Art worth taking a closer look at

Bugs Bunny, Marilyn Monroe, Winston Churchill, Adolph Hitler and

Charles Dickens are sharing glimpses of their lives in the Curfman

Gallery.

On Monday afternoon the Curfman Gallery, located at the south

end of the Lory Student Center, opened

“Celebrations/point-counterpoint” as its first exhibit of the

school year and will be open until Oct. 22.

The exhibit displays works by Richard Evans, a retired art

professor from the University of Wyoming. Peter Jacobs, an art

instructor at CSU, Jack Curfman, for whom the gallery was named and

Matthew Helmer, coordinator for Campus Activities, invited Evans

and worked together to set up the exhibit.

Collages come to life in oil paintings on large canvases that

include a wide array of historical people, cartoon characters and

some of Evans’s friends, family members and pets.

“I’ve included, amongst figures, people who have functioned well

within (Western) culture at their time,” Evans said. “I wanted to

portray the breath, vitality and depth of our culture.”

Jenn Kihs, a junior art major, attended the opening and said she

enjoyed the exhibit.

“I like his wide variety of people in art culture and past

times,” Kihs said. “It’s fun trying to identify the people.”

After she examined the pieces, she would reference the lists of

the figures in the piece. The lists are posted beside each piece

and they also include the dates of the pieces.

Evans mixed famous athletes with scholars, political and

religious figures and others who represent, what he said, makes up

our culture.

Although there may not be an obvious connection between all the

images in one piece, Evans said he had some conjunctions between

them while he was painting.

“I like the collage quality of (the exhibit),” said Tim Massa, a

sophomore art major. “It’s pulled off smoothly, and it doesn’t look

like things were just thrown together. It flows together well.”

Amanda Draine, a sophomore environmental health major, said she

noticed that Winston Churchill is in many of the paintings.

“He’s one of my heroes,” Evans said. “I put figures I admire

with those who didn’t contribute very much, but were part of the

culture.”

Curfman, attended the opening, and said he enjoyed it.

“I think it’s a knock out,” Curfman said. “I think it’s the most

fascinating thing we’ve had here in a long time.”

Draine said she liked the details of the paintings.

“I always like art that you can really sit and contemplate every

little detail,” Draine said. “It changes every time you look at

it.”

Draine said she also enjoyed the portrayal of history and the

personalities that came to life in the paintings.

“I like to think what a person taken out of history would look

like face to face,” Evans said. “I try to keep the paintings

active, so they’re not all just looking out at you.”

Evans said he would do research about the people to get a better

image in his mind to make the figures come to life.

“These are some of the best portraits I’ve seen as far as

realism goes,” Massa said.

The doors opened at 4 p.m. instead of the typical 6 or 7 p.m.

opening times. The change in time was due to feedback Helmer

received from students and staff. He said he was told that once

people leave campus it is not easy to return to campus.

“At this time of the day most people are finishing up their

day,” Helmer said. “They can stop by before they leave.”

Draine said she went to the opening after she got out of class

at 4 p.m. and that the time was convenient.

“If it was at 6 or 7 (p.m.) I probably wouldn’t have gone,” she

said.

Draine made it to the opening and said she enjoyed it.

“I think it’s portraying the best of each person,” Draine said.

“You’re seeing the most of what they were.”

 

“3”>“Celebrations/ point-counterpoint” in Curfman Gallery until

Friday Oct. 22

Gallery Hours:

Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to 9

p.m.

Friday 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.