By:Rachael Bergeron
Potter Art Gallery opened the new year with Patchwork and Thread.
The exhibit offered a unique perspective of a traditional art form. “The theme was chosen as an opportunity to bring diverse artists together into one exhibition,” according to Rebecca Foley, director of the gallery. “The theme, Patchwork and Thread, connects artists using diverse mediums by connecting them to quilting; either in theme or technique,” Foley said. Artists from around the nation displayed their works in the exhibit. Each piece, uniquely created, presented different solutions to express the idea of patchwork and thread; many using unconventional mediums in unexpected ways.
“I thought the theme was interesting,” Janelle Anderson, a senior in graphic design, said. “It was intriguing to figure out how the pieces fit together under the umbrella of that name.
Bart Vargas, who displayed pieces from his series Portals, explained in his biography his creative process.
“Aspects of salvage, collection and repetition run through all my works.” Vargas said, “I recover local materials deemed unwanted or useless, including trash, recyclables and surplus items and then transform them into playful, approachable and thought-provoking objects.”
In her artist statement, Laura Nugent said, “I create non-representational, painterly works featuring imperfect pattern and fresh color relationships.” Nugent displayed two paintings in the Patchwork and Thread exhibit.
Potter Art Gallery features multiple exhibitions throughout each academic year.
“The gallery is a teaching space and showcases art by faculty and students as well as the work of professional artists.” Foley said. In gathering professional artists together, as with this exhibit, students have the opportunity to get a close up and personal look their artwork.
“The most appealing aspect was the diversity from piece to piece, I enjoy how each piece incorporates a patchwork element,” Anderson said about the exhibits artwork.
Anderson, who felt “inspired” by the exhibit, said, “The pieces were very well presented, exciting to ideas, something different from what we are seeing in the classroom. Seeing the different solutions to an idea was beautiful and encourages me to try different solutions in my own work.”