Bare Form Opens this Friday, November 6, 5:30-8:30PM.

The beauty of the body has inspired artists from the dawn of history yet remains an inextricable part of the human experience. Our intimate familiarity with the human body bears the challenge to the artist….. transforming that which is known into an expression of emotion.

Eligibility:
All artists within 200 miles of Morgantown are eligible for the Bare Form 2009 exhibit. All forms of visual art will be considered, excluding video art. No reproductions will be accepted. Any work conceived as a multiple should be in an edition of no more than 12.

Tags: exhibitionBare Form, Open Call, Group Show, Nudes, Benedum Gallery

Monongalia Arts Center’s
Benedum Gallery
proudly presents
One Summer
Recent works by Penelyn Peterson
lavish illustrations in colored pencil and mixed media, framed beautifully

Opening Reception Friday, August 7, 2009 6-8PM
Available August 7-29

Press Release:

On Friday, August 7, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Monongalia Arts Center will hold the opening reception for Penelyn Peterson’s exhibition, “One Summer.” The reception is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view through August 29.

Morgantown artist Peterson’s work is filled with vivid color, expressive line, pattern and archetypal figures. There are vestigial influences from the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations and Mayan imagery, but Peterson has largely transcended these sources, although glimpses may yet be seen in her skeletal figures and the richly decorated headdresses some of her figures wear. She creates works that combine interior reflection and social observation with a keen sense of humor.

In her images is a strong narrative that appears in an interrupted fashion--the work is clearly all a part of a whole, but not necessarily part of a continuous story. While the figure is recognizably the same throughout , don’t expect to “read” a story from drawing to drawing; rather, each picture is a part of an experience expressed in staccato memories. One may begin to look at the work from any wall; any direction. The line draws the eye from piece to piece. Among the notable images are : “If I Could,” “Until Tomorrow,” “The Nightbird’s Song,” “Chant,” “Epitaph,” “Without You I Am Not the Same,“ and “Love and Disappointment,” a piece that is surprisingly nearly monochromatic. The piece from which the exhibition takes its title, “One Summer,” is the newest in the on-going story. It is seldom that one exhibition will appeal to adults and children, but Peterson’s will do just that. Viewers should come prepared to smile, to nod knowingly at some of the works, and to enjoy the rich panoply of imaginary landscape and figurative actors

Peterson received her B.F.A. in painting from Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois, where she also worked extensively in the Theatre Department. For a number of years, Peterson worked in the costume shop, which experience led her to work with theatres in Milwaukee, Rockford, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Fairmont State. In addition to costume, she also created a wonderful dragon for the Milwaukee First Light Children’s Theatre and designed sets. Of her own art, Peterson says, “I think of my work as paper theatre.” Certainly this is in part a result of her theatrical experience, and her on-going interest in mythology and storytelling.

Peterson’s work is in numerous private and public collections, including Tamarack and Fairmont State. At that institution, the artist worked with groups of students to design and implement gallery exhibitions for the Mexican Day of the Dead festivities, a celebration which resonates with West Virginia students who wish to honor deceased members of their extended families. Viewed in part as an educational activity, Peterson held workshops to teach students how to decorate the sugar skulls which are integral to the Day of the Dead. Every two years, the students in the FSU Art Department look forward to the Day of the Dead exhibition. Peterson is co-owner of the Appalachian Gallery, 41 High Street, Morgantown.

The Monongalia Arts Center is located at 107 High Street. Telephone: (304) 393-3325. The regular gallery hours are Monday- Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday noon until 4 p.m. www.monartscenter.com


This space is accessible to those with mobility impairments.

Tags: exhibitionPenelyn Peterson

The Benedum Gallery features
Painting with Light 
Presented by Students and Alumni of Belmont Technical College’s Building Preservation and Restoration Program
May 1-31, 2009
Opening Reception Friday, May 1, 2009 6-9:00 P.M.

Exhibit Sponsors:
      Allegheny Restoration
      Croft & Son Mfg, Inc.
      Belmont Technical College Building Preservation and Restoration Student Society

“People are like stained glass windows; they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within." 
--  Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross 
Read More...

