CLEMSON – The Clemson Community Supported Art (CSArt) program is launching its eighth season. CSArt is a popular initiative that connects the public with Clemson art students while engaging in a unique art-shopping experience. The program is a new spin on the grassroots “Community Supported Agriculture” farm share concept, which provides fresh produce for investors who buy a “share” of a local farmer’s crop each season.

Clemson’s CSArt program aims to create the same market for fresh, handcrafted artwork. With the purchase of one share, the “shareholder” will receive five different limited edition artworks made by a selection of Clemson student artists, in a specially packaged crate. This season includes one ceramic bowl, two ceramic wall hangings – one sculptural form and one tile- as well as two photographs. Each season’s share is juried by a respected professional in the arts, with this Spring 2020 share selected by Elizabeth Goddard, Executive Director of the Spartanburg Art Museum. Ms. Goddard holds an MFA in Art Education with a concentration in contemporary museum practices. She has over 20 years of experience working in the arts education sector of multiple nonprofit organizations, including serving as Director of Education and later as Curator for the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

CSArt plans to sell a total of 15 shares this year, costing $200 per share. The CSArt program was begun through a Creative Inquiry team led by Clemson University’s Valerie Zimany, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Art, who researched with her students the strategies and successes of CSArt programs in galleries, art studios and art centers around the country.

“This initiative provides students with an entrepreneurial learning opportunity –many of our graduates go on to work for institutions, non-profits, galleries and more, and the real-world marketing and administration skills they acquire through participating in CSArt program gives a tangible experience to enhance their studio-based portfolio upon graduation,” Zimany said. “For those students who create the limited edition works for the share, the commission is a vote of confidence in the developing quality of their artwork, and a challenge to meet our enthusiastic shareholder’s expectations at our seasonal pickup event.”

Proceeds from the shares supports student scholarship, and allows students to present Clemson’s CSArt program at national conferences. On Wednesday, April 22, 2020 between 10 a.m.–5 p.m. shareholders can meet the artists and pick up shares during the Spring Ceramics Studio Sale at the CSArt Pick-up in the Lee Gallery hallway, located on the first floor of Lee Hall, 323 Fernow Street. To learn more about Clemson CSArt or become a shareholder-member, please visit www.clemson-csa.org and follow the directions under the heading “Purchase a Share.” To get to know this season’s selected student artists, visit the website for highlights and features of the team, “behind the scenes,” and sneak peeks of the artists’ “works in progress.”

With only 15 shares available for purchase, the community is encouraged to sign up now as shares will go quickly.

CLEMSON — The ceramics studio in the department of art at Clemson University will hold the annual Fall Ceramics Bowl Sale from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the hallway in front of the Lee Gallery in Lee Hall.

All proceeds from this popular annual sale supports student travel to the upcoming National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference as well as other professional activities that help further student research and collaboration.

A selection of bowls and other functional works by ceramics undergraduate and graduate students and faculty will be available in a variety of price points. The Clemson Ceramics Association’s hearty homemade soup will be served free with the purchase of a bowl between noon and 1 p.m. The annual Spring Ceramic Sale will be held April 24, 2019.

For additional information, contact the department of art’s associate professor of ceramics Valerie Zimany, vzimany@clemson.edu.

The popular annual Spring Ceramics Studio sale is a fundraiser that supports student travel to the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference, as well as other professional activities to help further student research and collaborations.

The sale showcases a wide selection of both functional and sculptural artwork by ceramics undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty.

CSArt spring 2018 shareholders are invited to pick up their shares, meet the artists and celebrate another successful semester of student artwork.

The annual Ceramic Bowl Sale will be held again in fall 2018, in time for the holidays.

CLEMSON — Clemson University visual arts students will be on full display this spring in the Clemson University Center for Visual Art’s (CVA) gallery spaces.

