Submitted by: Brian Young, bkyoung@uca.edu on 01/18/2024
UCA TO HOST EXHIBITION
Arkansas Faculty Invitational, opening evening January 25, 4pm – 7pm
University of Central Arkansas’s Baum Gallery will host a new exhibition Arkansas Faculty Invitational, January 25 – March 15, 2024.
This exhibition is curated by Brian Young, director, Baum Gallery, in consultation with his UCA art faculty colleagues. The exhibition has two essential purposes. First and foremost, it is intended to inspire our BA and BFA students, the overall student body, and the UCA faculty and staff. Each of the 17 of artists in this invitational makes a living producing work; thus, the Art Department feels this exhibition showcases the best work being produced by professionals in the field. The second purpose for the exhibition is to provide an outlet for our art faculty at UCA, in addition to others around the state, to show their work to a large, welcoming audience. In large part to the Windgate Foundation, the state of Arkansas has seen a growth in the number of non-commercial museum and gallery spaces. Yet, this number is still relatively low compared to the numbers seen in other states. When given the chance, the Baum Gallery relishes the chance to do group exhibitions that provide necessary opportunities for artists of the highest caliber.
Brian Young, Baum Gallery director, offered the following insight, “While I feel its important to showcase the work of UCA faculty, this exhibition has a complement of those outside of our university system including Jason McCann from Central High School, Little Rock; Perrion Hurd (Northwest Arkansas Community College); Lisa Floryshek and Thomas Hernandez (ASU-Beebe); Aaron Calvert (formerly of Henderson State University); Harlon Bozeman (UALR); and Chris Revelle (Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts). Those from UCA’s art department include professors Bryan W. Massey, Sr. (chair), Jessie Hornbrook, Holly Laws, Leslie Macklin, Scott Meador, Ray Ogar, Donna Pinckley, Jennifer Rospert, Liz Smith, and Jeffry Young.
The diversity of this exhibition extends beyond the places from which these artists work. The Invitational is rich in differing media including drawing, printmaking, jewelry, graphic design, mixed media, painting, sculpture, ceramics and conceptual work.