Craig Hood, Wishing Well, 2005, oil on linen, 30” x 44”

UNH Faculty Artists Exhibit Presented At The Art Gallery

Twelve UNH faculty artists are exhibiingt their recent works in The Artists Revealed: 2005 Studio Art Program Exhibition at The Art Gallery. The exhibit runs through Oct. 23.

Each year, The Art Gallery presents recent work by the artists who teach and work in the UNH Department of Art and Art History. These full-time professors are dedicated to teaching students how to express themselves through the language of the visual arts, focusing on the elements of line, shape, color, and space. At the same time, they are actively creating their own art in their studios in Portsmouth, Rollinsford, and Boston. Each has a distinguished record of exhibitions in galleries and museums. The Artists Revealed: 2005 Studio Art Program Exhibition is marked by the breadth and range of the department’s studio art program, as it features paintings, ceramics, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, furniture design, and photography.

Works in the exhibition include: paintings by Niels Burger, Benjamin S. Cariens, Brian Chu, Grant Drumheller, Craig Hood, Jennifer Moses, and Langdon Quin; prints by Scott Schnepf; sculptural works by Maryse Searls McConnell and Michael McConnell; wood furniture and sculpture by Lynn Szymanski; and photographs by Andrew M. K. Warren.

Five of the twelve artists have returned from sabbatical leave or are new to the UNH faculty; their work will be featured more prominently in the exhibition. Painters Jennifer Moses and Langdon Quin and sculptor Michael McConnell have produced extended bodies of work during recent sabbatical leaves. The exhibition will introduce the work of two new instructors—the paintings of Niels Burger and the wood furniture and sculpture of Lynn Szymanski.

“Among the challenges faced by these artists is the need to balance the demands of full-time teaching here at the University with their careers as professional artists,” states Vicki C. Wright, director of The Art Gallery. “Teaching extended studio art classes and guiding the development of students in our B.A., B.F.A., and M.F.A. programs leaves precious little time to create work in their own studios, work with gallery dealers and collectors, and prepare for exhibitions. This exhibition is a wonderful way to introduce students and the community to the professional work being created by these educators.”

The Artists Revealed is part of a statewide series of exhibitions, New Hampshire: The State of Art, which showcases Granite State art and artists at 26 museums and galleries throughout the state, from September through December 2005. Exhibitions range from important masterworks and historic decorative artifacts to the latest artworks in ceramics, paint, multimedia, quilts, and even clothing—all created by New Hampshire artists. The series is a collaborative project of the NH Visual Arts Coalition, presented in partnership with the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and generously sponsored by Ocean National Bank, Public Service of New Hampshire, and US Trust Company, NA.

ArtBreak Series: Wednesdays, noon - 1 p.m.

Sept. 14 Concert by Quinto, performing a nonliturgical version of the Mass for Five Voices by William Byrd. Led by William Kempster, Dir. of Choral Activities, UNH.

Sept. 21 Reading/Discussion on the novel, Evening Sun, by NH author Katherine Towler.

Sept. 28 Gallery Talk by exhibiting faculty artists Craig Hood, Jennifer Moses, Langdon Quin, & Scott Schnepf.

Oct. 5 Reading/Discussion on her book, The Adventure of Two Lifetimes, by NH author Peggy Newland. Room A219

Oct. 12 Gallery Talk by exhibiting faculty artists Lynn Szymanski, Andrew M.K. Warren, Maryse Searls McConnell, & Michael McConnell.

Oct. 19 Slide Lecture/Discussion by ceramic artist Jane Kaufmann. Room A219

The Art Gallery is in the PCAC. Admission is free. Hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. The Art Gallery is closed Fridays, university holidays, and during exhibition changes.