Past Exhibitions
SPRING 2023
Student Book Discussion Group
CIRCE by Madeline Miller
Read and discuss the novel that inspired the the exhibit.
Limited number of FREE copies available - or check out a copy from the library
CONTACT: Andrea Zimmermann, Librarian: zimmermanna@wcsu.edu or Sarah Anderson Lock, Gallery Curator: locks@wcsu.edu to sign up for the discussion group.
Discussion date: Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, 6:15-7:30 in the gallery
View the exhibit: 6:15 – 6:25; Discuss the book: 6:30 -7:30 (PLUS: Refreshments!)
THE CIRCE EFFECT:
Women’s Creative Power Reclaims the Narrative
Feb 8 – March 3, 2024
Opening Reception:
Thurs, Feb 8, 2024, 6-8 pm
ARTIST TALK: Wed, Feb. 21, 6:30pm
Donna Dodson, Katiushka Melo, Cheryl Mukherji, and Chelsea Steinberg Gay
The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center, Western CT State University is pleased to present The Circe Effect: Women’s Creative Power Reclaims the Narrative featuring the work of Madeleine Conover, Donna Dodson, Katiushka Melo, Cheryl Mukherji, Dana Robinson, and Chelsea Steinberg Gay. The exhibit is on view February 8 – March 3. An opening reception is scheduled for February 8, 6-8 pm, during which Katiushka Melo will perform.
The exhibit is inspired by themes explored in the best-selling novel Circe by Madeline Miller; the narrator is Circe herself, goddess and sorceress from the ancient Greek epic, the Odyssey. The New York Times calls the novel “A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story… recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right.” In the novel, Circe takes ownership of her story and tells it on her own terms, thereby releasing herself from the constraints of the Western cultural imagination that often presents her, one dimensionally, as a dangerous, seductive witch.
Miller’s methodology has struck a cultural chord by addressing the familiar feminist principles of women's power and agency and how they are received when women orchestrate the narrative, but also by challenging and even recasting stereotypes. Collectively, the work of the artists gathered here addresses these subjects from contemporary points of view. The exhibit includes works in sculpture, painting, photography, performance, installation, printmaking, and drawing.
A Circe book discussion group for students will be co-presented by WCSU libraries and the Dept. of Art, with books donated by Eastern CT State University (ECSU) as part of their Big Read Program.
The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center is located on the second floor of the VPAC, Westside Campus, Western CT State University (WCSU). The GPS address is: 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT 06811.
Read the WCSU Press Release for more information.
FALL 2023
WCSU ART ALUMNI EXHIBITION
Oct 5 – Nov 12, 2023
Opening Reception:
Thurs, Oct 5, 2023, 6-8 pm
THE GALLERY
at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
WCSU, Westside Campus
The Department of Art at WCSU is proud to present the 2023 WCSU Art Alumni Exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center. This exhibition will kick off the 2023-2024 academic year, and commemorate WCSU's 120th year, by showcasing fifty talented artists who have graduated from the Bachelors & Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Arts programs at WCSU. The Department of Art has been cultivating the finest artists in the tri-state area for decades, who have gone on to work as professional illustrators, designers, photographers, painters and educators. The exhibition will feature a vast array of artworks of wide ranging media and genres from our talented undergraduate and graduate art alumni. Co-sponsored by the Department of Art and the WCSU Alumni Association.
