Students Discuss Their Inspiration at Gallery Talk
The College of Southern Maryland honored six students for their works and retiring faculty for their service during the Annual Student Juried Art Show Gallery Talk held at the Tony Hungerford Memorial Art Gallery on the La Plata Campus.
CSM Communications, Arts and Humanities Division Chair Ron Brown recognized Professor and Curator Dr. Barbara Stephanic and Professor and Co-Curator Larry Chappelear for their combined 58 years of service at the college.
This year, 66 pieces from a variety of art medium, including ceramics, photography, painting and drawing were selected to be displayed at the show. Prizes are awarded to six artists during the show, according to Stephanic, However, every single student who submitted art work, whether they are in the show or not, are winners.
Excellence and artistic potential are considered by the jurors when selecting the pieces to receive an award. Tom Gannon, of Waldorf, received first place for his bisque stoneware, Solve for Y. Second place was awarded to Shaun Kistler, of Abell, for an oil painting, Bowl of Cherries and Dawn Alverson, of Waldorf, received third place for a black and white photograph, The Choice.
Three students received awards for honorable mention including Sarah Cave, of Pomfret, for her stoneware piece, Youre Late, Jo A. Gilhooly, of Welcome, for a charcoal drawing, Oak Tree at St. Catherines Hall, and India Cox, of La Plata, for her acrylic, Fast Food Carousel. Cox, an art education major, had a variety of art media selected for display at the gallery including an acrylic triptych, acrylic on canvas, a drawing and two stoneware pieces.
Students get their inspiration from a variety of sources, according to Stephanic. Although Gannon has a wide range of experience in the arts, he was inspired by algebra. If a person were to think of a graph in 3-D this is what it would look like, Gannon said, adding that his piece was influenced by a variety of classes taken at the college including basic design, ceramics and color theory. It was [instructor] Alice Yutzy who suggested laying the piece on its side, said Gannon.
The inspiration for Coxs Fast Food Carousel came while she was sitting in a basic design class with friends. We were always joking, I wish I had a donut or a cappuccino, she said. The result was a triptycha light-hearted piece in three parts that can be rotated in an ongoing fashionof foods that are bad for you, said Cox.
Six pieces of Coxs collection were displayed at the gallery, including a drawing of her mother that was showcased on the Southern Maryland Arts website. According to Cox, taking a variety of art media courses has helped her develop her own style. Working with ceramics gives her greater opportunity to express herself, she said. Sue Chappelear, the instructor for intermediate ceramics, has had a great influence, Cox said, adding, Throughout the semester, she encouraged me to try out ambitious, technically difficult projects.
Alversons black and white photograph, The Choice, was inspired by her relationship with her grandmother who left her a diary. The book has sentimental value to me which I was trying to display in the photograph, Alverson said.
Gilhooly, who describes herself as not-your-average freshman, received honorable mention for a charcoal drawing of an oak tree. Gilhooly recently retired from the government and decided to come to CSM to pursue her interest in art. I knew I needed the discipline of the class to make me sit down and do it, she said.
Gilhoolys inspiration came from her love of trees. She worked on the piece during the winter and said she decided to draw that particular oak tree because, I could draw it from [the warmth of] my car.
Caves Youre Late, is a ceramic piece, that kinda has a play on the Alice in Wonderlands theme, she said. The whimsical teapot and rabbit are encased on three sides.
During the event, Stephanic and Larry Chappelear announced their retirement. Stephanic joined CSM more than 20 years ago, first, teaching art history courses and later expanding the art program. While honoring her service to the college, Brown said, Under her curatorship the gallery has grown and the exhibits have become a major feature of the colleges art schedule. The gallery shows and talks by artists have become a major cultural event in the life of Southern Maryland. Stephanic has also been instrumental in acquiring a variety of artwork for the colleges collection which is displayed throughout the Fine Arts Building.
Larry Chappelear worked with the Charles County Public School System for six years helping many students develop an appreciation for the arts. He is a skilled artist with diversity in medium resources including chalk, pencil and paint, said Brown. As the coordinator of the Studio Arts program, Larry Chappelear, with 38 years of service to CSM, was instrumental in the formation of the Tony Hungerford Memorial Art Gallery.
Beginning with the exhibitions in the library, [Larry Chappelear] initiated the custom of artists exhibiting at the college, said Brown. Larry Chappelear said that he appreciated the support he received from staff and the community.
For more on Larry Chappelear, visit http://www.csmd.edu/news/archive/2009/3e7a154950bde091643569cc6606fc6f49273716.html.
For more on CSMs Arts programs, visit http://www.csmd.edu/Arts/index.html.