Events
Third Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean ultrices magna ac turpis dignissim, ac consequat turpis porta. Nullam vehicula diam sit amet diam eleifend, eu feugiat metus consectetur. Quisque a augue vitae ante sodales imperdiet eget et risus. Nunc erat eros, faucibus ac felis id, commodo auctor massa. Proin mattis purus eget placerat posuere. Vestibulum nec consectetur risus. Nunc ac nisl sed libero feugiat semper a vel diam. Sed et lectus lacus. Etiam rhoncus tempus aliquet. Nulla congue in diam eget lacinia. Mauris nec tempus risus, at sollicitudin dolor. Proin efficitur, magna ac finibus vestibulum, elit tellus elementum risus, id pulvinar purus urna vitae enim. Duis vitae lacus non nisl ultricies iaculis. Sed non risus a lacus viverra sodales ac in magna. Maecenas lobortis nunc sit amet convallis ullamcorper. Praesent nec leo vel neque condimentum posuere sit amet ac mi. Pellentesque vitae urna commodo, fermentum metus fermentum, sagittis felis. Nullam condimentum, nunc maximus pellentesque varius, augue nunc pulvinar lacus, quis porttitor urna sapien et nisi. Mauris commodo mollis massa. Curabitur euismod, justo ut convallis ultricies, velit sapien faucibus massa, a feugiat erat leo a leo. Aenean id lacus mauris. Aliquam dignissim urna est, sed tempor orci gravida eu. Nulla… Read More
My Second Test Post It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using 'Content here, content here', making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for 'lorem ipsum' will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like). Read More2019 MFA Graduates to Exhibit in NYC Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition 2019 Blue Mountain Gallery Opening Reception: Thursday, June 20, 5–8 pm On view: June 18–July 6 Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 11 am–6 pm 530 West 25 Street, 4th Floor New York, New York The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. Eight graduate students will present their work this year at Blue Mountain Gallery: Dee Rose Barba Brett M. Colon Brian Ferreira Greg Mursko Mildred Paulino Dee Dee Perrone Rima J. Rahal Andréa Rios View their work in the Exhibition Catalog Read More
Sip & Sketch Friday, May 3, 7–9pm Enjoy a fun and creative evening of drawing from a live model in a relaxed environment while you sip wine and sample assorted snacks in our Drawing Studio (VPA 241) on the 2nd floor of the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Materials are provided but you may bring your own supplies too. All skill levels are welcome. Must be 21+ to attend. $25.00 per person (includes all materials & refreshments). WCSU Alumni get $5 discount (email robeaul@wcsu.edu for discount code) Sponsored by the Department of Art and the WCSU Alumni Association Get tickets HERE. Read More
NYC Museum Bus Trip The Metropolitan Museum of Art & the Brooklyn Museum Thursday, April 26, 2017 $10.00 / round trip Open to all SVPA students (and guests), faculty and staff. All ART Classes are cancelled for that day. Purchase tickets at the VPAC Box Office or online here. Ticket sales end when the bus is full so be sure to reserve your seat today! Due to charter reservation and limited seating, refunds will not be available. Depart from VPAC: North Arts Entrance Westside Campus 9:00 am sharp Bus will drop off at: 1) The MET and then continue on to 2) The Brooklyn Museum (the bus will stay at the Brooklyn Museum until a 4:00 pm when it will go back to The MET to pick everyone up to return back to WCSU.) Return to WCSU: From the MET at 5:00 pm sharp Sponsored by The Department of Art. For more information contact the Dept. of Art at 203-837-8403 or the VPAC Box office at 203-837-8732. Read More
Kenny Rivero Visiting Artist Lecture Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 11:00 am Kenny Rivero was born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City. He earned a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 2006 and an MFA from Yale School of Art in 2012. Through painting, drawing, sculpture, and installation, he states, “My work addresses themes of Dominican-American identity, socio-geographic solidarity, cultural and familial expectations, race, and masculinity.” “I produce work that offers viewers a chance to reflect on hope, loss, and memory.” Kenny’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums in the US and abroad, including: Pera Museum, Turkey; Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands; The Contemporary Art Museum St Louis; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling, New York; El Museo del Barrio, New York; The Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington; and MASS MoCA, North Adams. He has been a guest lecturer and visiting artist at El Museo del Barrio, Bennington College, Middlebury College, NYU, Williams College, and Cooper Union. A recipient of many awards, Kenny received a Rema Hort Mann Foundation Emerging Artist Grant and a Visiting Scholar position at NYU. He has been awarded residencies at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace Program, the Roswell… Read More
