Dowd Gallery to present Faculty Biennial

08/27/2024

Fourteen SUNY Cortland faculty members in the Art and Art History Department are displaying their most recent work during the “2024 Art and Art History Faculty Biennial” exhibition, which opened on Monday, Aug. 26, in the Dowd Gallery.

The exhibition, which highlights artist-selected works using various visual art techniques in concept, form and function, runs through Friday, Oct. 4.

Featured artists include Martine Barnaby, Hannah Carver, Stephen Alexander Clark, Allison DeDominick, Sierra Dell, Charles Heasley, Lorraine Heasley, Hannah Hones, Jenn McNamara, Scott Oldfield, Vaughn Randall, Wylie Schwartz, Ryan Somelofske, and Bryan Valentine Thomas.

All Dowd Gallery exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.

An opening reception for the artists is set for 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the gallery, which is in the Dowd Fine Arts Center located at the corner of Graham Avenue and Prospect Terrace. Refreshments will be served.

The diverse range of studio practices offers a glimpse into the research and craft of individual faculty and staff members with SUNY Cortland’s Art and Art History department, according to Scott Oldfield, interim director of Dowd Gallery.

“Viewers can engage with projected installations and view a range of recent expressive works in the disciplines of sculpture, ceramics, fibers, photography, printmaking, digital media, painting and drawing,” Oldfield said.

“Featured artworks explore individual practices that shape the methodology and innovation for students of contemporary studio arts.”

In addition, there will be a series of events hosted by the artists. All events below will begin at 5 p.m. in the gallery, unless noted otherwise.

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, DeDominick and Swartz will give a 20-minute talk titled “Between Laboratory and Mythology: The Postwar Avant-Garde in Liguria.” Their lecture is focused on their research of 1950s to 1960s northern/central Italy. It also serves as preparation for a summer study abroad program in June 2025, ‘Patrons, Princes and Painters: Arts in Italy.”
Faculty exhibitors will discuss their artistic vision during two separate “Artist’s Talk” events. The Wednesday, Sept. 11 event will feature Dell and Hones at 5:30 p.m. The Wednesday, Sept. 18 event will feature Somelofske at his installation piece.
Barnaby, a multimedia artist, illustrator and educator, and Collins, a researcher and creative thinker, will lead a workshop “Everything You Wanted to Know About Pants Fitting But Were Afraid to Ask” on Thursday, Sept. 12.
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, a panel of faculty artists including Randall, Clark and Heasley will discuss art from perspectives of a sculptor, painter and print media specialist in the presentation titled “Craft AND or VERSE technology in the contemporary studio.” Their focus is on the relationship between craft and the technological evolution of visual arts. The 45-minute talk begins at 5:45 p.m.
On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the artists McNamara, Thomas and Oldfield will offer an “open dialogue walkthrough” of the gallery titled, “Unscripted.” The faculty will discuss their works on view with visitors, in response to what is evoked by viewers’ interests and impromptu reactions to specific artworks.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; and by appointment. The gallery is closed on weekends.

Visit @dowdgallery on Instagram or Facebook for detailed information about other programs, links to invitations for virtual events and artists’ profiles.

Group tours are available and can be arranged by contacting Oldfield at 607-753-4216.

Click on an image below to activate the gallery.