Past Exhibitions

Lisa Elmaleh: Tierra Prometida
Jessica Wolff: The New Mestiza

Two Photographers Depict Stories of Migration and Immigration

On view Sept 12–Oct 13, 2024

Opening Reception:
Thurs, Sept 12, 2024, 6:00–8:00 pm

THE GALLERY at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Western Connecticut State University
Westside Campus, 43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, CT 06811
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4, Sat–Sun, 1–4

Lisa Elmaleh is a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow. Her photographic series, Tierra Prometida, captures the multifaceted aspects of migration at the border between the United States and Mexico. Created with a 1930s-era large format camera, her work encompasses the people, landscape, migratory routes, and humanitarian efforts there. While conveying both empathy and urgency, the series challenges the myth of the American Dream from the perspective of the borderland environs, the individuals seeking asylum in the United States, and the volunteers and groups involved in providing essential assistance to migrants.

Jessica Wolff's photographs delve into the experience of being Mexican-American and navigating the dynamics of two cultures that often clash or contradict each other. Embracing the term "mestizos" (of mixed race), Jessica acknowledges her and her subjects' Indigenous and Spanish ancestry. Using symbols and icons from both Mexican and American history, she creates a fusion that represents a new culture, new myths, new icons, and new images, where there is no longer a strict division between Mexican and American identities, but rather the emergence of a new mestiza culture.

The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of WCSU’s Department of Art’s Graduate Program. MFA degrees are available in Painting, Illustration, and Interdisciplinary Visual Art. The exhibition is supported by the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment Fund at WCSU. Six MFA graduates will present their work:

Amy Caco is an Albanian-American illustrator born in Waterbury, CT. Working in a variety of mediums, including colored pencil, watercolor, ink, and digital, she continually explores new materials and methods. Her work is delicate and vulnerable, often influenced by fantasy and folklore, and recently incorporating poetry. “The work should speak for itself,” Amy has said, “but sometimes there are just some things that I want to say.” She values beauty and decorative elements in illustration, while still conveying a sense of mystery and symbolism. In her artist statement, she writes, “I want to experience the world through someone else’s eyes, the same way I want someone to look at my art and understand me.”

Amy earned a BA degree in Illustration from WCSU and has been a Graduate Teaching Assistant in undergraduate illustration courses. Her artwork has been published and exhibited in Danbury and Ridgefield, CT, and she works as a freelance artist with private clients. In 2022 and 2023, she was commissioned to paint two large murals for the Great Hollow Nature Preserve in New Fairfield, CT. @aviiamy

Lucy Gallagher is an artist from Waterbury, CT. She received her BA in Studio Art from WCSU. Her artistic practices include paintings, works on paper, and sculpture. They are a direct reflection of her life, both past and present. Lucy has worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in several art courses, including painting and printmaking. In her own words, she “is inspired by the creative energy that flows through each of us and the importance of nurturing that flame.”

Lucy’s work has been shown in CT galleries, including Alix Gallery in Waterbury and Art in Common Gallery in Ridgefield. Her work was also included in “Human Connection”, a group exhibition curated at the Danbury Fair Mall in 2023. In her artist statement, she writes, “I have this insatiable desire to figure out my identity through creating. My work focuses on moments from my past that remain in my internal narrative, invade my dreams, and constantly remind me that I am human. I embrace the inspiration that comes from my observed world and from within. In response, I create my fantastical truth through the use of color, light, and line.” @artbylucy_27

Taylor Green, from Waterbury and Danbury, CT, received a BA in Anthropology and Sociology from WCSU, with a minor in Studio Art. She is a visual anthropologist who attempts to not only observe the world around her, but to understand it through creation. Her artwork stems from the human experience of wonder and exploration, as well as research and advocacy. Taylor’s paintings are strongly influenced by her background in social science and social justice; not only painting about humanitarian crises, but more broadly about human experience. Additionally, she is a curator who believes that art can bring people together to spark important conversations.