Participating Art Alumni
Alexis Achilles – BA 2023
Gulgun Aliriza – MFA 2007
Dan Baker – BA 2021, MFA 2023
Dee Rose Barba – MFA 2019
Jessica Bartlet – MFA 2009
Katie Bassett Langin – BA 2008, MFA 2014
D.. Bishop – BA 1996
Nicole Bourgeois-Believe – BA 2005
Heather Braxton– BA 2014
David Cerne – MFA 2007
Janelle Chandler – BA 2020, MFA 2022
Betsy Davidson – MFA 2010
Abbi Debes – BA 2023
Tony DeZinno – BA 2023, MFA 2025
Marsha Doran – BA 1996
Christina Fay – BA 2005
David Flook – BA 2019, MFA 2021
Lucy Gallagher – BA 2022, MFA 2024
Kelsey Gilmore – MFA 2022
Taylor Green – BA Art Minor 2022, MFA 2024
Lilah Heyman – MFA 2023
Xenia Hodza – MFA 2013
Erik Hoffman – BA 2015
Kanika Khurana – MFA 2017
Joe Maglio – BA 2023
Karin Mansberg – BA 2011, MFA 2013
Megan Marden – BA 2009, MFA 2012
Maritza (Stephanie Dee) – MFA 2020
Brian Antonio McCarley – MFA 2020
Colleen McGuire – MFA 2015
Betty Ann Medeiros – BA 1989, MFA 2006
Eileen Mooney – MFA 2006
Kat Moran – BA 2022
Jesse Navarra – BA 2016, MFA 2018
Jill Nichols – MFA 2015
Jessica Paternoster – BA 2020
Mildred Paulino – MFA 2019
Sophie Putney – BA 2022
Rima Rahal – MFA 2017
Denise Rosa – BA 2022
Jill Sarver-Rossi – MFA 2010
Barbara Sinisi – BA 2015, MFA 2018
Tommy Solano-Szostek – BA 2023
Sarah Stewart – MFA 2011
Ival Stratford-Kovner – MFA 2002
Emily Swift – BA Photography 2018
Eileen Tavolacci – MFA 2011
Janet Warner – MFA 2017
ShawnaLee Waterbury-Kwashnak – BA 1996
Brendan Wixted – BA 2013
Wing Na Wong BA 2018– MFA 2020
SUMMER 2023
2023 MFA Thesis Exhibition in NYC
June 20 – July 8
Opening Reception:
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Blue Mountain Gallery
547 West 27 Street, Suite 200, New York, NY
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 11–6pm
The Department of Art at Western Connecticut State University is pleased to announce the 2023 MFA Thesis Exhibition at the Blue Mountain Gallery.The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of each artist. Four graduate recipients of the MFA in Visual Arts degree will present their work:
Dan Baker
Marcus Escribano
Lilah Heyman
Aimee Jette
Read a review of their work in Gallery & Studio Arts Journal by Christine Graf
This exhibition is supported by the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment Fund at WCSU.
SPRING 2023
2023 SENIOR PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION
OPENING RECEPTION:
Thursday, April 20, 6-8 pm
On View April 20 – May 7, 2023
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm
The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
WCSU, Westside Campus
The WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience for students pursuing the B.A. in Art in one of four areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, photography and studio arts (painting). This year’s exhibition will feature 7 art majors with a concentration in graphic design, 5 in illustration, 9 in photography, and 5 in studio arts. The following are the 2023 B.A. in Art candidates in the exhibition:
Graphic Design: Angel Almonte; Matthew Anastasia; Kyle Estanqueiro; Paige Galanis; Jillian Mirabal; Anthony Tassa; and Lauren Torre
Illustration: Sarah Moffett; Kathryn Stimpfl; Liam Torlish; Ryein Troiano; and Chengyu Zhou
Photography: Alexis Achilles; Abbi Debes; Anthony DeZinno; Christopher Ehlers; Hope Johnsky; Mariana Miller; Samuel Recinos; Thomas Solano-Szostek; and Riley Weaver
Studio Art: Alexis Achilles; Joseph Maglio; Joseph Nolan; Andrew Olson; and Anna Schipf
For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403, or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.
2023 MFA Thesis Exhibition
March 23 – April 6
OPENING RECEPTION:
Thursday, March 23, 6-8 pm
The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists.
The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. This year, four graduate students will present their thesis work: Dan Baker, Marcus Escribano, Lilah Heyman, and Aimee Jette..
Gallery Hours:
Tues–Fri, noon–4pm
Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm
100@100 OFF-THE-WALL ART EXHIBITION & FUNDRAISER
Saturday, February 25, 2023, 3–6 pm
“100@100” was an exciting evening of art, music, food, drinks — and anticipation.
Thanks to the support of professional local and regional artists, including WCSU Department of Art faculty and alumni, who generously donated all 100 pieces of artwork for the exhibition and included in the Off-the-Wall Fundraiser the event was a huge success, raising over $11,000 for the Gallery Exhibitions Program.