Fritz Drury Visiting Artist Lecture Monday, April 1, 2019, 11:00 am Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144 WCSU, Westside Campus Free & Open to the Public Limited Seating Available Fritz Drury is a painter and Professor of Illustration at Rhode Island School of Design, where he has taught drawing and painting since 1981. He received his BA from Stanford University and his MFA from Yale School of Art. Since 2002, he has also taught a collaborative course at Brown University in Virtual Reality Design for Science. With colleagues from Brown, he has co-authored papers on the intersection of science and art. He also co-authored a college textbook in 2007 with Joanne Stryker at RISD, Drawing: Structure and Vision. In 2011, he was chief critic for RISD’s European Honors Program in Rome. Fritz’s studio work is based in figurative oil paintings with an emphasis on poetic narrative, derived from literature, art history, and contemporary experience. Recent works suggest an ideal state of human connection with the natural universe. Fritz is also a portrait painter with commissioned works at Brown University, Colorado College, University of RI, and other collections. Reviewed in Art in America, his work has been widely exhibited in the US,… Read More
Sabrina Marques Art Faculty Talk Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 6:00 pm Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 108 WCSU, Westside Campus Free & Open to the Public, Limited Seating Available Sabrina Marques is an Assistant Professor of Studio Art and MFA Critic at Western Connecticut State University. She received her BA in Visual Arts from Columbia University. During college, she studied painting and drawing at the International School of Art in Umbria, Italy. After graduating from Columbia, Sabrina worked in New York with theater and movie director Julie Taymor. She attended the Yale School of Art, where she received a MFA in Painting and Printmaking. Her solo exhibition titled “Mi Patria Querida (My Beloved Homeland)” at Real Art Ways in Hartford, CT, explored her heritage as the daughter of a Cuban exile through paintings filled with stories of her family’s experience during the Cuban Revolution. Sabrina has exhibited in at Wallspace and Morgan Lehman Gallery in New York City, the Geoffrey Young Gallery in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and Artspace in New Haven, Connecticut. She has been in artist in residence at The Vermont Studio Center, The Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, Italy, The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, and The Studios of… Read More
Leslie Cober-Gentry Faculty Artist Lecture Tuesday, March 5, 2019, 11:30 am Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144 WCSU, Westside Campus Free & Open to the Public Limited Seating Available Leslie Cober-Gentry was born in New York City and grew up in a creative environment. She was surrounded by many artist friends of her father, Alan E. Cober, a renowned Hall of Fame Illustrator. By a young age, Leslie discovered her passion in illustration, and at age 15, completed her first assignment for the New York Times Op Ed page. She received her BFA from Syracuse University and continued to create professionally for magazines, newspapers, corporations, and advertising agencies. Her numerous clients have included: Washington Post, Forbes, New York Post, Wall Street Journal, Sony Records, Sesame Street, Disney, National Geographic, Strathmore Paper, Hallmark Cards, and Nike, to name only a few. In 2011, Leslie received her MFA in Illustration from the University of Hartford. She has been teaching at WCSU in the graduate illustration program since 2015, and also teaches illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. A recipient of numerous awards, she has been honored by The Society of Publication Designers, Print’s Regional Design Annual, Vision Awards Annual Report… Read More
Ross MacDonald Visiting Artist Lecture Tuesday, March 5, 2019, 11:30 am Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144 WCSU, Westside Campus Free & Open to the Public Limited Seating Available Ross MacDonald is a self-taught artist whose illustrations have appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Rolling Stone. His work was the subject of a one-man retrospective at The New York Times and has been honored in many competitions of design and illustration, among them the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Print Regional Design Annual, Society of Publication Designers, Communication Arts, and AIGA. In 2011 he received the gold medal from the Society of Illustrators. Ross has written and illustrated several children’s books, including Another Perfect Day and The Noisy Alphabet, closen for Best Book of 2003 by Child Magazine and Nick Jr magazine. He has also worked as a prop designer and as a consultant on period printing, design and documents for nearly 50 movies and television series, including: The Hateful Eight, Joy, Silver Linings Playbook, Seabiscuit; two HBO series, In Treatment and Boardwalk Empire, and the NBC series Parks and Recreation. Ross has also created cards for MOMA, a postage stamp, animated… Read More
Faculty Spotlight Photo courtesy of Erin Walrath Photo courtesy of Sarah Stewart Riley Brewster Doing What Comes Naturally: Seven Painters in Their Prime February 2 - August 4, 2019 Curated by Robert Storr Riley Brewster Denzil Hurley John Obuck Nathlie Provosty Rebecca Purdum Joyce Robins Andrew Spence An Excerpt From the Curator, Robert Storr's Essay about Riley's work: "...Brewster's incessant drawing with a brush charged with dry, pasty oil pigments, and his comparably unceasing revisions of exploratory marks, are realized in strokes that are virtually if not totally indistinguishable from those they cover and in the process correct or reconfigure. Think Giacometti without wiry delineation or any recognizable bodies or furniture or architectural framework whatsoever. Furthermore, Brewster's paintings are devoid of the overtly melodramatic signs of anguish so many post-existentialist painters affect to the detriment of their compelling pictorial monomanias, though it is hard not to feel a deeply unsettled and hard-to-please nature beneath the second-nature of the language Brewster has chosen. Rather they evoke the implacable density of New England granite and fog. From that vantage point, the muted values of the lichen green, pewter, and slate gray hues that make up his palette would appear to bespeak a depressive temperament, or,… Read More