Taylor’s paintings have been shown at Art in Common Gallery, Ridgefield, CT. During the past year, she has been a Graduate Assistant in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center. In summer 2023, she was invited by the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut to guest curate a group exhibition at the Danbury Fair Mall, which she entitled “Human Connection.” @art.by.green

Andrew Mark, an illustrator and designer based in Hudson Valley, New York, graduated from Marist College with a BS degree in Digital Media. He typically works in digital illustration, as well as acrylic painting, and pen and ink. His work consists of bright colors and bold outlines reminiscent of animation and comic books, with a focus on character design. In his artist statement, he writes, “I am a passionate storyteller, building entire worlds from scratch and breathing life into characters I create. I enjoy introducing fun and zany characters that are familiar, yet out of this world. My subjects are influenced by folklore and mythology, as well as graffiti art. I also draw much of my inspiration from life experience, particularly within my heritage of being a fourth-generation Chinese-American, and of being bilingual and bicultural.”

Andrew grew up going to anime and comic book conventions through his family’s import toy business, a key influence on his art studies and art career. Andrew is the founder of Kalun Studios, a lifestyle brand dedicated to producing unique, upbeat designs. He has also created work for a variety of clients, including colleges, dining services, local businesses, and festivals. @akmartist

William John Parrott III is an interdisciplinary artist who utilizes a multitude of processes that draw inspiration from his background in photography, painting, printmaking, spray painting, sculpture, and collage. He was born in Waterbury and resides in Naugatuck, CT. He earned his B.A. in Photography from WCSU. In his artist statement, he writes, “Process is what really drives me in the creation of my art. Using traditional tools in unorthodox and unusual ways to achieve specific marks, indentations, brush strokes, and more, is what helps me set my work apart from the traditional. Getting deeply in touch with the processes I use allows me to enter the state of flow of creation where my hands seem to work on their own, but the touch is still mine. . . This is my method, and where I draw my energy to create.”

William has worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the photography department at WCSU, as well as a Graduate Assistant in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center. His work has been exhibited in several galleries, including Art In Common Gallery in Ridgefield. @wjp_studioworks

Denise Rosa of Danbury, CT, is a painter who received her BA degree in Studio Art from WCSU. Her current work is primarily portraiture, some self-portraits, and others of people close to her. Her artist statement reveals much about her painting: “I was born in Brazil and proudly became a U.S. citizen in 2004. My life experience has taught me the importance of balancing reality with a spirit of hope. I am inspired by stories of people who have crossed my life. My landscapes and figurative oil paintings translate memories and recreate those narratives. My work is instinctual, allowing my inner child to express feelings. Light, color, and texture are important elements. There is always a message to be revealed through the viewer’s interpretation. I believe in the power of diversity and creative viewpoints, pushing me to be flexible as an artist and human being.”

In the summer of 2022, Denise was awarded a scholarship to study at the Rome Art Program in Italy. Her work has been shown in various exhibitions, including a mural project in 2022 at the Danbury Fair Mall, where her painting is now in its permanent collection. In March - April 2024, a solo exhibit of her paintings was held at the Danbury Public Library in CT. @denise_rosa_arts

Supported by the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment

For more information, read the Press Release at WCSU in the News, or contact the WCSU Department of Art at (203) 837-8403.

WCSU 2024 STUDENT ART SHOWCASE
May 18 – June 7, 2024

Gallery hours are Tue–Fri, 12:00–4:00 pm, and Sat–Sun, 1:00–4:00

Western CT State University and the Cultural Alliance of Western CT presents the inaugural Student Art Showcase. High School Students in grades 9-12 were invited to submit artwork entries for this juried exhibition at The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center.

Seventy-seven artworks were selected for the exhibition from the student entries of eighteen High Schools throughout Connecticut. The top selected artists were featured and presented with special recognition and awards at the opening reception on May 18th. In selecting artwork for the exhibit, the jury was looking for overall artistic excellence. In determining the presence of artistic excellence, the following were considered heavily: creativity and originality, quality of artistic composition and overall design, interpretation and clarity of the theme to the viewer, the overall impression of the artwork.

