On Feb. 9, the art exhibit “In Light of Color” opened in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center’s Lyet Gallery. The collection brings together ten artists who use the element of color differently in their work.
“I wanted to showcase artists that use color in a unique way and to represent various styles of contemporary painting,” curator and coordinator of the “In Light of Color” exhibit Kristi Arnold said.
“In Light of Color” features work from Amy Chan, Eric Conrad, Douglas Degges, Brad Guarino, Amber Hansen, Amy Kligman, John O’Donnell, Magdelena Pawlowski, Anthony Pinata and Andrea Wohl Keefe. These artists are from all around the U.S., including as far west as California.
The variety of styles is one of the first things visitors to the gallery may notice. Artists like Pawlowski use realism in their paintings, while others like Chan or Degges paint more abstract pieces.
As the exhibit focuses on color, that element is another thing that will catch viewers’ eyes. Pieces like Guarino’s “Last Year’s Man 2” use muted colors. Others, like O’Donnell’s “Pink Tornado,” cover the canvas with bright hues.
“I wanted to bring artists from outside of Pennsylvania to campus,” Arnold said. “These are artists that I have met throughout my career and admire their work.”
In preparation for the gallery opening, senior Isa Abdul-Rahman was approached by Arnold in the fall semester to design the poster and catalog.
“Knowing that I had a graphic design background, she [Arnold] mentioned that she was doing a show this semester, and over winter break, I got started on making the poster and catalog for the show,” Abdul-Rahman said. Arnold and gallery attendees agreed that he did an amazing job with his designs.
Arnold hopes those who come to see the exhibit take the time to appreciate each piece. All of the artists in the gallery provided statements next to their work. Some were sources of inspiration, and others described the process of how the piece was created. When put together, “In Light of Color” shows how artists see the world around them and tell those stories with color.
“I think that all the work is unique in its own way,” Arnold said. “I spent a lot of time going through each artist’s collection and tried to choose pieces that spoke to each artist’s aesthetic. I do think that a lot of people are drawn to Magdalena’s work for her beautiful sense of color and realistic quality. However, if you spend more time with each artist’s work and read their statements, various themes emerge and perhaps you will relate to some of their ideas and aesthetics.”
The “In Light of Color” exhibit is free and open to the public in Lyet Gallery, on the second floor of the Leffler Chapel and Performance center, from Feb. 9 to Mar. 23. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and from 1-5 p.m. over the weekend.
