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Parkland College’s Art + Design Faculty Exhibit opens on August 21st

Parkland College will be hosting their annual Art + Design Faculty Exhibit at the Giertz Gallery starting on August 21st, as the semester kicks off.

An opening reception will be held at 5:30 pm on August 24th, and will feature a talk at 6:30. 14 different artists have contributed to this year’s exhibition.

For more information, check out Parkland’s press release below:

Parkland College Art, Design Faculty Exhibit Opens Aug. 21

2017 Art and Design Faculty Exhibition Reception
August 24 • Giertz Gallery
Works by 14 artists; gallery talk at 6:30 p.m. by Matthew Watt and music by The Young and the Fretless, Thursday, August 24, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Giertz Gallery at Parkland College proudly presents the 2017 Art and Design Faculty Exhibition, opening Monday, Aug. 21.Drawing by Matthew Watt

This annual showcase by Parkland’s faculty artists runs through Sept. 16 and features sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, video, photography, metals, ceramics, and graphic design. Exhibiting faculty members include Chris Berti, Lisa Costello, Shawn Fairchild, Stacey Gross, Bryan Heaton, Melinda McIntosh, Laura O’Donnell, Denise Seif, Peggy Shaw, Sheila Schneider, Joan Stolz, Matthew Watt, Kelly White, Liza Wynette, and Paul Young.

An opening reception for the artists will take place Thursday, Aug. 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will include a gallery talk by Watt and music by The Young and the Fretless. During his talk at 6:30 p.m., Watt, drawing and painting faculty in Parkland College’s Art program, will discuss his work in the exhibition.

“I am motivated by experimentation of methods and materials in drawing,” he said. “My subject matter is the drawing itself. I don’t depict resemblances to the outside world. As I draw, I observe and respond to materials. A visual order takes shape. I wrangle with it until I feel it conveys a compelling balance of tension and unity. A drawing is a long and complicated dispute.”

The 2017 Art and Design Faculty Exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Fall gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, noon to 2 p.m. The gallery will be closed Monday, Sept. 4 for Labor Day.

To find the gallery when classes are in session, we suggest using the M6 parking lot on the north corner of the campus. Enter through door X7, turn left, and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point of the first floor, where the gallery is located. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Parkland is a section 504/ADA-compliant institution. For accommodation, call 217/351-2505.

[Image: Matthew Watt, Dominus, graphite, ink, and watercolor on paper, 30″ x 44″, 2017]

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