The art department at Keene State has plans for the Spring 2023 semester.
While details are still being worked out, the art department is planning trips to Boston, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts (Mass. MoCA) and the Career Museum in Manchester.
“We are planning a bus trip to Boston on April 21,” Art Department Chair Jonathan Gitelson said. “The trip to Boston has a date, but the other trips still need to be decided.” “Some of the things that we are [also] planning are our trip to Mass. MoCA and possibly the Career Museum in Manchester,” Gitelson added.
There are other plans for the art department this semester besides trips.
“We are running an experimental new class. It’s called ‘Found Japan.’ It is being co-taught by myself and Rodney Obien,” Gitelson said. “Found Japan” will bring in artists from the United States, Mexico and Japan.
When asked what was going well for the art department this academic year, Gitelson said, “We continue to offer a really strong program…one of the great things is we’ve seen our number of majors grow.”
Gitelson added, “Our goal every spring is to put forth the strongest BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) senior exhibition and portfolio review for graphic design possible. So that’s where a lot of our energy goes in spring, preparing portfolios and preparing exhibitions.”
The Carroll House also has plans for the Spring 2023 semester.
“I think around February 8 we’re going to do a show of student sculpture and brick-making work. Following that, Emily Lambert is doing a painting exhibition with her students, and then we always do at the end of the semester a show with all of our undergraduates,” Carroll House Gallery Director Lynn Richardson said.
Richardson hopes that the Carroll House will bring in more viewers this semester. “We always hope we can engage more with the community, and that the outside public will actually attend our exhibitions,” she said.
Richardson added, “Students make really great artwork. They’re all original works. There is a huge range of media. Last semester my sculpture students in my upper level class did a project over there based on stores. They created their own stores,” and, “It’s a fun experimental space where students can take more chances.”
Additionally, The Thorne Gallery has exhibitions lined up for the semester.
“Opening reception February 9 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. for “100 Mile Radius,” a regional juried art exhibition that will feature 50 local artists. We will also be holding a reception for the ‘Dust catchers’ exhibition by ceramic artist Mark Burns. We will be hosting the Art & Design Department senior exhibitions in April. The students set up and present artwork from their senior year,” Thorne Art Gallery Director Paul McMullan said.
About the preparation for the plans, McMullan said, “We have a committee that works with the art department to pick shows that relate to our current studio art classes.” McMullan added that KSC students and the greater community should check out the gallery, “to see some awesome art.”
Nico Brazill can be contacted at
nbrazill@kscequinox.com