FALL 2022
Address: Earth Art Expo
October 13 – December 4
Opening Reception:
Thursday, October 13, 2022
The GALLERY at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Western CT State University
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat-Sun 1-4 pm
Forty-four artists will show artworks in the multi-media, multi-location exhibition, “Address: Earth: Art Expo 2022,” Curated by Bibiana Huang Matheis. The exhibition features artists affiliated with the Inspiration Artist Group International, united under a common theme as a part of the Hudson Valley-wide exhibition “Address Earth: Art Expo 2022.” The first in-person exhibition since the onset of Covid-19, Address Earth features a collection of voices from dozens of artists who celebrate the planet earth and use art to address the critical global issues that affect the environment. It also celebrates varied aspects of our planet that are shared by everyone. Artists will address ecology, sustainability, climate change, endangered species, clean water, deforestation, and humanity, recognizing our common interests and shared well-being which is vital at this critical juncture in the history of this planet that we call Home.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Alan Cohen | Amy R Farrell | Bibiana Huang Matheis | Cathey Billian | Ceci Cole McInturff | Chris Combs | Corinne Lapin-Cohen | Elisa Pritzker | Elizabeth Bryan-Jacobs | Elizabeth MacDonald | Elizabeth Rundquist | George Spencer | Irene Osborn | January Yoon Cho | Jebah Baum | Jo-Ann Brody | Jeremy K. Bullis | Jenna Lash | John Serembe | Joy Brown | Karen LaFleur | Kiyoko Sakai | Leonie Castelino | Leslie Pelino | Linda Stillman | Lisa Breznak | Liz Whitney Quisgard | Marcy B Freedman | Marjorie Morrow | Marlow Shami | Michel Delgado | Michael Rothman | Mireya Samper | Nancy Tucker | Naomi Teppich | Niki Ketchman | Osiris Munir | Phylis Chadwick | Riva Weinstein | Rosalind Schneider | Suprina | Susan Obrant | Tanya Kukucka | Tomoo Nagai
ASSOCIATED EVENTS
Wed, October 19, 2022, 6:30–8:00 pm
Pond Reflections - Film Screening & Artist Talk with Rosalind Schneider
Wed, November 30, 2022, 6:30–8:00 pm
Landscape in Art: From Delight to Alert - Gallery Talk with Marcy Freedman
SUMMER 2022
2022 MFA Thesis Exhibition
NYC Exhibition at Blue Mountain Gallery
June 21 – July 9
Opening Reception:
Thursday, June 23, 2022
547 West 27 Street, Suite 200, New York, NY
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 11–6pm
The Department of Art at Western Connecticut State University is pleased to announce the 2021 MFA Thesis Exhibition at the Blue Mountain Gallery located at 547 West 27th Street, Suite 200, New York City.
The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of each artist. Four graduate recipients of the MFA in Visual Arts degree will present their work:
Janelle Chandler
Kelsey Gilmore
Don Houston
Robert Charles Hudson
Read the Press Release for more information and details.
Supported by the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment Fund
SPRING 2022
2022 SENIOR PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION
OPENING RECEPTION:
Thursday, April 21, 6-8 pm
On View April 21 – May 8, 2022
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm
The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Westside Campus
The WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience for students pursuing the B.A. in Art in one of four areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, photography and studio arts (painting). This year’s exhibition will feature 10 art majors with a concentration in graphic design, 4 in illustration, 6 in photography, and 6 in studio arts. The following 2022 B.A. in Art candidates show selected works:
Graphic Design: Peter Buck, of Sandy Hook, CT; Ralph Capriglione, of Yonkers, NY; Abbi Debes, of New Milford, CT; Rebecca DeLucia, of New Milford, CT; Christopher Ehlers, of Norwalk, CT; Connor Feeney, of Monroe, CT; Hope Johnsky, of Bristol, CT; Nicole Medina, of Carmel, NY; Sean Price, of Naugatuck, CT; and Yadira Torres, of Norwalk, CT.