WCSU celebrates the students contributions as a way to encourage the development of young artists as they prepare to investigate the arts in a college setting. The inaugural event hosted by WCSU seeks to provide a forum for young artists to be included in a gallery exhibition as a means to inspire continued and renewed efforts for creation of art. The arts cannot be overstated for their benefit to each generation of creatives who seek expression and engagement with a proven crucial communicating exercise that sparks numerous healthy community and professional connections. WCSU welcomes these young artists who aspire to creative heights.

For more information read the Press Release at WCSU in the News.

Arianna Alagna – CT Homeschool
Ellie Arcario – Newtown High School
Nina Archiere – Danbury High School
Sarah Cartagena – Newtown High School
Matheus casareggio – Danbury High School
Schmarlee Charles – Danbury High School
Miriam Da Costa – Danbury High School
Prince Davenport – Highville Charter School
Photography Category - 1st Place
Madelyn DeGennaro – Bethel High School
Ethan Denning – Danbury High School
Bryana Diaz – Newtown High School
Drawing/Illustration Category - 3rd Place
Alexandra DiLorenzo – Newtown High School
Drawing/Illustration Category - 2nd Place
Mary Dunn – Wethersfield High School
Nicole Etchie – Westover School
Photography Category - 3rd Place
Natalia Gonzales – Ansonia High School
Jill Guilfoyle – St. Joseph High School
Amanda Gujski – St. Joseph High School
Fayrose Hussain – St. Joseph High School
Lucy Jackson – Education Without Walls
Emily Kokoszka – Enfield High School
3D Small Works Category - 1st Place & 3rd Place
Julia Lacasse – St. Joseph High School
Ava Larsen – Newtown High School
Lisa Liu – St. Joseph High School
Daira Lopez – Danbury High School
Emily Lu – William H. Hall High School
Nora Magel – Wethersfield High School
Puma Marx – Newtown High School
Alexis Mastrangelo – Enfield High School
Painting Category - 2nd Place
Amber Mattioli – Ace (Alternative Center for Excellence)

Sydney Melluzzo – Wethersfield High School
Bailey Munroe-Ritter – Private CT High School
Zoey Orellana – Ansonia High School
Jamie Xavier Ortiz – Wethersfield High School
Madeline Paine – Wethersfield High School
Painting Category - 1st Place
Lucas Parham – Danbury High School
Carolena Parker – Wethersfield High School
Anushka Patel – Private CT High School
Grey Pomeroy – Shepaug Valley High School
Overall Winner - 2nd Place
Abby Poreda – Enfield High School
Painting Category - 3rd Place
Amaia Potashner – William H. Hall High School
Overall Winner - 1st Place
Nathaly Quinde – Danbury High School
Samuel Ramirez – Danbury High School
Tatiana Rivera – St. Joseph High School
Drawing/Illustration Category - 1st Place
Mariah Rodriguez – Wethersfield High School
Bianca Sanchez – St. Joseph High School
Kayla Smith – Wethersfield High School
Marianna Sousa – Danbury High School
Overall Winner - 3rd Place
Logan Steisel – Danbury High School
Selena Stevens – Danbury High School
River Trotter – Ridgefield High School
Niki Tsilfides – St. Joseph High School
Ashley Velsmid – St. Joseph High School
Emma Vincent – Westover School
Photography Category - 2nd Place
Kayla Ward – Wethersfield High School
Gabriel Zagaja – Wethersfield High School
Emzie Zalaznick – Bethel High School
3D Small Works Category - 2nd Place

2024 Senior Portfolio Exhibition
April 18 – May 5, 2024

The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
WCSU, Westside Campus

Gallery Hours:
Tues–Fri, noon–4pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm

The WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience for students pursuing the B.A. in Art in one of four areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, photography and studio arts (painting).This year’s exhibition will feature six art majors with a concentration in graphic design, 11 in illustration, six in photography, and one in studio arts. The following 2024 B.A. in Art candidates will show their selected works:

Graphic Design: Ashley Faraco; Genesis Gonzalez; Simran Lamba; Denise Sweeney; Jack Teplica; and Riley Weaver
Illustration: Cailey Brochero Sarrazola; Celine Demers; Maren Dion; Georgianna Eckley; Olivia Escalera; Gavin Golisano; Owen Hernandez; Daniel Lippman; Jadon Richardson; Nyla Sok; and Reagan Sorenson
Photography: Barry Andrew Collins; Marnie De La Rosa; Melanie Liptak; Krysty McDonnell; Alison Rotty; and Colin Smith
Studio Art: Nyla Sok

2024 MFA Thesis Exhibition

March 21 – April 7, 2024

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 21, 6-8 p.m.

Gallery Hours: Tue–Fri, noon–4pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm

The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists. The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. Six graduate students will present their thesis work this year:

Amy Caco

Lucy Gallagher

Taylor Green

Andrew Mark

William J Parrott III

Denise Rosa

THE CIRCE EFFECT:
Women’s Creative Power Reclaims the Narrative

Feb 8 – March 3, 2024

Opening Reception:
Thurs, Feb 8, 2024, 6-8 pm

ARTIST TALK: Wed, Feb. 21, 6:30pm
Donna Dodson, Katiushka Melo, Cheryl Mukherji, and Chelsea Steinberg Gay

The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center, Western CT State University is pleased to present The Circe Effect: Women’s Creative Power Reclaims the Narrative featuring the work of Madeleine Conover, Donna Dodson, Katiushka Melo, Cheryl Mukherji, Dana Robinson, and Chelsea Steinberg Gay. The exhibit is on view February 8 – March 3. An opening reception is scheduled for February 8, 6-8 pm, during which Katiushka Melo will perform.

The exhibit is inspired by themes explored in the best-selling novel Circe by Madeline Miller; the narrator is Circe herself, goddess and sorceress from the ancient Greek epic, the Odyssey. The New York Times calls the novel “A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story… recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right.” In the novel, Circe takes ownership of her story and tells it on her own terms, thereby releasing herself from the constraints of the Western cultural imagination that often presents her, one dimensionally, as a dangerous, seductive witch.

Miller’s methodology has struck a cultural chord by addressing the familiar feminist principles of women's power and agency and how they are received when women orchestrate the narrative, but also by challenging and even recasting stereotypes. Collectively, the work of the artists gathered here addresses these subjects from contemporary points of view. The exhibit includes works in sculpture, painting, photography, performance, installation, printmaking, and drawing.

A Circe book discussion group for students will be co-presented by WCSU libraries and the Dept. of Art, with books donated by Eastern CT State University (ECSU) as part of their Big Read Program.

The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center is located on the second floor of the VPAC, Westside Campus, Western CT State University (WCSU). The GPS address is: 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT 06811.

Read the WCSU Press Release for more information.

WCSU ART ALUMNI EXHIBITION

Oct 5 – Nov 12, 2023

Opening Reception:
Thurs, Oct 5, 2023, 6-8 pm

THE GALLERY
at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
WCSU, Westside Campus

The Department of Art at WCSU is proud to present the 2023 WCSU Art Alumni Exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center. This exhibition will kick off the 2023-2024 academic year, and commemorate WCSU's 120th year, by showcasing fifty talented artists who have graduated from the Bachelors & Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Arts programs at WCSU. The Department of Art has been cultivating the finest artists in the tri-state area for decades, who have gone on to work as professional illustrators, designers, photographers, painters and educators. The exhibition will feature a vast array of artworks of wide ranging media and genres from our talented undergraduate and graduate art alumni. Co-sponsored by the Department of Art and the WCSU Alumni Association.