Tags: exhibitionBelmont Technical College, Stained Glass

The Robert M. Davis Gallery features

Images of the Monongahela River Annual Arts Exhibit and Contest

located on MAC’s second level in the main hallway

April 3-13

This exhibit is in conjunction with the Mon River Summit held April 13, 2009 at the Waterfront Hotel.

For more information call MAC at 304 292 3325. Read More...

Tags: exhibitionMonongahela River, Contest

Bryan Richards - Built By West Virginia
March 6 - 28 Opening Public Reception 7 - 9 pm  

From fliers to frames, the street art-inspired work of local self-taught artist Bryan Richards will scream from the walls of the Davis Gallery for Emerging Artists at Monongalia Arts Center on Friday, March 6 at 7:00PM.   
You may have seen Richards’ unique work and projects before and not even known it.  He has been making fliers for bands since 2002, and last Halloween he coordinated a performance art troupe in the fashion of a monster mariachi band that gave impromptu performances at Madeliene’s Restaurant, Café Bacchus, and 123 Pleasant Street.  His current show at the Davis Gallery is entitled “Built by West Virginia” and consists of pen and ink drawings.  On his inspiration, Richards notes, “I'm greatly influenced by radical personalities, street artists like Kid Acne, Blek Le Rat, and Graffiti Research Lab.  I am especially influenced by work from Sao Paulo, Brazil artists like Vitche, Os Gemeos, Herbert Baglione and independent comics.” 
As for how he thinks viewers may interpret his work, he said, “With this show, I mainly hope people - especially West Virginians - come and see what I've put down and maybe they'll think of their experiences in West Virginia when seeing these images. These aren't about me at all. It's about reliving memories, good or bad, about living in this very unique state. I also hope that this will bring discussion about these topics up and people will share and learn from each other.” 
Executive Director of MAC, Ro Brooks, knew Richards’ unique style would be a natural fit for the Davis Gallery.  “Over the years, we have had so many different forms and styles of art at MAC, and I think Bryan’s work and his inspiration from street art will add an edginess to Friday’s opening.”   
Also on exhibit in the Davis Gallery will be work by Aaron Williams entitled “ARSECGDTULYO!”  The opening for the Davis Gallery exhibitions will be Friday, March 6 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM on the second floor of Monongalia Arts Center.  The reception is free and open to the public, and will feature live musical performance by Slate Dump.  While the Davis Gallery is not accessible to those with disabilities, images of the art work are available for viewing in the lobby of MAC.   The exhibition will be up through March 28, 2009.  For more information, please visit the MAC website at www.monartscenter.com or call 304-292-3325. 
Aaron Williams - ARSECGDTULYO!
March 6 - 28 Opening Public Reception 7 - 9 pm  

From arcades to Artari to Wii – video games have transformed society and defined a generation of young people, one of whom will showcase his work that has a unique spin from Nintendo.  Aaron Williams, a sophomore printmaking major at WVU, will exhibit his Nintendo-inspired work in the Davis Gallery for Emerging Artists at the Monongalia Arts Center on Friday, March 6 at 7:00PM.   
A native West Virginian from French Creek in Upshur County, Williams’ work consists of digital prints from hand-pixeled renderings and cubist/collage styled compositions referencing iconic video games.  On his work, Williams said, “The images describe the foundations of 8 and 16 bit graphics, referencing “palette tables” and results of a breakdown of the communication between the coding, tables, and the final image represented on the television.”  The title of the exhibition “ARSECGDTULYO!” references the confusion and muddling of images uses odd phrases found in mixed-up palettes when letters get non-sensibly placed together.  Williams characterized his work as an exploration in miscommunication, a sort of Tower of Babel reinvented through dissection of the intricate coding used in video games.   
Although the images seem random, Williams explained, “Everything follows strict NES or SNES graphic rules pertaining to their capabilities as image-rendering systems.”  This is new territory for Williams, but he has very ambitious plans to further explore this media as an artform.  On his current and future work, Williams stated, “I’m working with a programmer also from Morgantown, and we’re developing interactive NES coding along with self-fabricated images to be installed in an actual cartridge.  I’m also beginning a series of fully-functional, hand-fabricated NES shells, controllers, and cartridges as fine sculptures.” 
The uniqueness of this exhibit also struck a cord with the Executive Director of MAC, Ro Brooks.  “When I saw his work, I knew it would be a perfect fit for the Davis Gallery.  Aaron really embodies MAC’s intention for that space, which is to introduce emerging artists to our region.  We look forward to seeing how Aaron develops as an artist and the evolution of his work in his truly unique style.”   
Also on exhibit in the Davis Gallery will be work by Bryan Richards entitled “Built by West Virginia.”  The opening for the Davis Gallery exhibitions will be Friday, March 6 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM on the second floor of Monongalia Arts Center.  The reception is free and open to the public, and will feature live musical performance by Slate Dump.  While the Davis Gallery is not accessible to those with mobility impairments, images of the art work are available for viewing in the lobby of MAC.   The exhibition will be up through March 28, 2009.  For more information, please visit the MAC website at www.monartscenter.com or call 304-292-3325.