Illustration: Amy Caco, of Watertown, CT; Tallulah Comaskey, of New Milford, CT; Kiana Diaz, of Newtown, CT; and Bryana Sarsoza, of Stamford, CT.
Photography: Ethan Baur, of New Milford, CT; Ryan Bulkley, of Shelton, CT; Alex Linares, of Mamaroneck, NY; Emily Pelella, of Monroe, CT; Sophia Putney, of Boxford, MA; and Kaylee Wasacz, of Poughkeepsie, NY.
Studio Art: Lucy Gallagher, of Waterbury, CT; Daisy Gesualdi, of Bethel, CT; Alexander Hesse, of Brookfield, CT; Denise Izidorio, of Danbury, CT; Corrine Kozlow, of Danbury, CT; and Kat Moran, of Newtown, CT.
For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403, or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.
2022 MFA Thesis Exhibition
March 24 – April 10
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 24, 6-8 p.m.
The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists.
The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. This year, four graduate students will present their thesis work: Janelle Chandler, Kelsey Gilmore, Don Houston, and Robert Charles Hudson.
Gallery Hours:
Tues–Fri, noon–4pm
Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm
Mohamad Hafez: Unsettled Nostalgia
February 10 – March 6
Opening Reception: Thursday, Feb 10, 2022 6-8 pm
in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Closing Celebration: Thursday, March 3, 2022, 6-8 pm
No Place Like Home: Exploring the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Middle East with artist Mohamad Hafez and guests.
in the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, Visual & Performing Art Center
A Syrian-American artist and architect, Mohamad Hafez was born in Damascus, raised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and educated in the Midwestern United States. Expressing the juxtaposition of East and West within him, Hafez’s art reflects the political turmoil in the Middle East through the compilation of found objects, paint, and scrap metal. Using his architectural skills, Hafez creates surrealistic Middle Eastern streetscapes that are architectural in their appearance yet politically charged in their content which addresses the devastation of war, feelings of displacement, and nostalgia for home.
The Department of Art was awarded a $13,000 National Endowment for the Arts "Project Grant" to support "The Home Project," in which Hafez will pursue an extensive program of collaborative art installations and exhibition, student mentoring, public lectures, and other activities during a year-long residency in the WCSU Department of Art that will begin in August and continue through the end of the 2021-22 academic year. Through these diverse and interactive exchanges, he will draw from his unique experiences and artistic works to challenge participants in the project to create their own artistic interpretations of the meaning and concept of home to be exhibited alongside his work in the exhibition.
FALL 2021
Digital: AAA Prints 2012-2019
October 21 – December 5
Opening Reception: Thursday, Oct 21, 6-8 p.m.
Since its first exhibition in 1937, American Abstract Artists has used printmaking as a platform to both introduce and document the work of its members and to expand the vocabulary of abstraction to an ever-increasing audience. This print portfolio tradition began with the celebration of the organization’s first anniversary and was followed decades later by marking AAA’s fiftieth, sixtieth, and seventy-fifth anniversaries.
With the advent of digital technology, AAA decided to break with tradition and print new portfolios digitally, a meaningful shift as the three previous portfolio editions were printed by lithography, a classic printmaking process. Designing and printing digital prints mirrors changes in the visual world, one result of perpetual technological achievements. In 2019, partly as an addendum to the 2012 portfolio exhibition, for exhibition purposes, and as an opportunity to showcase the work of recent AAA members (as well as earlier members who did not participate in the 2012 portfolio), American Abstract Artists published the 2019 Monoprint Portfolio. It is made up of twenty-five prints, one per artist, sized at 9 5/8 x 12 5/8 inches, horizontally, or 12 5/8 x 95/8 inches, vertically.
Printed by Mark Savoia at Still River Editions in Danbury Connecticut, this portfolio is in the collection of The Ewing Gallery of Art & Architecture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Creighton Michael Claire Seidl
AAA Archives Committee member AAA Exhibitions Committee Chair
Virtual Panel Discussion - Conversations on Abstraction
October 23, 2021, 3:00–4:00 pm
As part of the exhibition, join us for a virtual conversation about Abstraction with American Abstract Artists members, Jeffrey Bishop, Jacob Cartwright, Melissa Staiger and Vera Vasek.
