Mayan Eden (1995)

“Luis Stephens: Mexican/American Artist”

December 2, 2011 – January 20, 2012

Opening reception:  Friday, December 2, 2011 at 6:30 pm

*Please note the Gallery will be closed from December 15, 2011 – January 3, 2012

“What generally inspires me in my work is creating juxtapositions of form and color in space,” Luis Stephens wrote in his artist’s statement. “My paintings usually show realistic elements in an unrealistic setting with an emphasis on the spatial component between objects and forms.”

The impression of separate planes in space and other abstract qualities are what give each painting such visual impact, he wrote. Stephens said the process of inspecting each square centimeter of work is a daunting one, but that he does “not let up on any particular piece until it passes a personal visual judgment.”

“No matter what any particular painting may be about, this goal—achieving what the aesthetician Clive Bell calls significant form—remains uppermost in my thoughts,” Stephens wrote.

“When We Weren’t Looking” features the artwork of Anna Schuleit ’93 and will be on display September 9 – October 9, 2011
Artists Reception:  September 9, 2011 at 6:30 pm

When we weren’t looking  (pictured on right)
Anna Schuleit
2011
Pen on paper
8″ x 6″

Balancing Choices: The Artwork of Carol Odell ’61 & Tom Odell
May 1 – June 11, 2011
Artists Reception:  June 11, 2011 – 4 pm

Canyon Echo
Tom Odell
2004
Brass, bronze stainless steel & painted wood
30” x 39.5” x 3”

Open Invitation
Carol Odell
2008
Oil on Linen
48” x 48”

"Twosome" by Amalia Amaki (2000)

Collective Memory: The Artistic Expression of Amalia Amaki
February 1 – March 1, 2011

In her artist statement, Amalia Amaki described the Collective Memory exhibit as “a gathering of simple objects used to relate to commonly shared and understood periods, seasons and moments in life that are laced with contradiction. They ask two-sided questions such as how we see ourselves and how we see others.”

Amaki used the collection to ask such questions as how do chocolates relate to a culture focused on denial-based beauty? What do hand fans mean to the deep south and to other cultures? How do items change in meaning with the passage of time? “Treasure boxes, memorial encasements and blues quilts contribute further to discussions of the persistence of memory as a means to interpreting and explaining current understandings, perspectives, and ideas,” wrote Amaki. “These are the type matters of interest to me in this work.”