Hilary Doyle Visiting Artist Lecture Tuesday, February 19, 2019, 11:30 am Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144 WCSU, Westside Campus Free & Open to the Public Limited Seating Available Hilary Doyle is an artist from Worcester, MA, now living in Brooklyn, NY. Her work includes painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture about class, gender and psychology. She received an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design and a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her work was recently exhibited at Monya Rowe Gallery and Field Projects, both in NYC, and at Erin Cluely Gallery in Texas. She has also had solo shows at The Active Space in Brooklyn and at Brown University. With exhibitions since 2007, her work has received press coverage in Hyperallergic, Bushwick Daily, and New American Paintings Blog. A recipient of many awards, she received a Vermont Studio Center fellowship and, more recently, a residency in 2017 at MassMoCA Museum of Contemporary Art. Hilary is also a teacher and curator. She is part-time faculty at Rhode Island School of Design and SUNY Purchase College, where she teaches drawing and painting. She is the founder of NYC Crit Club which she teaches and operates with artist, curator… Read More
Student Spotlight Wing Na (Wendy) Wong MFA 2020 MFA Student, Wing Na Wong is on the path for success! Her photorealistic paintings have been getting national attention! Her work was selected and featured on the nationally broadcast Ellen DeGeneres show this past December. (Click on the image above to check out the video clip from the show.) A recognition few student artists achieve while still in school. Wing is also one of five artists selected to display artwork in the Waterbury office of the newly elected US Representative for Connecticut's 5th congressional district, Jahana Hayes. It will remain on view for the duration of her two year appointment. Wing graduated from WCSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design in May 2018 and is now in her first year of the MFA in Visual Arts program. While maintaining academic success, she has also maintained a prolific studio practice and continues to exhibit her work. Read More
Nancy Stahl Visiting Artist Lecture Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 11:30 am Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144 WCSU, Westside Campus Free & Open to the Public Limited Seating Available Nancy Stahl is an illustrator who lives in New York City. She attended Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and also studied at School of Visual Arts. She has worked in a career split equally between traditional media and digitally created art. In 1989 she was introduced to post-production work on a Quantel Paintbox and was also invited to Adobe’s headquarters to test a pre-release of the original Photoshop. She began to work exclusively on the computer two years later. Nancy’s assignments have ranged from editorial work for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Time magazine to corporate identity, packaging and advertising for diverse companies including: The Disney Family Museum, Stonyfield Farms, Time-Life Music, and the National Parks Service. She has also created work for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and the US Postal Service, which has used over thirty-five of her illustrations on postage stamps. Her work is represented in The Illustrator in America, Rolling Stone: The Illustrated Portraits, and 50 Years of Illustration.… Read More
Student Exhibition at Ridgefield Library WCSU Painting IV Student Exhibition Thresholds Ridgefield Library December 2, 2018 - January 16, 2019 Artists' Reception: Thurs, Dec 6, 6–8pm Participating artists from the WCSU, Department of Art, Painting IV class: Dana Aftyka, Octavia Byrd, David Flook, Phoebe Hart, Morgan Ho, Alex Mondaca, Ashley O’Brien, Rachel Rossier, Thoai Tran, Valerie West-Rosenthal, Roni Woods Thresholds artist/exhibition statement: In our paintings we ask questions about materiality, perception, and the unknown. Our work collectively represents a broad cross section of the human experience. By engaging with imagination and indulging in our dreams, we seek to break boundaries and to enable the viewer to escape from their daily routines. Immersing ourselves in these fantastical realities, we question the filters of perception. These worlds we create provide us with the means to reflect upon ourselves. As we look inward, we encounter emotions and experiences that have profoundly affected our lives. Courageously, we can tell stories that truthfully address and illustrate ways we deal with our individual memory and history. By cultivating our perceptions, we can become artists who encourage and uplift one another as we struggle with articulating the human experience. Art provides us with a medium through which we can bridge the spiritual… Read More
