Noel Lorson, Jean Nagy, and Sheri Selph are represented among others. Lorson has paper pieces, illustrations, and books while Selph has provided her illustrations for an upcoming children's book. Nagy's work includes a variety of wonderfully hand-sewn quilts.

Kathy O'Connell, Sisavanh Phouthavong, and Nick Satinover, respectively represent studio art through their areas of book arts, painting, and printmaking. O'Connell has a non-photo blue pencil, sign painting brush, and bone folder on display. Of her paintings Phouthavong suggests, "(My) pieces are about finding home. As a refugee, the process of connecting and disconnecting with a place or community are abstracted ideas of migration as an immigrant. The collage and painting process is unpredictable and is an ongoing dialogue about assimilating and relocating into another culture and space." Reflecting upon his own work Satinover stated, "The box cutter is quite literally the only tool I use with any consistency. Between any print process, drawing or painting, the ability to create by a destructive act is incredibly powerful to me. This particular tool acknowledges many layers of ambivalence for me--that and it is incredibly affordable."

• GALLERY HOURS: Located on the second floor of MTSU's Todd Building, the Todd Art Gallery is open 8 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m. weekdays and closed on all state and university holidays. Admission is free and exhibits are open to the public. Google search "MTSU Todd Art Gallery directions" or follow:

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