The second half of the semester features a calendar full of student exhibitions. Both Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduating students present a comprehensive show of artwork weeks prior to graduation. These exhibits are a special time for visual art students, allowing them to reflect on the transformational experience Clemson has provided and choose pieces that best personify the student’s creative achievements.

BFA senior exhibits and MFA thesis exhibits showcase the culmination of year-long research endeavors. Visual Arts students go through a series of critiques aimed at helping build a body of work of the students’ choosing. The public is invited to join the conversation by attending the artist talks, followed by the artists’ receptions. Join the CVA this spring to see the next generation of artists.

MFA Thesis Exhibit – Statera: A Place Between

Master of Fine Arts Thesis Students, Susan Vander Kooi and Carey Morton will present an exhibition illustrating the importance of interconnected relationships between people, landscape, and the natural world. Throughout history, there has been a deep human connection to the earth and recognition of our position within space that contemporary culture is potentially forgetting. This work acknowledges the tangible and intangible attributes of human dependence on, and relationship with, the land, nature, and visceral experience. Utilizing sculpture, the artists blur boundaries, explore the need for balance, and challenge viewer perception.

BFA Senior Exhibit #1 – Take Shape

Apr. 9–13, M–F, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Lee Gallery

Artist Talks and Reception – F, Apr. 13, 6–8 p.m.

Take Shape will feature works by Mariana Aubad, Leah Brazell, McKenize Fletcher, Hannah Gardner, Amanda Hazell, Kara Lerchenfeld, Cody Miller and Anna Rice.

BFA Senior Exhibit #2 – Existence

Apr. 18–25, M–F, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Lee Gallery

Artist Talks and Reception – F, Apr. 20, 6–8 p.m.

Existence will feature works by Lainee Craft, Caroline Herring, Mary Jo May, Zoe Rogers, Michala Stewart, Heather Suttles and Samantha Trivinia.

Additional student artwork currently on display until Apr. 19 is the Next Up Invitational Exhibit, Sikes Hall Showcase, Ground Floor.

Wrapping up the end of spring semester will be the Spring Ceramics Studio Sale and the Community Support Art (CSArt) Share Pick Up, Apr. 25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. outside of the Lee Gallery along with the Foundation Review, Apr. 27. Students who have completed their Foundation studio courses in the Department of Art at Clemson University will showcase their creative efforts in the Lee Gallery. The showcase is a review of student progress and an opportunity for the Department to share the work of these art students with a local audience. Opening reception will be 6-8 p.m.

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The Center for Visual Arts
The Center for Visual Arts (CVA) at Clemson University is where students, visitors and scholars explore contemporary perspectives in art and culture through research, outreach programming and studio practice. With a mission to engage and render visible the creative process, the CVA is a dynamic intellectual and physical environment where art is created, exhibited and interpreted. It educates through academic research and practice with art at its core, drawing upon varied disciplines to examine critically cultural issues and artistic concerns.

The Lee Gallery at the Clemson University Center for Visual Arts (CVA) first art exhibit of the fall semester focuses on the importance of striking a sustainable balance between nature and the current global consumer culture with Pam Longobardi’s “Drifters Project,” on display Aug. 21-Sept. 27.

Plastics are integrated with every aspect of our lives from the smallest little toy to life sustaining medical equipment and every other place in-between.  Artist Pam Longobardi utilizes these discards to make installations that explore our global culture through plastics that have been transformed by the ocean then collected, documented and re-presented by the artist into the gallery context.

“I am interested in the collision between nature and global consumer culture. Ocean plastic is a material that can unleash unpredictable dynamics,” Longobardi said. “I am interested in it in particular, as opposed to all garbage in general, because of what it reveals about us as a global culture and what it reveals about the ocean as a type of cultural space, as well as a giant dynamic engine of life and change.  As a product of culture that exhibits visibly the attempts of nature to reabsorb and regurgitate this invader, ocean plastic has profound stories to tell.”