Internships at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art has internship opportunities available for Spring 2019. They have positions open in the curatorial, education and archive departments (listed below). Check out their website for more information and application procedures: https://thewadsworth.org/about/opportunities/internship/ American Art Intern The American Art intern will assist with collections research and interpretation to help develop ideas for future exhibitions on a wide-range of art historical topics and time periods, including history painting, portraiture, folk art, modernism, and surrealism; from the Revolutionary War to World War II. The intern’s duties will include researching paintings, sculpture, and works on paper in the permanent collection as well as identifying and researching artworks in other collections related to a specific theme, topic, or artist. The intern will create & maintain research files and maintain checklists for internal discussions with the curatorial, education, marketing, and fundraising departments. Applicant: This position is open to undergraduate seniors and graduate students. The successful candidate will demonstrate an interest in one or more of the following: art, art history, American studies, English, American History. Experience with collections databases a plus. Excellent writing, research, and creative thinking skills will be required. This Internship is not limited to art history majors. 1-2… Read More
Student Spotlight Marcus Escribano: Senior–Photography Marcus Escribano, senior photo student, has a career track that has been growing momentum over the past year. As a world traveler, he has been gaining international recognition for his work, while at the same time he has been able to maintain his grades at WCSU to continue to make the Dean's list. Some of his recent achievements have included: In May 2017, he was awarded the Allard Prize for International Integrity Photo competition, and was selected for a Photo-Graphic Group Exhibition "The Image of the Savage" at the LoosenArt Millepiani Exhibition Space in Rome, Italy. In June 2017, his work was selected from over 550 photographs to be exhibited in "Portraits in B&W" at Blank Wall Gallery, in Athens, Greece. Continuing into 2018, in January his work was published in the book, "Conceptual" by LoosenArt Gallery & Magazine February 2018 - his work was selected for a juried international photography exhibition "Just in Time" at PH21 Gallery, Budapest Hungary. In the summer, July 2018, Marcus participated in the Rome Art Program (RAP), Rome, Italy. As a RAP 2018 alumni, Marcus was selected to participate with his photographic work in the NY International Art Festival, Chelsea-Manhattan NYC, in Oct 2018.… Read More
Student Ceramics Sale Thurs & Fri, December 6–7 The Western Connecticut State University Department of Art will host a ceramics sale from 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 6 and 7, in the new ceramics studio, Room 017 of White Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. All are welcome. Students in the WCSU Department of Art will sell their handmade ceramic craft products. The student artists have produced a variety of functional and non-toxic ceramic wares as part of their work in classes at WCSU. Ceramics on sale for holiday gift giving and personal use will include plates, bowls and other pieces that are made with pigmented clays or have been given a glazed finish. Cash or check sales only. Funds raised from the sale will be used to purchase clay and supplies for the ceramics program. A tour of the new WCSU art studio and information about the ceramics process will be available to visitors during the sale. For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403 or Ceramics Professor, Jurg Lanzrein at lanzreinj@wcsu.edu. Read More
Portfolio Day Portfolio Reviews by WCSU Art Faculty The Department of Art will offer an opportunity for students interested in pursuing an education in art and design to have their works reviewed by members of the WCSU art faculty during a “Portfolio Day” event on Saturday, Dec. 1. The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 145 of the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. Participation is encouraged for high school and college transfer students interested in pursuing art studies at WCSU, as well as their parents, teachers and guidance counselors. Admission is free and advance registration is required; reservations may be submitted online at https://wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com. Participants are invited to bring in selections from their works or a digital portfolio, and will meet individually with professional artists who teach at WCSU. Faculty members will critique portfolios to provide feedback and guidance on works presented and also will be prepared to discuss professional career opportunities in art and design, as well as concentrations for study in the Art Department’s Bachelor of Arts program. For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403. Read More
Sip & Sketch Friday, Nov 9, 7–9pm Enjoy a fun and creative evening of drawing from a live model in a relaxed environment while you sip wine and sample assorted snacks in our Drawing Studio (VPA 241) on the 2nd floor of the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Materials are provided but you may bring your own supplies too. All skill levels are welcome. Must be 21+ to attend. $25.00 per person (includes all materials & refreshments). WCSU Alumni get $5 discount (email robeaul@wcsu.edu for discount code) Sponsored by the Department of Art and the WCSU Alumni Association Get tickets HERE. Read More
Gallery Opening "?" (A Series of Collaborative Works) Glenn Goldberg & Amber Scoon Oct 4 – Dec 9 Artist Reception / Gallery Talk: Oct 25, 6–8 pm Internationally acclaimed artists Glenn Goldberg and Amber Scoon will show selections from their year of creative exchanges by mail in an exhibition titled “?” that will run from Thursday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in the Visual and Performing Arts Center Art Gallery at Western Connecticut State University. The works in the exhibition were inspired by the artists’ collaboration as co-authors of the book “?” published in 2017 by Atropos Press. RSVP for the Artist Reception / Gallery Talk HERE Read More