SPRING 2021
2021 Senior Portfolio Exhibition
The Senior Portfolio exhibition is the capstone experience of four years of study by Bachelor’s of Art candidates in Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, and Studio Arts. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a physical exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center is not possible, therefore there will be a virtual exhibition in place of a physical one. All are invited to visit the exhibition and explore the artists individual pages once they are live. Check back on or after April 26, 2021 to view the exhibition and explore the artists individual pages. Congratulations to the class of 2021:
Graphic Design:
Emily M Calano, Joelle E McCue, Bridget M Monks, Brian R Payne, Francisco J Ramirez
Illustration:
Conor E Burke, Joseph M Eller, Danielle E Nielsen, Amanda R Palladino, Mary L Tedesco, Matthew K Wixted
Photography:
Jakari Austin, Daniel J Baker, Patrick J Burns, Macayla J Cody, Rae R O'Hara, William J Parrott, Sarah Sprogis
Studio Arts:
Anna M Boers, Emily C Mansi, Philicia K Matturie, Julia M Sterc, Ava P Westervelt
In collaboration with the Brookfield Craft Center, a limited in-person exhibition where select pieces from student portfolios will be on view at the Art Center's Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery, opening on May 1 through 30. Admission will be free and the public is requested to observe social distancing and mask requirements as well as posted capacity limits on the number of guests allowed in the gallery at one time.
2021 MFA Thesis Exhibition
The Department of Art organizes the MFA Thesis Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience demonstrating the personal artistic direction and mastery in the work of candidates for the MFA in Visual Arts. This exhibition featuring their thesis work is the culmination of two years of intensive creative study by graduate candidates in Painting, Illustration, and Interdisciplinary Visual Arts.
The 2021 MFA Exhibition will be installed in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center from April 5 – April 22. Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gallery is closed to the public. For this reason, we present a Virtual Exhibition available on our website launching on April 5, 2021. To view the exhibition, click on the heading above or the image to the left. A second exhibition will open to the public physically in New York City at Blue Mountain Gallery. A reception for the NYC exhibit is contingent on NYS Covid-19 guidelines.
SPRING 2020
2020 Senior Portfolio Exhibition
The Senior Portfolio exhibition is the capstone experience of four years of intensive study by Bachelor’s of Art candidates in Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, and Studio Arts. Congratulations to the class of 2020:
Graphic Design:
Sara Cabrera Jonathan DeMarco Amaris Diaz Adrian Franzino Jose Garcia Munia Hossain Nicole Ilagan Marin Keefe Matthew Landusky Rashonda Lee Bianca Nguyen Allison Novella Alysan Pages Daniel Paglialunga Jessica Paternoster Angie Perez Francis Serra Bhadrangi Soni Nowshin Tabassum Alessandra Turano
Illustration:
Janelle Chandler Colleen Feenan Mariam Haidar Paige Kissinger Ashton Sneed Kurt Vinci
Photography:
Jacalyn Doerwald Steven Oyarvide Daniela Pontaza-Santander
Studio Arts:
Arts Erik David-Lukas Alyssa Del Giorno Eleftherios Farina Hannah Lauth Joseph LoStocco Ellie Moon
2020 MFA Thesis Exhibition
The Department of Art organizes the MFA Thesis Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience demonstrating the personal artistic direction and mastery in the work of candidates for the MFA in Visual Arts. This exhibition featuring their thesis work is the culmination of two years of intensive creative study by graduate candidates in Painting, Illustration, and Interdisciplinary Visual Arts. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, a physical exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center is no longer possible, therefore we have created a virtual exhibition in place of a physical one and we would like to invite all of you to go to the link below to visit the exhibition. The MFA candidates' presenting their work in the 2020 Virtual Thesis Exhibition are:
Stephanie Dee
Brian Antonio McCarley
Amanda Paige Megill
Jen Olvera
Hannah Hurricane Sanchez
Wing Na Wong
FreeForm: exploring the creative process
January 30 – March 8, 2019
Leslie Giuliani & Roxy Savage
Opening Reception: Thursday, Jan 30, 6–8 pm
Artist Talk: 7 pm
FALL 2019
2019 Art Faculty Exhibition
WCSU DEPARTMENT OF ART
FACULTY EXHIBITION
October 24–December 8, 2019
Opening Reception: October 24, 6–8 pm
in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
This exhibition is an opportunity for students and the community to learn from the artwork of the full-time and adjunct faculty members who teach in the Department of Art. The talent and breadth of work presented in this exhibition provide a reminder of the creativity and diversity represented within the department. Faculty participants in the exhibtion will include David Boyajian, Riley Brewster, Leslie Cober-Gentry, Bruce Dunbar, Stacey Kolbig, Jurg Lanzrein, Sabrina Marques, Colleen McGuire, Francis Patnaude, Lori Robeau, Ken Scaglia, Elyse Shapiro, David Skora, Clintel Steed, Jack Tom, Catherine Vanaria, Chad Wallace, Erin Walrath and Terry Wells.
