Opening Reception Student Select 2024: Exhibition that celebrates artwork created by students, exhibition continues through Friday, May 3, Dowd Fine Arts Center, first floor, Room 106, 5 to 7 p.m.
Opening Reception
Wednesday, April 17, 5-7 pm, Main Gallery
Dowd Gallery welcomes everyone to view and celebrate artworks created by SUNY Cortland Art and Art History Department students in the spring exhibition “Student Select 2024.”
“Student Select” is an annual juried art exhibition presented by Dowd Gallery and the Art Exhibition Association. This year’s juror is Carla Stetson, whom the members of the AEA selected. A contemporary artist and educator from the Ithaca region of NY, Stetson recently exhibited at Dowd Gallery (Eye Witness). Her interdisciplinary display and artist talk inspired students in discussion and creation throughout the spring semester, making her a popular choice among student body members.
This year’s exhibition explores the depths of the art department’s studio course diversity with a range of work from foundational courses through specializations. Visitors will experience a varied display of drawing, sculpture, ceramics, digital, print media, fibers, painting and more.
Students enrolled in art department studio courses are encouraged to submit pieces of work created during the academic year for Stetson to curate a collection of pieces that exhibit excellence in achievement.
The final selection of work will occur on April 9 and open to the public on April 15. The opening reception will take place on Wednesday, April 17, during which awards for the student select exhibition and the winner of the Muriel and Newell Keegan Prize for excellence in studio art will be announced.
Sharing the gallery space with the Student Select exhibition, Dana Garrison will be exhibiting her BFA Thesis, In the Weeds. Visitors can hear the artist present her work to the gallery as a capstone to her research and experience during her studies.
IN THE WEEDS
Dana Garrison
April 15th – May 3rd
Opening reception Wednesday, April 17, 5-7 pm
BFA Thesis Presentation
Bio:
Dana Garrison is a contemporary artist known for her intricate portraits. With a background in fine arts and a passion for experimentation, Dana’s work explores themes of identity, memory, and the human experience. Inspired by nature and the complexities in human relationships, her art engages viewers with its symbolism and mixture of materials. Dana takes inspiration from growing up in rural New York, where she grew up and found her passion for art. Dana is currently a senior BFA student at SUNY Cortland with a concentration in painting.
Descriptive Statement:
The exhibition “In the Weeds” is a journey through the artist’s relationship with herself and the individuals surrounding her. Each piece provides a window into the intricate tapestry of emotions, experiences, and connections that have shaped her existence. Through a dynamic use of color, form, and symbolism, the artist delves into the complexities of human interaction, exploring themes of love, loss, and resilience.
From intimate portraits to overgrown plant life, “In the Weeds” invites viewers to navigate the tangled undergrowth of human connection, offering glimpses of the beauty and challenges in our lives.
Artist statement:
In our lives, we can find comfort in comparison. A bad day can be compared to a bump in the road which wears itself out over time. A first touch with someone we come to love can be fireworks. Comparison helps us make sense of feelings that may be hard for us to experience. A juxtaposition of our emotions and experience to the known and accepted. Growing up surrounded by nature, from my grandfather’s garden to the dense forest behind my childhood home, I use symbols of nature as proxies for my personal experiences and emotions. My work is typically mixed media, allowing me to create layers that push and pull each other, symbolizing fluctuations in the human condition. I mainly use ink and acrylic paint, materials known for their permanence. I enjoy the swaying effect that mixing materials creates, sometimes working in harmony and other times creating chaos, mirroring life. I tend to look into myself and my personal life experiences or relationships as subject matter because I can create more emotional weight with subjects that stir my emotions.