The “Drifters Project” began in 2006 after Longobardi encountered mountains of plastic being deposited on remote islands in Hawaii by the ocean. Since that time she has removed thousands of pounds of material for re-examination. Visitors to the Lee Gallery will experience various installations along with select paintings and drawings.

This innovative art collaboration is part of the Lee Gallery at the Clemson University Center for Visual Arts (CVA) commitment to support the institutions 2020 ClemsonForward Strategic Plan to provide educational activities that expose students to research through artistic means. This type of exposure encourages dialogue surrounding supporting a sustainable environment.

The Lee Gallery at the Clemson University CVA will be open for this exhibit 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays. It is located in 1-101 Lee Hall, 323 Fernow St. There will be artist talk followed by a reception on Aug. 25, 5:30 p.m. The exhibition, artist talk and reception are free to the public because of the generous support given to the Center for Visual Arts. For more information about this exhibit, contact Lee Gallery Director, Denise Woodward-Detrich at woodwaw@clemson.edu. Visit www.clemson.edu/cva to learn about exhibitions in the Lee Gallery as well as other Center for Visual Arts activities and events.

The Ceramics studio in the department of art at Clemson University will hold its Spring Ceramics Studio sale and Creative Inquiry Community Support Art (CSArt) Pick Up on 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 26 in the Lee Hallway in front of the Lee Gallery.

The popular annual Spring Ceramics Studio sale is a fundraiser that supports students to travel to the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference as well as other professional activities which help further student research and collaborations.

The sale showcases a wide selection of both functional and sculptural artwork by ceramics undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty. In addition, CSArt Spring 2017 Shareholders are invited to pick up their shares, meet the artists and celebrate another successful semester of student artwork.

The annual Ceramic Bowl Sale will be held again in fall 2017, in time for the holidays.

CLEMSON — The Center for Visual Arts (CVA) at Clemson University has hit the ground running in 2017, having already opened four new exhibits, hosted an artist talk and celebrated the sale of the spring 2017 shares of Community Supported Art (CSArt) student-created work.

The CVA’s calendar continues to unfold and reveal more events to attend, including new artists and innovative workshops. From visiting artists to student exhibitions and seminars, the CVA calendar has unique and transformative experiences for all. Thanks to generous supporters, the vast majority of CVA events remain free for the public. Check out the ongoing and upcoming opportunities the CVA is offering this spring. For more information and to access the full calendar of events, visit clemson.edu/cva.

Clemson National Print and Drawing Exhibition
Feb. 15–March 15 • 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday • Lee Gallery
Artist Reception • Feb. 7, 3:30–4:30 p.m. • Lee Gallery
Exhibition • Feb. 15–March 15 • 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday • Lee Gallery

Since the beginning of our time on Earth, we have responded to the impact of change in every aspect of our human experience. In the ever-expanding social, technological, biological and digital era, change is taking place at unprecedented speeds while the world is becoming a much smaller place. The 2017 Clemson National Print and Drawing exhibition explores change in a wide range of approaches to unpacking this idea.

Passport to the Arts
March 3 • 6-9:30 p.m. •  Order tickets now at clemsonpassport.org

Now in its seventh year, the “Passport to the Arts” continues to be an exciting “town and gown” event. Join the Lee Gallery at Clemson University and The Arts Center of Clemson for an evening of fine art, entertainers, live music, drinks and exceptional food showcased at four different locations.

The Clemson Area Transit (CAT) shuttle will take you on a visual arts tour of Clemson for a fun-filled evening. All shuttles feature entertainment, making your ride to each venue even more enjoyable. Our locations this year include The Arts Center, the CATBus Terminal, the Lee Gallery at Clemson University and Cox Hall at Clemson Little Theatre in Pendleton.

Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased at clemsonpassport.org.

