Unique works in Parkland Faculty Art Exhibition set to open August 20

CHAMPAIGN—Parkland College’s Art and Design Faculty Exhibition opens Monday, August 20 and runs through Saturday, September 22.  Featuring works by faculty from the Fine and Applied Arts Department, the exhibit includes sculpture, photography, metals, wood, oil, watercolor, digital media, ceramics, and other media.

In celebration of the exhibiting artists, an opening reception with live music by Big Bluestem will be held on Thursday, August 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the gallery lounge. The reception will allow the public to mingle with the artists and hear Professor Joan Stolz talk about her work at 7pm. 

Art enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy the versatility of works on display that mirrors the broad spectrum of courses available at Parkland.  Exhibiting faculty members include:  Louis Ballard, Chris Berti, Lisa Costello, Marsha Daniels, Jennifer Davis, Derek Dallas, Larry Ecker, Bryan Heaton, Steven Hudson, Melinda McIntosh, Craig McMonigal, Laura O’Donnell, Denise Seif, Peggy Shaw, Phil Smith, Tim Stiles, Joan Stolz, Matthew Watt, Kelly White, Gretchen Wieshuber, and Paul Young.

A series of art lectures in the gallery have been planned to coincide with the exhibit. These “High Noon with the Artist” lectures allow faculty from selected areas to offer in-depth discussions on their artwork or on other art-related topics.  Starting at noon and including a question and answer segment, the talks normally last 30-45 minutes. The first lecture in the series is scheduled August 28^th and features Derek Dallas, an instructor in Computer Science and Information Technology.  Dallas will talk about his new series of drawings (non-digital) for a children’s book that he is currently working on. On September 12, Kelly White, an instructor in Art History and Director of 40 North, will discuss her paintings. 

Fall gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; and Saturday, noon-2 p.m. The gallery will be closed on Monday, September 3 for Labor Day. To find the gallery when classes are in session, we suggest using the M6 parking lot on the north corner of the campus. Enter through any door and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point of the first floor, where the gallery is located. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area.  As always, the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Parkland is a section 504/ADA-compliant institution. For accommodation, call 217/351-2505.