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release here.
COVERING BLUE NOTE
COVERING BLUE NOTE
October 10–16
Reception & Performance:
Thursday, October 10, 2019, 6–8 pm
in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Covering Blue note is a collaborative multi-disciplinary project, performance, and exhibition simultaneously combining live music, a multi-photographer photo session, and multiple graphic design stations. Leveraging the speed and flexibility of digital technology, a process that took weeks in the past will happen in real-time during the gallery opening. Drawing on the iconic Blue Note jazz label’s sound and look, a jazz quartet will present an “open rehearsal” in the gallery while multiple photographers shoot the session ala famed Blue Note co-owner and photographer Francis Wolf. An in-house photo editor will download the photographs, select the most interesting ones and send them to three graphic design work stations. Using the iconic work of designer Reid Miles as a model, individual graphic designers will create 12x12 album sized artwork for both electronic display, printing, and exhibition.
Sponsored by the WCSU Alumni Association
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release here.
AMERICAN SUBTITLES
AMERICAN SUBTITLES
Andres Chaparro & Robert Charles Hudson
August 26 – October 6, 2019
Reception: August 29, 6:00–8:00 pm
in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
American Subtitles is an exhibition featuring a richly varied range of paintings, sculptures, collages and mixed-media works that interpret the American experience of people of color. Chaparro and Hudson share a common passion in their artistic work to invite and challenge viewers to re-examine social crises from a fresh perspective and to explore the individual’s contributions to humanity while embracing visions of both unity and diversity.
An opening reception for the artists will be held from 6–8 pm on Thursday, Aug 29 in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center on the university's Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave Extension in Danbury. The exhibition will be open for public viewing during gallery hours from 12–4 pm, Mon–Fri and from 1–4 pm, Sat–Sun. Admission for gallery viewing and the reception will be free and open to the public.
Artist and curator, Andres Chaparro will also present an Artist Talk at 6 pm on Thursday, Sept 19 in the Art Gallery. Admission will be free and the public is invited.
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.
SPRING 2019
2019 Senior Portfolio Exhibition
APRIL 18 – MAY 5, 2019
Opening Reception:
Thursday, April 18, 6-8 p.m.
WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition. This exhibition is the capstone experience for students pursuing a B.A. in Art in one of five areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture. This year’s exhibition will feature works by 38 Western Connecticut State University undergraduate art majors who are candidates this year for the Bachelor of Arts degree (listed below).
Admission is free and the public is invited.
Graphic Design:
Nahndi Ali, Joseph Bottone, Paige Carnes, Alexa Collins, Ramazan Dovoljani, Heather Gantt, Lucas Gonzalez, Joshua Mueller, Kimberly Palmer, and Jonathan Spencer.
Illustration:
Kelly Criswell, Francisco Del Carpio-Beltran, Lindsey Lawton, Zachary Lloyd, Julie McCloskey, and Felisha Ortiz.
Painting:
Dana Aftyka, Emily Alderman, Octavia Byrd, David Flook, Morgan Ho, Alex Mondaca, Ashley O’Brien, Rachel Rossier, Thoai Tran, Valerie West-Rosenthal, and Veronica Woods.