Jeff Beekman artist talk
March 2, 5:30–6:30 p.m. • 2-301 Lee Hall

Jeff Beekman is a multidisciplinary artist whose artwork since early 2000 has explored the interrelationships between land, memory and human activity.  His work has been exhibited at venues across the U.S., as well as New Zealand, Australia, China, Vietnam, England, Hungary and South Korea.

Ink Travels
March 31–Oct. 4 • 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Sikes Hall Showcase, ground floor

“Ink travels” refers to the constant challenge of keeping an active print shop clean.  In the context of this exhibition, the term also refers to the wide-reaching influence of Professor Sydney A. Cross’s teaching and mentoring. Similar to how “ink travels” this exhibition showcases Cross’s legacy as an educator and illustrates the positive impact she has had on artists across the nation.  The exhibition is a thoughtful tribute to the quality of Cross’s teaching and a reflection on the Clemson family in the visual arts.

Sense of Place: Picturing West Greenville Exhibit
April 3 – July 28 • 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Center for Visual Arts-Greenville, fifth floor, 1 N. Main St., Greenville

This exhibition examines the people, places and the cultural life of West Greenville in a project organized by the Center for Visual Arts- Greenville. Artists invited to participate in the project demonstrate relevant experience in creating a collection of works using environmental portraiture or storytelling. The goal of the project was to build community, convey and bring together a significant exhibit meant to honor West Greenville residents and the surrounding community. The artists selected to participate in the project and exhibit are Dawn Roe of Asheville, North Carolina, and Winter Park, Florida; Dustin Chambers of Atlanta; Kathleen Robbins of Columbia; and Leon Alesi of Asheville and Austin, Texas. Works in this exhibition are not for sale as they are part of the CVA Art Collection. No lectures or receptions are planned for this exhibition.

SmART Series Seminar 7 with Jeffrey Baykal-Rollins
April 3 • 5:30–6:30 p.m.
1-100 Lee Hall

Jeffrey Baykal-Rollins is an American multimedia artist and educator now based in the greater New York City area after living in Istanbul for more than a decade. His “art as social practice,” combines drawing with performance, alternative education, institutional critique and cultural studies.

Two Cents: BFA Senior Exhibit
April 17–26 • 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday • Lee Gallery
Reception: April 21, 6-8 p.m. • Lee Gallery
Artist talks: April 21, 6:30–7 p.m. • Lee Gallery

Artists explore how humans relate to themselves, experience the world, and examine their history. Two Cents is an exhibit of works by graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts students in the disciplines of drawing, painting and photography.

A Sense of Place: Clemson • Drawings and Watercolors by James F. Barker
April 24–Oct. 11 • 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities Dean’s Gallery • 101 Strode Tower

As an architecture student, alumnus, dean, president emeritus and now professor of architecture, James F. Barker gives a unique perspective. His exhibit captures a sense of community that portrays a richness, depth and love for the Clemson campus. Reception to be announced at a later date.

Spring Ceramics Studio Sale and CSArt Share Pick Up
April 26, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. • Lee Gallery Hallway

Student ceramic work will be on sale in the Lee Gallery Hallway for purchase. In addition, Community Support Art (CSArt) spring 2017 shareholders are invited to the annual CSArt Pick Up to receive their shares and celebrate another successful semester of student artwork.

CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY

Pliable Instance: Paintings by Todd McDonald
On view until March 28
8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Center for Visual Arts–Greenville, fifth floor, 1 N. Main St.

Through abstractions of architectural structures, Todd McDonald’s images explore the contemporary visual rhetoric where the virtual and material collide. Throughout history, painting is used as a vehicle to describe spaces and locations that do not actually exist. Now society is confronted with new digital tools that are shaping the character of visual culture.

Foundations I: Department of Art Student Exhibit
On view until April 17 • 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday • CAAH Dean’s Gallery
101 Strode Tower

The Foundations exhibit features students who have completed the Foundation level studio courses in the department of art at Clemson. The showcase is a reflection of explorations with visual expression and problem-solving.

