Monday, August 28th marked the opening of 2017’s highly anticipated Triennial Faculty Exhibition in the Baer and Godschalx Galleries here at St. Norbert College. 

You’ve had them in class, seen them around campus, or perhaps you haven’t had the grace of meeting them yet, but from now until September 22nd come explore the personal creations of SNC’s art faculty and discover what drives them to create outside of the academic setting.

Exhibits range from graphic prints and gouache paintings, to both stoneware and found-object sculpture and multimedia photography displays. Weekly gallery hours run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, from 9am-3pm, and on Thursday from 9am-7pm.

Join us on Thursday, September 7th, from 5-7pm for the opening reception of the exhibition which includes food and drink, and the chance to meet the artists.

And don’t forget to stop by the galleries on SNC day, Saturday, September 16th for a unique look at the exhibits as well as some interactive activities suitable for the whole family.

Read below for some preview photos and information about each faculty members’ exhibition:

Katie Ries’ nature-inspired exhibition revolves around her group, the Land Scouts, which promotes interaction and respect for the natural world around you, whether that be in a rural, or urban environment. Her paper and felt pennants, along with her series of trading card paintings, seek to foster a camaraderie between friends and individuals as they observe and draw what they see around them.

Brian Pirman showcases both his graphic design and sculptural talents, but with a strong theme of collage running through all of them, tying the pieces together although they are each distinct. Pirman’s incredible ability to layer both two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects create works of art that invite continual viewing, and with each new look a different aspect of the piece is uncovered.

Coming out of a very productive summer sabbatical, Shan Bryan-Hanson has a full arsenal at the ready for the Triennial Faculty Exhibition. Initially inspired by Victorian “dew walkers” as well as late 19th and early 20th century decorative design, Bryan-Hanson’s paintings bring together both the free form and geometrical aspects of nature. Along with the airy, jewel-toned pastels running throughout all of the paintings, walking through this exhibit will make you feel like you are in the height of summer although we are already well on our way into fall.

For the Faculty Exhibition Brandon Bauer presents an abbreviated version of his show, entitled Landscapes of Absence. In his work, Bauer flips the historical notion of erasure from photographs on its head by transforming it into a power for good. By erasing the dark and gruesome elements of ISIS beheadings from their original landscapes, Bauer seeks to restore both the humanity and dignity to the places and individuals affected by the actions of ISIS. With both visual and audial stimulation, Landscapes of Absence presents a powerful showing that promotes a depth of thought on the concept of narrative control in today’s media entrenched world.

Well known around campus for delivering consistently engaging art history lectures, James P. Neilson, O.Praem. certainly doesn’t disappoint when delivering art itself. Working in the Arte Povera aesthetic, Neilson uses ordinary, found objects left to him by former faculty member Bill Bohné to create extraordinary and otherworldly sculptures that inspire anyone to become an artist by first appreciating the beauty immediately around them.

Debbie Kupinsky’s exhibition focuses on the hybrid spaces that are created when humans come into contact with and affect the natural world. Using porcelain, stoneware, and found objects, Kupinsky creates an ethereal yet imposing wall-to-wall show in the Godschalx Gallery.