The Contemporary Art Gallery has prepared a spring season full of events that will include drawings, paintings, sculptures, mixed media and pottery from a variety of artists. All students have free admission to the gallery for exhibitions, lectures, opening receptions and other events.
Tiffany Nesbit/The Lion’s Roar
The spring semester will have numerous opportunities for students, faculty and guests to enjoy new artwork in the campus gallery. The Contemporary Art Gallery will host five exhibitions during this semester. Two exhibitions will welcome art students to enter their own work.
The first exhibition is the “Faculty Exhibition” held from Jan. 19 to Feb. 10. The opening reception will be held on Jan. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. All artwork must be collected from faculty members wanting to participate by Jan. 9.
The “Faculty Exhibition” is always the first show of the spring semester and always opens on a Thursday evening. The mediums shown will include drawing, painting, mixed media, sculpture, pottery, digital media, etc.
According to Dale Newkirk, professor and director of Fine and Performing Arts, this exhibition is an opportunity for art students to see their teachers as actual living artists and see what their work looks like outside of the classroom.
“New faculty brings new faculty work every semester,” said Newkirk. “So, it is a chance to see different living artists as well.”
The second exhibition is titled “Bill Evans in Context.” It will be held Feb. 15 to 18 in conjunction with the Bill Evans Jazz Festival. Bill Evans is an American jazz artist who studied at the university during his early career for music and graduated here in 1950. This exhibition is to remember his success here at the university and gives the students a chance to learn about a great artist and his success.
The third exhibition is the “Juried Visual Arts and Design Student Exhibition.” It will be held from Feb. 23 to Mar. 14 with the opening reception being on Feb. 23 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. All artwork from students is due at the gallery by Feb. 1.
The “Student Exhibition” gives art students a taste of off campus art galleries. It prepares them for the art scene outside of college. Students must have professional looking work to display and follow the set of guidelines given by the gallery.
The fourth exhibition will be the “Sixth Annual University Louisiana System Academic Summit Exhibition” held Mar. 23 to Mar. 31 with the opening reception on Mar. 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. The ULS Academic Summit will be on Mar. 30 to 31 and the deadline for digital entries will be Feb. 21. The ULS supports nine schools including Southeastern. The exhibition will take four artists from each of the schools and put them on display.
The last exhibition is the “Visual Art and Design Senior Exhibition,” which will be held Apr. 13 to May 13. All work is due exhibition ready by Apr. 3 at the gallery. Senior Reviews will take place Mar. 8 and 9. “The Senior Exhibition” puts graduating senior artists on display for the last time as a student.
The gallery is free for all guests and students to attend along with free light refreshments.
“The Contemporary Art Gallery is open free to all students,” said Newkirk. “It is sponsored by all university students through their tuition. All are welcomed and encouraged to join in on the events. The gallery is located on campus by East Stadium and next to Clark Hall.”