Gathering Lines: Drawings by Kathleen Thum
On view until April 27 • 1–5 p.m. Monday-Friday • Brooks Center Lobby Showcase

Kathleen Thum’s exhibition of drawings, paintings, collages and large-scale wall installations abstractly reference pipeline infrastructures to bring awareness and a visual presence of our society’s dependence on petroleum.

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CLEMSON — The ceramics studio in the department of art at Clemson University will hold the annual Fall Ceramics Bowl Sale from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the hallway in front of the Lee Gallery in Lee Hall.

This popular annual sale is a fundraiser that supports student travel to the upcoming National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference as well as other professional activities that help further student research and collaboration.

A selection of bowls and other functional works by ceramics undergraduate and graduate students and faculty will be available in a variety of price points. The Clemson Ceramics Association’s homemade soup will be served free with the purchase of a bowl between noon and 1 p.m. The annual Spring Ceramic Sale will be held April 26, 2017.

For additional information, contact the department of art’s associate professor of ceramics, Valerie Zimany, vzimany@clemson.edu.

CLEMSON – “Solastalgia,” an exhibition by Clemson University Master of Fine Arts candidates Deighton Abrams and Haley Floyd opened this week and will run until Nov. 11 at the Center for Visual Arts-Lee Gallery. The public is invited to a reception with artist talks beginning at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11.

Through the sculptural work of ceramist Abrams and photographs by Floyd, “Solastalgia” explores the physical, psychological and emotional relationship between the environment and human identity. Connected to the concepts of solace and desolation, solastalgia is used by environmental philosophers to describe the human distress associated with environmental sickness regarding home. Both artists reflect on this relationship through their personal experiences of home.

This final research thesis exhibit showcases a culmination of research in which students go through a series of critiques as master’s candidates helping build a body of work of the students’ choosing.

The Center for Visual Arts – Lee Gallery at Clemson University will be open for this exhibit 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. It is located in 1-101 Lee Hall, 323 Fernow St. The exhibition, artist talks and reception are free to the public because of the generous support given to the Center for Visual Arts. For more information about exhibitions in the Lee Gallery, as well as other Center for Visual Arts galleries and venues, visit www.clemson.edu/cva.

“Stories on My Back,” an installation by Clemson Master of Fine Arts (MFA) alumnus Richard Alexander Lou, ’86 will open the 2016-17 season in the Center for Visual Arts – Lee Gallery on Aug. 22 and run until Oct. 13.  On Friday, Sept. 23 at 5:30 p.m., the artist will give an artist talk about his work with a reception to follow in the gallery.

Lou was born and grew up in San Diego, CA with a biracial family, which was spiritually and intellectually guided by an anti-colonialist Chinese father and a culturally affirming Mexicana mother. After earning his bachelor’s degree in San Diego, CA, Lou continued his education at Clemson University, citing a handwritten note from the Chair of the Department of Art, a tradition that is still practiced today, as the decisive factor that led him to choose Clemson out of almost one hundred potential graduate schools. Lou has exhibited internationally and has over 30 years’ experience teaching in higher education, 20 years as an arts administrator most recently serving as Chair of the Department of Art at University of Memphis in Memphis, TN.

He has been invited back to campus to showcase his traveling multimedia installation that combines photography, found objects and sound walls of tamale husks. The artist writes, “As a contemporary image-maker I am interested in collecting dissonant ideas and narratives, allowing them to bump into each other, to coax new meanings and possibilities that dismantle the hierarchy of images. The work serves as an ideological, social, political and cultural matrix from which I understand my place in this world and to make a simple marking of the cultural shifts of my community.”

“Stories on My Back” art installation was featured in the recently released book, The Routledge Companion to Latina/o Popular Culture by Guisela Latorre, PhD, as a reference to the increasing proliferation of Lantina/o culture in modern American popular culture.