"Gigantomachia"
is featured in the Benedum Gallery
Opening Reception March 6-28 2009.
This is a solo-exhibition for Michael Garrett.
The above image is “Buck Knife” (2007)

A show of mythic proportions is set to open at Monongalia Arts Center (MAC) on Friday, March 6 at 7:00PM.  The exhibition entitled “Gigantomachia” features work by Morgantown native Michael Garrett.   
Garret earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from West Virginia University and recently completed his Master of Fine Arts at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston.  He currently resides in Meadville, Pennsylvania where he is an instructor at Allegheny College.   
His West Virginia roots, however, have continued to influence his innovative and provocative work.  Where most artists begin with a white canvas, Garrett’s process is a unique departure from the norm.  His Master’s exhibition consisted of works composed of experimentations in coal dust as the drawing medium, and this has evolved to the use of graphite powder mixed with acrylic.  Regarding his process, Garrett said, “The marks are made by, essentially, burnishing or polishing a line into the graphite suspended in the acrylic medium, creating a highly reflective, metallic sheen that contrasts greatly with the deep matte black of the background.” 
When discussing his current exhibit for Monongalia Arts Center, Garrett explained, “Gigantomachia is the battle between the giants and the gods in ancient Greek mythology.  This battle exists on scales great and small; culturally and individually.  The work in this exhibition reflects this theme within the idea of the construction of gender.”   The largest piece, entitled “Bucknife,” stands an impressive six feet tall.  It is Garrett’s interpretation of Titian’s narrative "The Flaying of Marsyas.”  He discussed the gravity of this piece: “The figures are recast as younger men in ambiguous poses as if they are in-between decisions or actions.  The central figure, naked and hung upside-down, holds the crux of the narrative; and the surrounding figures are shown in a moment of contemplation, considering their relationships to this figure.” 
Ro Brooks, Executive Director of MAC, said, “We are always excited to have native artists come back to our region and exhibit their work at MAC.  Mr. Garrett’s work is truly impressive.  Beyond the sheer size of some of the pieces, the images are quite stirring and engaging.  It’s really an experience.” 
Garrett discussed the future direction of his work, echoing how his West Virginian roots both highlight and haunt his artistry.  On his unique incorporation of coal into his work, Garrett said, “My exploration of coal dust as a two-dimensional medium for art-making is still ongoing.  Future works will incorporate a stronger marriage of the conceptual and narrative implications of utilizing coal. The current state of harvesting coal and the history of coal-mining in West Virginia is another example of a battle with giants; the hugeness of global demand vs. the smallness of Appalachian culture.” 
The “Gigantomachia” exhibition opening reception will be Friday, March 6 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM in the Benedum Gallery at Monongalia Arts Center.  The reception is free and open to the public, and the gallery is accessible to those with mobility impairments.   The exhibition will be up through March 28, 2009.  For more information, please visit the MAC website at www.monartscenter.com or call 304-292-3325.

Tags: exhibitionMichael Garrett

Photographic Exhibit by Sue Amos Infinite Lens Photography
January 16 - January 31
HELD OVER!
Opening Public Reception Friday, January 16, 2009 ~ 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Tags: exhibitionSue Amos, Social Awareness