Photography:
Alex Diverniero, Marcus Escribano, Khaalis Lee, Charles Loomis, Casey Orsini, Rachel Peet, Alessandra Turano, and Brianna Walker.
Sculpture:
Jacob Martnick, Phillip Reynolds, and Rockelle Veneruso.
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release Here.
2019 MFA Thesis Exhibition
MARCH 28 – APRIL 8
Opening Reception:
Thursday, March 28, 6-8 p.m.
The Department of Art organizes the MFA Thesis Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience demonstrating the personal artistic direction and mastery in the work of candidates for the MFA in Visual Arts, expressed in the works they present for viewing. The following MFA students will show their work in this year’s exhibition:
Dee Rose Barba Mildred Paulino
Brett M. Colon Dee Dee Perrone
Brian Ferreira Rima J. Rahal
Greg Mursko Andréa Rios
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.
neither here nor there (or And)
JANUARY 31 – MARCH 3, 2019
Opening Reception & Artist Talk: Thursday, Jan 31, 6-8 p.m.
Like trying to describe a color with words, a painter reaches for what is hard to make real. Like color, a painting can seem to be more than one thing. The way in which a painter wrestles with issues is hard to pin down. There is no ever-reliable solution. Often a painting depends not just on the painter, but also on the imagination and willingness of the viewer. Neither Here Nor There presents a collection of six artists work that eludes, disrupts, or transforms what seems familiar. Participating Artists: Samantha Bates, Gideon Bok, Rachel Hellmann, Sam King, Matt Murphy, and Stephanie Pierce. Curated by Matt Murphy.
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.
FALL 2018
"?" (A Series of Collaborative Works)
OCTOBER 25 – DECEMBER 9, 2018
Opening Reception & Artist Talk: Thursday, Oct 25, 6-8 p.m.
A conceptual and intentionally ambiguous exhibition by Glenn Goldberg and Amber Scoon, exploring the nature of art, collaboration and ownership.
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.
The Real Unreal: Realism Now
SEPTEMBER 4 – OCTOBER 14, 2018
Opening Reception & Artist Talk: Thursday, Sept 6, 6-8 p.m.
Featuring four artists whose work demonstrates a realistic and traditional painting style, while substituting subject matter with more compelling critiques on today’s culture and society. Participating Artists: Mia Brownell, Leeah Joo, Jenifer Knaus and Nathan Lewis. Curated by Jane Rainwater.
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.
SPRING 2018
PARALLEL PRACTICES
JANUARY 25 – MARCH 4
Opening Reception: Thursday, Jan. 25, 6 – 8 p.m.
Gallery Talk with guest curators: Wednesday, Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.
Closing Reception/Gallery Walk with the Artists: Sunday, March 4, 2 – 4 p.m.
Parallel Practices showcases the cross pollination of ideas across different mediums and the unexpected variety of creative expression that often happens concurrently in artists’ studios.
Participating Artists: Harriet Bellows, Matt Bollinger, Guy Corriero, Deborah Dancy, Fukuko Harris, Carol McMahon, Patricia Miranda, Elisa Soliven, Martha Tuttle, Alan Wiener, Mie Yim
Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.
FALL 2017
THINKING VISUALLY: THE ART OF CONNECTICUT ILLUSTRATORS
SEPTEMBER 25 – DECEMBER 3
Opening Reception: Thursday, Sept. 28, 6 – 8 p.m.
Artist Panel Discussion: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.
Moderated by Jack Tom, Associate Professor of Illustration
Featuring 15 contemporary illustrators from Connecticut, the exhibition will include books, design and editorial artwork in a variety of styles representing the specialized talent and diversity in this field of practice.
Participating Artists: Ross MacDonald, Bruce Degen, Guy Billout, Randy Enos, Wendell Minor, Robert Giusti, Bill Thomson, Roger Huyssen, Gerard Huerta, Leslie Cober-Gentry, Christine Kornacki, Robert Crawford, David Wenzel, James Grashow, Jon Sideriadis
Read more about the exhibition in the press release.
2016-2017 Exhibition Season
2015-2016 Exhibition Season
2014-2015 Exhibition Season