Fall 2018 NYC Museum Bus Trip NEW YORK CITY BUS TRIP TO THE MET THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18 Open to all SVPA students (and guests), faculty and staff. All ART Classes are cancelled for that day. DETAILS: Depart from the VPAC North Arts Entrance, Westside Campus 9:00 am sharp Return to WCSU Depart from the MET at 5:00 pm sharp Ticket sales end when the bus is full so be sure to reserve your seat today! *Due to charter reservation and limited seating, refunds will not be available. Sponsored by The Department of Art. For more information contact the Dept. of Art at 203-837-8403 or the VPAC Box office at 203-837-8732. Read More
Faculty Spotlight Kenneth Scaglia, Assistant Professor of Art Professor Ken Scaglia was invited to participate in a two-year traveling exhibition, LUSTER: Realism and Hyperrealism in Contemporary Automobile and Motorcycle Painting. The exhibition features some 50 paintings in a range of media and size by 15+ realist and hyperrealist artists who specialize in automobiles and motorcycles as their primary subject of choice. The exhibition premiered on March 10 - June 21, 2018 at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, FL and has traveled and will continue to travel around the country through 2021: July 20 - September 9, 2018 Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum in Logan, KS October 1 - December 23, 2018 Maria V. Howard Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC January 12 - February 10, 2019 The Evelyn Burrow Museum, Hanceville, AL March 1 – May 19, 2019 Saginaw Art Museum, Saginaw, MI June 7 - September 30, 2019 Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center, Pueblo, CO November 7, 2019 - February 2, 2020 Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA March 6 – May 10, 2020 The Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA June 1 - September 27, 2020 The Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA June 1… Read More
BUS TRIP TO JERRY’S ARTARAMA FREE BUS TRIP TO JERRY'S ARTARAMA Saturday, September 1, 2018, 10:00 am–1:00 pm Jerry's Artarama is sponsoring a free bus trip to their Norwalk store for WCSU Art Students. This is a great opportunity for students to stock up on needed Art Supplies for the semester during their big Fall Sale! Jerry's will have extra staff on hand to help you with your purchases and answer any questions you may have about your supplies. Don't miss out! The Details: Sign up for the bus in the Art Office, VPA 143 Be sure to pick up their Fall Sale Flyer and special WCSU student discount coupon! 10:00 am – Leave the VPAC North Arts Entrance (back parking lot) 12:00 pm – Leave Jerry's to return to the VPAC by around 1:00 pm Read More
Save the dates – Fall Semester Visiting Artists UPCOMING VISITING ARTISTS Deborah Zlotsky, painter Mon, Sept 24, 2018 Fritz Horstman, interdisciplinary Mon, Oct 8, 2018 Jon Krause, illustrator Tues, Oct 23, 2018 Glenn Goldberg, painter Mon, Nov 5, 2018 Elena Sisto painter Mon, Nov 19, 2018 Eric Valesquez, illustrator Tuesday, September 11, 2018, 11:00 am Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144 WCSU, Westside Campus Illustrator Eric Velasquez was born in Spanish Harlem and he grew up in Harlem. He earned his BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Eric has been illustrating for over 30 years. He has illustrated over 30 children’s books, his first picture book “The Piano Man” by Debbie Chocolate, published by Bloomsbury won the Coretta-Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent. In 2010 Eric was awarded an NAACP Image award for his work in “Our Children Can Soar” which he collaborated on with 12 notable illustrators of children’s literature. Eric also wrote and illustrated “Grandma’s Records” and its follow up “Grandma’s Gift” which won the 2011 Pura Belpre’ Award for illustration and was also nominated for a 2011 NAACP Image Award. Eric’s latest book “Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library” by Carole Boston Weatherford has gathered rave reviews, and has also won… Read More
MFA graduates to exhibit works in New York City Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition 2018 Blue Mountain Gallery Opening Reception: Thursday, June 21, 5–8 pm On view: June 19–July 7 Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 11 am–6 pm 530 West 25 Street, 4th Floor New York, New York The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. Six graduate students will present their work this year at Blue Mountain Gallery: Jesse Navarra Jennifer Oliveira-Florio Jonathan Schreyer Barbara Sinisi Alyssa Voytek Erin Walrath View the Exhibition Catalog Read More
2018 MFA Thesis Exhibition The Department of Art and School of Visual & Performing Arts at Western Connecticut State University is pleased to announce its candidates for the 2018 Master of Fine Arts degree Jessee Navarra Jennifer Oliveira-Florio Jonathan Schreyer Barbara Sinisi Alyssa Voytek Erin Walrath Read More
Sip & Sketch Friday, March 23, 7–9pm Enjoy a fun and creative evening of drawing from a live model in a relaxed environment while you sip wine and sample assorted snacks in our Drawing Studio (VPA 241) on the 2nd floor of the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Materials are provided but you may bring your own supplies too. All skill levels are welcome. Must be 21+ to attend. $25.00 per person (includes all materials & refreshments) WCSU Alumni get $5 discount (email for discount code) Sponsored by WCSU Alumni Association Get tickets online HERE. Read More