Alexis Achilles – BA 2023
Gulgun Aliriza – MFA 2007
Dan Baker – BA 2021, MFA 2023
Dee Rose Barba – MFA 2019
Jessica Bartlet – MFA 2009
Katie Bassett Langin – BA 2008, MFA 2014
D.. Bishop – BA 1996
Nicole Bourgeois-Believe – BA 2005
Heather Braxton– BA 2014
David Cerne – MFA 2007
Janelle Chandler – BA 2020, MFA 2022
Betsy Davidson – MFA 2010
Abbi Debes – BA 2023
Tony DeZinno – BA 2023, MFA 2025
Marsha Doran – BA 1996
Christina Fay – BA 2005
David Flook – BA 2019, MFA 2021
Lucy Gallagher – BA 2022, MFA 2024
Kelsey Gilmore – MFA 2022
Taylor Green – BA Art Minor 2022, MFA 2024
Lilah Heyman – MFA 2023
Xenia Hodza – MFA 2013
Erik Hoffman – BA 2015
Kanika Khurana – MFA 2017
Joe Maglio – BA 2023
Karin Mansberg – BA 2011, MFA 2013

Megan Marden – BA 2009, MFA 2012
Maritza (Stephanie Dee) – MFA 2020
Brian Antonio McCarley – MFA 2020
Colleen McGuire – MFA 2015
Betty Ann Medeiros – BA 1989, MFA 2006
Eileen Mooney – MFA 2006
Kat Moran – BA 2022
Jesse Navarra – BA 2016, MFA 2018
Jill Nichols – MFA 2015
Jessica Paternoster – BA 2020
Mildred Paulino – MFA 2019
Sophie Putney – BA 2022
Rima Rahal – MFA 2017
Denise Rosa – BA 2022
Jill Sarver-Rossi – MFA 2010
Barbara Sinisi – BA 2015, MFA 2018
Tommy Solano-Szostek – BA 2023
Sarah Stewart – MFA 2011
Ival Stratford-Kovner – MFA 2002
Emily Swift – BA Photography 2018
Eileen Tavolacci – MFA 2011
Janet Warner – MFA 2017
ShawnaLee Waterbury-Kwashnak – BA 1996
Brendan Wixted – BA 2013
Wing Na Wong BA 2018– MFA 2020

2023 MFA Thesis Exhibition in NYC
June 20 – July 8

Opening Reception:
Thursday, June 22, 2023

Blue Mountain Gallery
547 West 27 Street, Suite 200, New York, NY
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 11–6pm

The Department of Art at Western Connecticut State University is pleased to announce the 2023 MFA Thesis Exhibition at the Blue Mountain Gallery.The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of each artist. Four graduate recipients of the MFA in Visual Arts degree will present their work:

Dan Baker

Marcus Escribano

Lilah Heyman

Aimee Jette

Read a review of their work in Gallery & Studio Arts Journal by Christine Graf

This exhibition is supported by the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment Fund at WCSU.

Thursday, April 20, 6-8 pm

On View April 20 – May 7, 2023

Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm

The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
WCSU, Westside Campus

The WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience for students pursuing the B.A. in Art in one of four areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, photography and studio arts (painting). This year’s exhibition will feature 7 art majors with a concentration in graphic design, 5 in illustration, 9 in photography, and 5 in studio arts. The following are the 2023 B.A. in Art candidates in the exhibition:

Graphic Design: Angel Almonte; Matthew Anastasia; Kyle Estanqueiro; Paige Galanis; Jillian Mirabal; Anthony Tassa; and Lauren Torre

Illustration: Sarah Moffett; Kathryn Stimpfl; Liam Torlish; Ryein Troiano; and Chengyu Zhou

Photography: Alexis Achilles; Abbi Debes; Anthony DeZinno; Christopher Ehlers; Hope Johnsky; Mariana Miller; Samuel Recinos; Thomas Solano-Szostek; and Riley Weaver

Studio Art: Alexis Achilles; Joseph Maglio; Joseph Nolan; Andrew Olson; and Anna Schipf

For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403, or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

2023 MFA Thesis Exhibition

The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists.
The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. This year, four graduate students will present their thesis work: Dan Baker, Marcus Escribano, Lilah Heyman, and Aimee Jette..

Gallery Hours:
Tues–Fri, noon–4pm
Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm

“100@100” was an exciting evening of art, music, food, drinks — and anticipation.

