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.
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