Faculty Spotlight David Boyajian, Adjunct Professor of Art Adjunct professor, David Boyajian was selected from a field of 5 artists by the Connecticut commission on the arts. His free standing Gateway sculpture made from stainless steel was chosen by the Commission to be installed at 450 Columbus Blvd in Hartford, Connecticut. His project was completed in two phases: Phase I included a free standing sculpture on the pedestrian walkway. Phase II is a large wall relief composed of positive and negative cut out images of branches and oak leaves, representing a young grove of oak trees or scions from the charter Oak. Phase II will be installed on the wall below the pedestrian walkway and will be completed in June of 2018. Read More
Alumni Spotlight Janet Warner MFA 2017 Congratulations to MFA alumna, Janet Warner who is currently one of seventeen artists on the installation team for the exhibition Sol LeWitt Wall Drawings: Expanding a Legacy. Under John Hogan the installation Director and Archivist for the Sol LeWitt Wall drawings, Janet is working on three of the seven drawings, numbers #142 progressive lines (not Straight), #610 isometric figure with color ink wash superimposed, and #372 six geometric figures (parallelogram). The installation takes place from January through the end of February. The exhibition opens March 2nd, and there will be a gallery talk “Not Straight Lines: Installing Sol LeWitt Wall Drawings” with John Hogan and the installation team on March 7th. For more information about this talk and additional related programming, visit artgallery.yale.edu/calendar. Janet will not only be credited as an artist on the wall text during the exhibition and go into the LeWitt archives, she will also be credited in the Artifex Press Catalogue, Sol LeWitt Wall Drawings Catalogue Raisonné. Be sure to check out a short video clip of the installation on the Yale University Art Gallery Instagram page. About the Exhibition: Sol LeWitt Wall Drawings: Expanding a Legacy features seven drawings newly donated to… Read More
Student Spotlight Jesse Navarra MFA 2018 MFA student, Jesse Navarra was recently published in the Winter 2018 issue of Illustrators Journal, featuring a step-by-step progression of his work "Plastic Ocean Project". The Illustrators Journal is a trianual print and digital publication which features established and emerging artists and their work. Jesse is a second year MFA student and will be graduating this May. Currently he is working toward his thesis which will be displayed in the 2018 MFA Thesis Exhibition opening March 29 and will remain on view through April 9 in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to Jesse for his achievement! He is off to a great start towards a bright and successful career! Read More
Gallery Talk CURATOR'S TALK Wednesday, January 31, 6:30 pm In the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center Free and Open to the Public Guest Curator’s, Lori Glavin & Patricia Spergel will discuss the work and process of curating the Parallel Practices Exhibition on view through March 4, 2018 in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Read More
Save the dates – Spring Semester Visiting Artists Steve Brodner, illustrator Tuesday, January 30, 2018 Steve Brodner is an illustrator, caricaturist and political commentator working for publications in the U.S. since the 1970’s. He received his BFA from Cooper Union in 1976 and began his long career as a freelance illustrator with the New York Times Book Review in 1977. The list of magazines and newspapers to which he has contributed sly commentary on controversial subjects and political events includes: Harper’s, National Lampoon, Rolling Stone, Spy, Esquire, The New Yorker, The Nation, Village Voice, The Washington Post, LA Times, and many more. In 2008, Brodner became the first living illustrator to have a major career retrospective at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. In over thirty years he has received numerous awards from the Society of Illustrators, Art Directors Club, Society of Publication Designers, National Cartoonists Society, Communication Arts, among others. He has also worked in film and television, including PBS for “Frontline” and “Need to Know”. Since 1993 he has taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology and has also taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York City where he resides. UPCOMING VISITING ARTISTS: Matt Bollinger, interdisciplinary Monday, February 12, 2018 Kelly… Read More
Gallery Opening PARALLEL PRACTICES Jan 25 - March 4 Opening Reception: January 25, 6-8 pm Curated by Lori Glavin and Patricia Spergel Featuring a group of artists who work in more than one medium, “Parallel Practices” will showcase the cross-pollination of ideas and the unexpected variety of creative expression that often happens concurrently in artists’ studios, creating parallel bodies of work, each equally important to their artistic practices. The exhibition will present works which include painting, sculpture, collage, drawing, ceramics, animation, installation and photography. Participating artists include: Harriet Bellows, Matt Bollinger, Guy C. Corriero, Deborah Dancy, Fukuko Harris, Carol McMahon, Patricia Miranda, Elisa Soliven, Martha Tuttle, Alan Wiener and Mie Yim. Read More
Sip & Sketch Friday, January 19, 7–9pm Enjoy a fun and creative evening of drawing from a live model in a relaxed environment while you sip wine and sample assorted snacks in our Drawing Studio (VPA 241) on the 2nd floor of the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Materials are provided but you may bring your own supplies too. All skill levels are welcome. Must be 21+ to attend. $25.00 per person (includes all materials & refreshments) WCSU Alumni get $5 discount with secret code Sponsored by WCSU Alumni Association Read More
