Tag: Fine Arts

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.

“Warhol: Portraits and the Everyday” will open Jan. 22 and continue through March 6, 2019, at Lee Gallery, the primary exhibition space for Clemson Visual Arts (CVA).

The first gallery exhibition of the spring semester at Clemson University will feature original art from one of the most iconic artists of the 20^th century, Andy Warhol.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Jonathan Flatley – the author of “Like Andy Warhol” – will deliver a special presentation about the artist during a guest appearance on Friday, Jan. 25.

“Warhol: Portraits and the Everyday” showcases the artist’s practice through three distinct but related platforms: Polaroid portraits, black and white photographs, and his large, colorful, screen-printed portraits. By bringing these three creative pursuits together in one gallery, viewers will get a snapshot of Warhol’s fluid approach to art and life.

Warhol’s Polaroid portraits of celebrities, couples and individuals were created as resource material for his larger commissioned screen prints. The collection of Polaroids in the exhibition present individuals in repeated but slightly different positions, as directed by Warhol during their photo sessions. When viewed together, the Polaroids reveal subtle changes of expressions by the sitter. They also provide a thought-provoking counterpoint to our current fascination with selfies and the mediated presentations of identity through social media platforms.

“I was most interested in showing Polaroid portraits for what can be discovered by looking closely at the subtle changes taking place within the sitters’ expressions,” said Lee Gallery Director Denise Woodward-Detrich. “In these works, we see Warhol capturing various states of individual transformation through the simple use of repetition. These sittings allowed Warhol to select specific poses, but seen together they provide a portrait of the individual that is more complex than can be captured in one snapshot.”

Warhol’s black and white photographs function as a documentation of the people, places, objects and activities unfolding around him every day. For the viewer, they provide insight into the life of a famous artist, but for Warhol they were a way to collect and record things he liked and might potentially use later as a resource.

Photographs in the exhibition are on loan from the University of South Carolina-Upstate and East Tennessee State University. Both universities were granted original Warhol photographs for viewing and study as part of the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program, organized by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The Legacy Program distributed Warhol’s photographic works to colleges and universities across the country to provide greater access to these relatively unknown bodies of work.

Jonathan Flatley’s presentation on his recent book “Like Andy Warhol” will be celebrated with a reception from 5-6 p.m. and with a presentation by Flatley held from 6-7 p.m. in the Lee Hall auditorium (Lee 2-111). Flatley is an associate professor of English at Wayne State University in Detroit. He is the author of “Affective Mapping: Melancholia and the Politics of Modernism” and co-editor of “Pop Out: Queer A follow-up talk will move into the Lee Gallery, where the “Andy Warhol Portraits & The Everyday exhibit is installed.

Flatley’s presentation is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Humanities Hub at Clemson University.

The “Warhol: Portraits and the Everyday” exhibition is open to visitors 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday through March 6. All events are free and open to the public.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Lee Gallery Director Denise Woodward-Detrich at woodwaw@clemson.edu.

“A Patient Search: Paintings by Tom Dimond” is the newest exhibit in the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts Lobby exhibition space, on view from Jan. 15 through Aug. 2, 2019.

Tom Dimond’s work is highly detailed with hidden meanings, textural interest and layers of abstraction. Through the manipulation of materials, his work conveys familiarity and nostalgia, as well as a state of ambiguity that allows room for viewer interpretation. This collection features large-scale, abstract acrylic paintings, as well as smaller mixed media collages. His thoughtful titles illuminate the inspiration behind each work and pique viewer’s interests.

Dimond’s career has spanned five decades and he has exhibited work all over the country, in both the private and public sector. More than a decade after being named professor emeritus, we are delighted to showcase his work back at Clemson University.

The exhibition will feature paintings from the late 1980s to the present day, and demonstrate the artist’s development in style from flat, hard-edged shapes to more atmospheric spaces and textured surfaces.

Dimond explained the development of his style in this way:

1970s and 1980s

These decades were typified by compositions based on the manipulation of circular forms on a grid, initially black and white and eventually employing primary and secondary colors. As the paintings moved from paper to canvas, the forms took on the contours of the exterior edges, resulting in shaped and hard-edged paintings. These colorful abstract works were composed of a grid of nine interlocking circles unified by connecting lines, and were accompanied by a series of silkscreen prints.

The grid later expanded to include 77 circles employing radial symmetry as a compositional device. More complex variations followed in watercolor and silkscreen, which were related to the Pattern and Decoration movement.

1980s and 1990s

After artist retreats at the Hambidge Center in Georgia and the Vermont Studio Center, Dimond’s exploration of circles on a grid progressed. He revisited the theme of nine circles on a grid, alternating between watercolor and acrylic paintings. Making references to the natural environment and social interactions, the paintings moved from flat, hard-edged shapes to more atmospheric spaces and textured surfaces. Loose, incidental lines beneath the surface interacted with the geometric shapes, produced more complex shapes.