This innovative art collaboration with Richard A. Lou, ’86 is part of the Center for Visual Art’s commitment to support the 2020 ClemsonForward strategic plan to provide educational activities to attract and retain outstanding students by “providing an exceptional educational experience grounded in engagement.” In addition, Richard collaborated with four other artists, three of whom are Clemson University alumni: Chere Labbe Doiron, Jo Carol Mitchell-Rogers ’87, Robert Spencer ’86 and Chris Wallace ’86.

The Center for Visual Arts-Lee Gallery at Clemson University will be open for this exhibit 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays. It is located in 1-101 Lee Hall, 323 Fernow St. The exhibition, artist talks and reception are free to the public because of the generous support given to the Center for Visual Arts. For more information about exhibitions in the Lee Gallery, as well as other Center for Visual Arts galleries and venues, visit www.clemson.edu/cva.

Participating artists were charged to create Artist’s Trading Cards, which are miniature works of art about the same size as contemporary baseball trading cards. The CVA offered workshops and guidance to assist art students from the different schools develop original works of art.

The exhibit was unveiled at a reception at Fluor Field’s 500 Club sponsored by the Greenville Drive. The occasion marks the second Out of the Park event the baseball organization has hosted helping to bring together arts and athletics. This type of engagement is part of the Drive’s unique approach to community outreach, contributing to the cultural richness of the Upstate.

The first Out of the Park event highlighted the juried Sense of Place exhibit. The showcase was created by the first grant received by the CVA from SCAC. Art photographers were invited to create a collection of works using environmental portraiture or storytelling. The experience helped to convey and bring together a significant exhibit meant to honor its residents and surrounding community of the Village of West Greenville. Sense of Place is part of the CVA’s permanent art collection and will be on display in Sikes Hall later this summer.

The “Out of the Park 2: Bases Loaded” exhibit was juried and awards will be presented at a special reception held in the Center for Visual Arts – Lee Gallery at Clemson University at 6 p.m. today. Participating artists from the department of art at Clemson University, Daniel High School, the Fine Arts Center of Greenville, Greenville Center for Creative Arts, Greenville Senior High School, Legacy Charter School and the University of South Carolina Upstate, as well as family, friends and the public are encouraged to attend.

After the artists’ reception is held  the “Out of the Park 2: Bases Loaded” exhibit will spend some time on display at the CVA-Greenville’s new location on the fifth floor of Greenville ONE building thanks in part to the partnership with the Clemson MBA Program and additional on campus gallery and art showcased locations managed by the CVA.

This innovative art collaboration is part of the CVA’s commitment to support the institutions 2020 ClemsonForward strategic plan to provide educational activities that strengthen recruitment efforts for the Art Department in efforts to attract and retain outstanding students by “providing an exceptional educational experience grounded in engagement.”

Photos from the “Out of the Park 2: Bases Loaded” reception are posted online and click here for video.

Exhibitions, artist talks and receptions are free to the public thanks in part to the generous support given to the Center for Visual Arts. To belong to the Friends of the Center for Visual Arts, click here.

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The Center for Visual Arts
The Center for Visual Arts (CVA) at Clemson University is where students, visitors and scholars explore contemporary perspectives in art and culture through research, outreach programming and studio practice. With a mission to engage and render visible the creative process, the CVA is a dynamic intellectual and physical environment where art is created, exhibited and interpreted. It educates through academic research and practice with art at its core, drawing upon varied disciplines to examine critically cultural issues and artistic concerns.

The Center for Visual Arts-Greenville is a satellite gallery space located on the fifth floor of Greenville ONE building at One Main Street, Greenville, SC. The Center for Visual Arts at Clemson University, serves as the umbrella for all visual art activities at the university. Though there is not a physical building for this center, the majority of the activities for the Center of Visual Arts are generated out of Lee Hall on the Clemson University campus. For more information, visit clemson.edu/cva.

South Carolina Arts Commission
The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, SC, the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com.