January 16, 2008

Faculty exhibition reveals connections between teaching and making art

(Portland, Ore.)—Stepping out of their classrooms and studios, members of Lewis & Clark’s art faculty will show their diverse contributions to the field of fine art in an exhibition at the Eric and Ronna Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art opening January 24.

(Portland, Ore.)—Stepping out of their classrooms and studios, members of Lewis & Clark’s art faculty will show their diverse contributions to the field of fine art in an exhibition at the Eric and Ronna Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art opening January 24.

Heather Watkins, a visiting assistant professor of art who teaches graphic design and foundations, is one of the nine faculty members whose work will be shown. Watkins’ work with nontraditional materials and methods is an expression of her personal artistic philosophy and her pedagogy, which emphasizes the challenge of discovery in the studio and throughout one’s life.

“Whether I’m thinking about a new body of work, designing a student assignment, or shaping the outline of a whole course, I’m pushed along by a similar kind of inspiration,” Watkins said. “It comes from a desire to fuse ideas, methods, and materials. Both kinds of work—teaching and making art—involve a certain level of comfort with taking risks.”

Watkins’ work in the exhibition includes a suite of four prints, a series of five drawings, and an installation of mixed media and works on paper.

The show, which is produced once every four years, will also feature works by Barbara Bartholomew, painting; Debra Beers, drawing; LeAnne Hitchcock, photography; Robert Miller, photography; Mike Rathbun, sculpture; Cara Tomlinson, painting; Ted Vogel, mixed media installation; Eric Wert, drawing.

The exhibition will debut with an opening reception on January 24, from 5 to 7 p.m., and it will run through March 16. The Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art is located on the Lewis & Clark College campus at 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road in Portland. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show is free and open to the public; parking is free on weekends. For more information, please visit www.lclark.edu/dept/gallery/.

Momentum II by Heather Watkins, ink on paper, 30 x 22.5 inches, 2006-07