Thanks to the support of professional local and regional artists, including WCSU Department of Art faculty and alumni, who generously donated all 100 pieces of artwork for the exhibition and included in the Off-the-Wall Fundraiser the event was a huge success, raising over $11,000 for the Gallery Exhibitions Program.

Address: Earth Art Expo
October 13 – December 4

Opening Reception:
Thursday, October 13, 2022

The GALLERY at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Western CT State University
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat-Sun 1-4 pm

Forty-four artists will show artworks in the multi-media, multi-location exhibition, “Address: Earth: Art Expo 2022,” Curated by Bibiana Huang Matheis. The exhibition features artists affiliated with the Inspiration Artist Group International, united under a common theme as a part of the Hudson Valley-wide exhibition “Address Earth: Art Expo 2022.” The first in-person exhibition since the onset of Covid-19, Address Earth features a collection of voices from dozens of artists who celebrate the planet earth and use art to address the critical global issues that affect the environment. It also celebrates varied aspects of our planet that are shared by everyone. Artists will address ecology, sustainability, climate change, endangered species, clean water, deforestation, and humanity, recognizing our common interests and shared well-being which is vital at this critical juncture in the history of this planet that we call Home.

NYC Exhibition at Blue Mountain Gallery
June 21 – July 9

Opening Reception:
Thursday, June 23, 2022

547 West 27 Street, Suite 200, New York, NY
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 11–6pm

The Department of Art at Western Connecticut State University is pleased to announce the 2021 MFA Thesis Exhibition at the Blue Mountain Gallery located at 547 West 27th Street, Suite 200, New York City.

The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of each artist. Four graduate recipients of the MFA in Visual Arts degree will present their work:

Janelle Chandler
Kelsey Gilmore
Don Houston
Robert Charles Hudson

Read the Press Release for more information and details.

Supported by the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment Fund

OPENING RECEPTION:
Thursday, April 21, 6-8 pm

On View April 21 – May 8, 2022

Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm

The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Westside Campus

The WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience for students pursuing the B.A. in Art in one of four areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, photography and studio arts (painting). This year’s exhibition will feature 10 art majors with a concentration in graphic design, 4 in illustration, 6 in photography, and 6 in studio arts. The following 2022 B.A. in Art candidates show selected works:

Graphic Design: Peter Buck, of Sandy Hook, CT; Ralph Capriglione, of Yonkers, NY; Abbi Debes, of New Milford, CT; Rebecca DeLucia, of New Milford, CT; Christopher Ehlers, of Norwalk, CT; Connor Feeney, of Monroe, CT; Hope Johnsky, of Bristol, CT; Nicole Medina, of Carmel, NY; Sean Price, of Naugatuck, CT; and Yadira Torres, of Norwalk, CT.

Illustration: Amy Caco, of Watertown, CT; Tallulah Comaskey, of New Milford, CT; Kiana Diaz, of Newtown, CT; and Bryana Sarsoza, of Stamford, CT.

Photography: Ethan Baur, of New Milford, CT; Ryan Bulkley, of Shelton, CT; Alex Linares, of Mamaroneck, NY; Emily Pelella, of Monroe, CT; Sophia Putney, of Boxford, MA; and Kaylee Wasacz, of Poughkeepsie, NY.

Studio Art: Lucy Gallagher, of Waterbury, CT; Daisy Gesualdi, of Bethel, CT; Alexander Hesse, of Brookfield, CT; Denise Izidorio, of Danbury, CT; Corrine Kozlow, of Danbury, CT; and Kat Moran, of Newtown, CT.

For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403, or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

2022 MFA Thesis Exhibition

March 24 – April 10

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 24, 6-8 p.m.

The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists.
The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. This year, four graduate students will present their thesis work: Janelle Chandler, Kelsey Gilmore, Don Houston, and Robert Charles Hudson.