Student Ceramics Sale Thurs & Fri, December 7 & 8, 2017 The Department of Art will host a ceramics sale from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 7 and 8, 2017, in Room 012 of White Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. All are welcome. Students in Western’s Department of Art will sell their hand-made ceramic pieces. The students have produced a variety of functional and non-toxic ceramic wares as part of their artistic work in classes at WCSU. Ceramics on sale for holiday gift giving and personal use will include plates, bowls and other pieces that are made with pigmented clays or have been given a glazed finish. Funds raised from sale of the ceramic pieces will be used to purchase supplies for the Art Department ceramics program. A tour of the WCSU art studio and information about the ceramics process will be available to all visitors during the sale. For more information, contact Visual Arts Assistant, Lori Robeau at robeaul@wcsu.edu or Adjunct Professor of Art Jurg Lanzrein at lanzreinj@wcsu.edu. Read More
Portfolio Day Saturday, December 2, 2017 1-4pm The Department of Art at WCSU will host a Portfolio Day on Saturday, December 2, 2017 from 1-4 p.m. in room 145 of the Visual & Performing Arts Center located on the University's Westside Campus, 43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury. This is a unique opportunity for those interested in pursuing an education in art and design to meet individually with professional art faculty who can provide valuable feedback and guidance on your portfolio of artwork. Additionally, participants will have the chance to discuss concentrations in the Bachelor of Arts program and get answers to questions about professional careers in art and design. The event is free and all High school students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors and college transfer students are encouraged to attend. Read More
Illustration Panel Discussion TONIGHT! Wednesday, Nov 15, 2017 Seven critically acclaimed Connecticut illustrators whose works are featured in a continuing exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center will discuss their artistic works and careers at a panel discussion at 6:30 pm tonight, Wednesday, November 15, 2017. The Panel Discussion will be presented in Room 108 of the Visual and Performing Arts Center, on the WCSU Westside campus, 43 Lake Avenue Extension. The panel participants will be Bruce Degen, Randy Enos, James Grashow, Gerard Huerta, Christine Kornacki, Ross MacDonald and David Wenzel. The panel will be moderated by Associate Professor of Art Jack Tom and hosted by the WCSU Department of Art. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free and the public is invited. RSVP online at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com. The panel will be held in conjunction with the current exhibition at the VPAC Art Gallery, “Thinking Visually: The Art of Connecticut Illustrators,” which presents works by 15 local illustrators spanning a wide spectrum from popular children’s book illustrations, magazine covers, cardboard constructions and stamp designs to graphic images for cartoons, albums, advertising, video games, films, and television series. The exhibition is open today from 12 noon to 6:30pm before the panel begins.… Read More
Faculty Spotlight Sabrina Marques Assistant Professor of Painting Assistant Professor, Sabrina Marquess has been on a roll! She recently proposed and was awarded two noteworthy artist residencies. The first was for the Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, Italy (scuolagrafica.it) that took place this past June 11- June 25, 2017. Her proposed study was to focus on painting and color which incorporated her interest in the culture and color palette of Venice. While there, she attended the Venice Biennale exhibitions and was able to weave that experience into her work as well. The second residency proposal was for The Studios of Key West in Key West, Florida (tskw.org) to take place next summer from June 16- July 14, 2018. The residency was awarded to her for her proposal of creating at least 100 artworks that are each 4" x 4" in size. This proposal is based on her interest in investigating how making diminutive artworks that add up to a large installed wall sized art work challenges perception of scale. She has made 25 artworks toward this project thus far. Congratulations Professor Marques. Keep up the great work. Read More
Fall NYC Museum Bus Trip NYC Museum Bus Trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Thursday, October 26, 2017 $12/roundtrip Open to all SVPA students, faculty and staff. Purchase tickets at the VPAC Box Office to reserve your seat! Ticket sales end when the bus is full so don't delay. Details The bus leaves the North Arts Lot at 9:00 am sharp and will leave NYC at 5:00 pm sharp to return to Danbury around 7:00pm. Admission to the MET is free. For more information contact the Department of Art at 203-837-8403. Read More
Cathy Vanaria published by Smithsonian Books Congratulations to Associate Professor of Photography and Department of Art Chair, Catherine Vanaria whose photos including, The Clash at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston, September 19, 1979, (below) have been published by Smithsonian Books and is now part of the Smithsonian's concert photo archive. The book, Smithsonian Rock and Roll: Live and Unseen, by Bill Bentley, is a hardcover photo book to be released on October 24th. Read More
