(Hollow and Transparent by Matt Wilt; clay, glass, mixed media)
Do you ever wonder what your professors are up to outside of class? Well, if you have Lindsay Buchman, Kate Leavitt, David Peterson, or Matt Wilt as your art professor, I can guarantee they are working on some cool projects, which you can see for yourself at the 2019 Selected Faculty Art Exhibition.
I attended the exhibition opening on Sept. 12, and was amazed by the level of dedication and craftsmanship in the pieces displayed. The works varied in size and composition, ranging from an eerie ceramic “night light” to a 6’ x 8’ screen print depicting a turbulent ocean and stormy sky. After viewing the exhibit, I had a chance to talk to some of the artists behind these works in order to learn more about their creative processes.
Lindsay Buchman, who teaches the Digital Foundations course, is the artist behind that striking 6’ x 8’ print previously mentioned. The print is titled “For Seasickness (every love has its landscape).” As is the case for this particular print, she told me that much of her work is inspired by writing and artistic essays: “I’m interested in destabilizing a sense of ground—or concrete time and space—through both image and text.”
Just as many of Buchman’s works are inspired by texts, many also feature ocean horizons, which she explained as metaphor for disorientation.
“Mostly, I’m interested in the horizon line and its lack of stability, despite that it has historically played a role in diverting motion sickness, and has been the foundation for western perspective; yet, both are constructions used to self-regulate human experience.”
Seasickness (part one)
Digital Image from FP - 100c film
Kate Leavitt’s beautifully detailed work with gouache was also showcased, proving to be particularly eye-catching. Her choice of neutral, intricate backgrounds, paired with vivid textured depictions of objects and garments on top makes her pieces come to life.
(Above) Vinaigrette (an up-close portion); Gouache on paper
(Left) Strictly Proper; Gouache on paper
One of my favorite pieces at the exhibit was “Wind Knot” which was made by David Peterson, who manages the metal-smithing studio at Skidmore. I asked Peterson about his creative process, which he describes as “highly improvisational.”
“As the work unfolds (typically, over several days) I find unanticipated structures and formal relationships developing; those that grab me I pursue. The word ‘inspiration’ doesn’t seem to fit my methodology, unless perhaps if I say that I am inspired by the journey; by chasing the work forward.”
His piece “Wind Knot” drew me in with its looping beauty -- somehow suggesting both order and chaos. When I asked him what this piece was meant to evoke, Peterson explained that “Wind Knot, like the others in this series, is in large measure an effort to express an unfolding movement frozen in time,”which can be seen in its twisting 3D form and overall use of space.
Wind Knot
Nickel silver, enamel on copper, mahogany
Matt Wilt, a ceramics professor (who happens to be my professor), displayed how he pushes boundaries in the ceramics and art world, in general. Rather than functional ware such as pots and vases, you will find Wilt’s work to be more metaphorical and representational, often using mixed media (lights, water, wood, etc) to create a certain effect.
Wilt talks about looking for inspiration everywhere; some of the things he sites as inspiration are “underwater worlds, fables, ceramic history, digital obsession in the 21st century, broken concrete sidewalks, braille, elderly hands.”
For instance, his piece “(The Lord’s) Prayer Wheel” was inspired “by the prayer wheels of Tibetan Buddhism, and a Sanskrit prayer that asks ‘God pray for me.’” He says that he is most excited about his piece “Hollow and Transparent,” which he finished most recently.
When I asked him about the inspiration behind this particular piece, he explained how he hopes it “pulls viewers into the underwater world that can be so illusory. Phenomena like refraction and tricks of the light can make that area of the piece very engrossing. I hope it draws people in.”
The 2019 Selected Art Faculty Exhibition is on display at the Schick Art Gallery until Oct. 13.