Early 2000s

Dimond returned to the large canvas format with a series of paintings that incorporated the older nine-circle theme and a new form. On a trip to Venice, Italy, he became fascinated by a marble tile pattern designed by the 15^th century Florentine painter Paolo Uccello on the floor of San Marco Basilica in Venice – the stellated dodecahedron. Combining this form with the nine-circle mandala type composition provided further study into the theme of ambiguity of spatial tensions. His titles reference the music he listened to while painting, from a group in Sweden called Hedningarna.

2010s

Dimond’s most recent series moved away from imagery and techniques of the tile works. It combines gestural watercolor painting with monoprints made on Japanese paper collaged to the surface. The first of these works mimicked earthen walls and were named after the sites of prehistoric cave paintings. Later iterations returned to complex layered surfaces with scans, distressed surfaces and collaged comic book imagery. He said these works are at once autobiographical in chronicling his visual influences, but also an amalgam of 50 years of techniques and studio practices.

Dimond served as the Lee Gallery director from 1973 to 1988 and as a professor for the Department of Art from 1979 to 2006. In 2006, he was named professor emeritus. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, Mass. and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.

The exhibition will be on view to the public in the lobby of the Brooks Center for Performing Arts at Clemson University from 1–5 p.m. Monday to Friday, Jan. 15–Aug. 2, 2019. An artist talk and reception will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. on Friday, March 1.

For more information on Brooks Center exhibitions, contact Susan Sorohan at sorohan@clemson.edu.

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 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 — Clemson University’s National Print and Drawing exhibition, “Adaptable: Facing the Future,” opens Thursday in the Lee Gallery and will be available to the public through March 15. The juror and awards presentation and reception will be 6–8 p.m. Feb. 17.

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.

Consisting of 62 works by 59 artists from across the United States, the biennial show was juried by faculty emerita Sydney A. Cross. More than 340 images were entered by 118 artists. Cross received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Northern Arizona University and her Master of Fine Arts from Arizona State University. She taught printmaking at Clemson University and she was awarded the title of Distinguished Alumni Professor. Always professionally active in her field, she held the office of president for the Southern Graphics Council, the largest printmaking society in North America.

The works will be on view from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. For more information, contact Lee Gallery Director Denise Woodward-Detrich at woodwaw@clemson.edu.

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Participating Artists
AWG, Miguel Aragon, Todd Arsenault, Anne Beidler, Mark Bischel, Kelsey Bledsoe, Cynthia Brinich-Langlois, Jessica Burke, Karen Brussat Butler, Anne Chesnut, Allison Conley, Jacob Cotton, Andrew DeCaen, Darcy Edwin, Katie Efstathiou, Beth Fein, Craig Fisher, Kendra Foster, Karen Gallagher-Iverson, Oscar Gillespie, Brian Gillis, Sharon Harper, Yuji Hiratsuka, Melinda Hoffman, Andy Holliday, John Holmgren, Nick Conbere, Zach Horn, Richard Hricko, Jayne Reid Jackson, Joyce Jewell, Brian Johnson, Matthew Kluber, Lauren Lake, Treelee MacAnn, William Mathie, Juliet Mattila, Corrin Smithson McWhirter, Johanna Mueller, Nick Osetek, Andy Owen, Caroline Owen, Ethan Peeler, Aaron Pennington, Johnny Plastini, Haley Prestifilippo, Adrian Rhodes, Rachel Rinker, Nicholas Ruth, Emmet Sandberg, Blake Sanders, Mark Sisson, Emily Stokes, Lynda Harwood Swenson, Michael Weigman, Art Werger, Linda Whitney, Chris Williford, Jackson Zorn

The Lee Gallery
The Lee Gallery at the Clemson University Center for Visual Arts provides the university and surrounding community with access to regional, national and international artists. Through a variety of exhibitions and special events, the galleries at Clemson University are dedicated to teaching, providing a space to display student and faculty research and serving the community, as well as providing internship opportunities for undergraduate art majors. Exhibitions held in Lee Gallery examine contemporary issues that underscore academic programs and serve the broader mission of the university.  Visitors to campus can enjoy exhibits showcasing undergraduate, graduate and faculty work as well as nationally and internationally recognized artists. The Lee Gallery maintains exhibition spaces at College of Architecture Arts and Humanities Dean’s Gallery in Strode Tower, Sikes Hall showcase space, the Brooks Center for Performing Arts lobby showcase, and the Acorn Gallery in Lee Hall II. The Lee Gallery is located in Lee Hall I on Clemson University’s campus. Gallery Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and select Fridays for special events.