Riley Brewster Exhibit at Fred Giampietro Gallery Riley Brewster Recent Paintings and Works on Paper October 14–November 11, 2017 Opening Reception Saturday, October 14, 6-8pm Sweet Spot Series Sunday, October 29, 2:00pm Artist Talk with Riley Brewster and Musical Performance by Elm City Consort Fred Giampietro Gallery 1064 Chapel Street New Haven, CT 06510 203-777-7760 Mon-Sat, 11-5pm Read More
New Full-Time Faculty Member We are pleased to welcome Ken Scaglia, our new Assistant Professor of Foundation and Applied Arts for the 2017-18 academic year. Previously a WCSU adjunct faculty since 2012, Scaglia was also an adjunct at Norwalk Community College and University of Bridgeport. With a MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University and a realist painter, his diverse areas of expertise will build upon the remarkable dedication to excellence in teaching and research that characterizes the department of Art at WCSU. kenscagliastudios.com Read More
Students transform WCSU day care play house <img src="https://wcsu.wpengine.com/art/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/wcsu_child_care_center_playhouse_mural_artists-1505781389-971.jpg" alt="" /><img src="https://www.wcsu.edu/art/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/20901720_1034857623283995_2532966632527028112_o.jpg" alt="" /><img src="https://www.wcsu.edu/art/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/20863234_1034857656617325_2509229631195586847_o.jpg" alt="" /><img src="https://www.wcsu.edu/art/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/20900947_1034857699950654_5016469024793275723_o.jpg" alt="" /><img src="https://www.wcsu.edu/art/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/20819701_1034857679950656_8542556724029049261_o.jpg" alt="" /> WCSU students’ murals create a children’s playhouse for all seasons Original art works brighten WCSU Day Care Center playground An original mural created this summer by three Western Connecticut State University art students has transformed the children’s playhouse at the WCSU Child Care Center into a true play space for all seasons, designed as part of the recent renovation of the center’s outdoor playground on the university’s Midtown campus in Danbury. The mural project was inspired by a suggestion offered by WCSU Art Gallery Curator Melissa Ralston-Jones, parent of a child previously enrolled at the center, and coordinated by Child Care Center Director Lauren Halpin. Pictured are the WCSU art students who volunteered their time and talents to paint mural panels of spring, summer, autumn and winter scenes on the four exterior walls of the playhouse, including (left to right): Jesse Navarra, Andrea Rios and Brooke Vitetta. Read More
End of Summer Sip + Sketch Friday, Aug 25, 7–9pm $25.00 per person (includes all materials & refreshments) Enjoy a fun and creative evening of drawing from a live model in a relaxed environment while you sip wine and sample assorted snacks in our Drawing Studio (VPA 241) on the 2nd floor of the Visual & Performing Arts Center. All skill levels are welcome and you may bring your own supplies if you have some. Must be 21+ to attend. Sponsored by Whole Foods Market Danbury Read More
Summer Painting Workshop DO SOMETHING CREATIVE THIS SUMMER! July 17th – 27th Painting Intensive – Exploring Composition Monday – Thursday, 10:00am–12:30pm Visual & Performing Arts Center Painting Studio, Room 244 Christine Hartman Open to all levels, this workshop explores the development of light, space, color and form. We will work from still life and Master copies studying the subtleties of composition in our beautiful light filled studio. Students can expect to complete two paintings over the two week period. Small class size will allow for individualized instruction. Students will provide their own materials, we will work in oil paint. For those new to oil painting, a materials list will be made available. Eight sessions. Christine Hartman received her BFA degree with honors from the Kansas City Art Institute and MFA degree from Brooklyn College. She also studied at Parsons School of Design on a Helena Rubinstein Foundation Grant and at the New York Studio School’s summer program in Paris. A traditional figurative painter with an appreciation of modern esthetics she has pursued the study of compositional theory through the genre of the still life. “What interests me about composition is the creation of movement, through connections and tensions throughout the painting. I feel… Read More
2017 WCSU MFA Thesis Exhibition JUNE 20 – JULY 8 Opening Reception: Thursday, June 22, 5-8 pm Blue Mountain Gallery 530 West 25th Street, 4th Floor New York, New York Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat, 11am-6pm The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the summation of two years of intensive creative study and extensive interaction with resident faculty and visiting artists. All are welcome to attend the reception in New York City and help celebrate these talented graduates for all their hard work and achievements. Read More
Summer Sip + Sketch Summer Sip & Sketch Thurs, June 8, 6–8pm Enjoy a fun and creative evening of drawing from a live model in a relaxed environment while you sip wine and sample assorted snacks in our Drawing Studio (VPA 241) on the 2nd floor of the Visual & Performing Arts Center. All skill levels are welcome and you may bring your own supplies if you have some. Must be 21+ to attend. $25.00 per person (includes materials & refreshments) Don't miss our next one, on August 25, 2017, 7-9 pm. Sponsored by Whole Foods Market Danbury Read More