Ohio Wesleyan University’s fine arts faculty will share their latest creations and expertise in “From the Studio,” a new exhibition on display from February 25 through April 5 at the university’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum. A free, public reception with the OWU artists will be held at 5 PM on February 26 at the museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware.
In explaining their 2019-2020 biennial exhibit, the artists state:
“Here you will find a diversity of voices, but also a united sense of purpose and a common goal. For the OWU studio faculty, the art that they produce in their respective studios, and in some cases further afield, is an ongoing exploration of the particular aspects of the visual that intrigue them, much as a scientist might undertake a program of experimentation or as a historian might examine different aspects of a moment in time. … The common goal is in presenting works that are not only visually engaging but also eloquent representatives of the processes of investigation behind them.”
Ohio Wesleyan faculty members showcasing artwork in the upcoming exhibition are:
Kristina Bogdanov, M.F.A., who teaches ceramics, drawing, figure drawing, and 3-D design. “Memory is a subject that intrigues me in many ways,” said Bogdanov, who joined the university in 2007. “Human memory is influenced by complex and multifaceted layers of personal experience, history, heritage, globalization, and information age. In a society that is obsessed to record the reality on a daily basis, is it possible to question a real memory? I am drawn to transform impermanence of mundane by utilizing material, process, and image as the tripod structure of my work.”
Cynthia Cetlin, M.F.A., who teaches metals, 3-D design, art education, and art history. “I am presenting metalwork alongside fiber,” said Cetlin, a member of the OWU faculty since 1987. “All of it is adornment. … A single brooch among my work here combines silver and copper fabrication with silk thread and cocoons, and I enjoy the strange contrast of parts. In the past, my work was about memory and narrative. Right now, I am more interested in sculptural form which creates a sense of life and movement.”
Frank Hobbs, M.F.A., who teaches painting, drawing, figure drawing, and 2-D design. “Most often I paint on location, executing small, quick studies that are my attempts to respond to the transience of light and weather, and the odd collisions between the natural and the manmade,” said Hobbs, a member of the OWU faculty since 2007. “The challenge for me is to distill essentials of color, form, and space from the ‘blooming, buzzing confusion’ of nature, which becomes an improvised, unforeseen narrative. The process of painting, situated in the essential flatness of the canvas, presents an engaging contradiction between its terms and those of the three-dimensional world.”
Jim Krehbiel, M.F.A., who teaches in the 2-D media of printmaking, computer imaging, and drawing. Krehbiel’s work represents his research into sacred, prehistoric landscapes of the American West, and his digital prints involve layering images taken over time to create narratives of those spaces. Krehbiel joined the OWU faculty in 1986 and of his teaching states: “I teach from the standpoint that we are all artists first and printmakers, ceramists, or photographers second. Students should explore a variety of media and exploit various techniques and approaches to become better artists.”
Jeff Nilan, M.F.A., who teaches photography, computer imaging, bookmaking, and 2-D design. Nilan joined the OWU faculty in 2008 and of his teaching states: “It is important to arm students with solid fundamental skills, a historical base, and theoretical framework, but as important is the need to foster each student’s unique expression. As the instructor, it is my challenge to open students up to their own potential, to help them discover what they are excited about, and to test their opinions without squelching their sense of optimism. My ultimate goal is to enable each student to locate their own voice and then to effectively communicate that voice using the visual language.”
Jonathan Quick, M.F.A., who teaches sculpture and 3-D design. “I am an object designer and maker,” said Quick, who joined the university as a part-time faculty member in 1988. “I work in natural materials: wood, metal, and stone. There are three distinct directions in my studio production: iron foundry, in which I produce art pieces by the casting process; metal fabrication, in which I use cutting and welding to build sculpture; and woodworking.”
Ohio Wesleyan offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with concentrations in studio art, art education, and art history. Students have access to the university’s art studios 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more about the OWU Department of Fine Arts at www.owu.edu/finearts.
During the academic year, the Ross Art Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM; Thursday from 10 AM to 9 PM; and Sunday from 1 PM to 5 PM. The museum will close for spring break March 8 and reopen March 17. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit www.owu.edu/ross for more information.
