One of the coolest things on campus will be gone in a matter of weeks. So be sure to visit the new fall exhibit at the Hicks Art Center Gallery or you’ll miss out on seeing one fascinating art show. Christopher Ellison’s steel Bottle Cap Chair is one of the more intriguing pieces there. Perhaps you’ll be drawn to the eye-catching shimmer of blue, green and white hand blown glass in Michael K. Hansen and Nina Paladion-Caron’s “Key West” Bouquet or the geometric intricacies of Sara Hotchkiss’ Bantam Bungalow, a cotton hand-woven tapestry. In the intimate space of the Art Center showroom, the media used in most of the artists’ creations are worn, used, and common materials. Even street signs are transformed into a table and chair set.
“Enhancements: Handcrafted Functional Objects” is open to all students, staff, and the public from September 3 to October 18, 2003. It encompasses over 98 objects by over 30 contemporary artists working in the U.S. The traveling exhibition is organized by Media Gallery, Garnett, Kansas and toured by ExhibitsUSA.
Fran Orlando, Director of Exhibitions at the Hicks Art Center, said the idea for this particular show is to portray a fine craft exhibition that is easy for people to relate to – to act as a bridge between what is craft and what is art. She hopes this exhibit will not only broaden experiences for members of the community, but also help provide dialog between subject areas on campus. “It think the gallery is one of those places that can do that,” she said.
If you happen to stop by, check out Deborah Jemmott’s Entwined Copper Table Lamp. Constructed from copper and paper, the piece converts a well-known metal, distinguished by its reflective reddish color, into a useful piece of decor. “I believe our lives are enhanced by living with art – and art that can be used is easy to live with,” Jemmott states in her biographical comments, also displayed in the gallery.
To gain a better understanding of the works on display and their historical value, the Art Center is holding a reception on Wednesday, September 24 from 4-7 PM. Roberta Mayer, an Art History professor in the Department of the Arts, will be speaking on the subject at 6 PM.
The Hicks Art Center Gallery hours (after September 22) are Monday and Friday, 9 AM-4 PM; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9 AM-9 PM; Saturday, 9 AM-Noon. For more information, please contact 215-968-8432 or visit the website at http://www.bucks.edu/gallery/.