Gallery Hours:
Tues–Fri, noon–4pm
Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm

February 10 – March 6

Opening Reception: Thursday, Feb 10, 2022 6-8 pm
in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center

Closing Celebration: Thursday, March 3, 2022, 6-8 pm
No Place Like Home: Exploring the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Middle East with artist Mohamad Hafez and guests.
in the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, Visual & Performing Art Center

A Syrian-American artist and architect, Mohamad Hafez was born in Damascus, raised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and educated in the Midwestern United States. Expressing the juxtaposition of East and West within him, Hafez’s art reflects the political turmoil in the Middle East through the compilation of found objects, paint, and scrap metal. Using his architectural skills, Hafez creates surrealistic Middle Eastern streetscapes that are architectural in their appearance yet politically charged in their content which addresses the devastation of war, feelings of displacement, and nostalgia for home.

The Department of Art was awarded a $13,000 National Endowment for the Arts "Project Grant" to support "The Home Project," in which Hafez will pursue an extensive program of collaborative art installations and exhibition, student mentoring, public lectures, and other activities during a year-long residency in the WCSU Department of Art that will begin in August and continue through the end of the 2021-22 academic year. Through these diverse and interactive exchanges, he will draw from his unique experiences and artistic works to challenge participants in the project to create their own artistic interpretations of the meaning and concept of home to be exhibited alongside his work in the exhibition.

October 21 – December 5

Opening Reception: Thursday, Oct 21, 6-8 p.m.

Since its first exhibition in 1937, American Abstract Artists has used printmaking as a platform to both introduce and document the work of its members and to expand the vocabulary of abstraction to an ever-increasing audience. This print portfolio tradition began with the celebration of the organization’s first anniversary and was followed decades later by marking AAA’s fiftieth, sixtieth, and seventy-fifth anniversaries.

With the advent of digital technology, AAA decided to break with tradition and print new portfolios digitally, a meaningful shift as the three previous portfolio editions were printed by lithography, a classic printmaking process. Designing and printing digital prints mirrors changes in the visual world, one result of perpetual technological achievements. In 2019, partly as an addendum to the 2012 portfolio exhibition, for exhibition purposes, and as an opportunity to showcase the work of recent AAA members (as well as earlier members who did not participate in the 2012 portfolio), American Abstract Artists published the 2019 Monoprint Portfolio. It is made up of twenty-five prints, one per artist, sized at 9 5/8 x 12 5/8 inches, horizontally, or 12 5/8 x 95/8 inches, vertically.

Printed by Mark Savoia at Still River Editions in Danbury Connecticut, this portfolio is in the collection of The Ewing Gallery of Art & Architecture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Creighton Michael Claire Seidl
AAA Archives Committee member AAA Exhibitions Committee Chair

Read press release

2021 Senior Portfolio Exhibition

The Senior Portfolio exhibition is the capstone experience of four years of study by Bachelor’s of Art candidates in Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, and Studio Arts. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a physical exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center is not possible, therefore there will be a virtual exhibition in place of a physical one. All are invited to visit the exhibition and explore the artists individual pages once they are live. Check back on or after April 26, 2021 to view the exhibition and explore the artists individual pages. Congratulations to the class of 2021:

Graphic Design:
Emily M Calano, Joelle E McCue, Bridget M Monks, Brian R Payne, Francisco J Ramirez

Illustration:
Conor E Burke, Joseph M Eller, Danielle E Nielsen, Amanda R Palladino, Mary L Tedesco, Matthew K Wixted

Photography:
Jakari Austin, Daniel J Baker, Patrick J Burns, Macayla J Cody, Rae R O'Hara, William J Parrott, Sarah Sprogis

Studio Arts:
Anna M Boers, Emily C Mansi, Philicia K Matturie, Julia M Sterc, Ava P Westervelt

In collaboration with the Brookfield Craft Center, a limited in-person exhibition where select pieces from student portfolios will be on view at the Art Center's Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery, opening on May 1 through 30. Admission will be free and the public is requested to observe social distancing and mask requirements as well as posted capacity limits on the number of guests allowed in the gallery at one time.

2021 MFA Thesis Exhibition

The 2021 MFA Exhibition will be installed in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center from April 5 – April 22. Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gallery is closed to the public. For this reason, we present a Virtual Exhibition available on our website launching on April 5, 2021. To view the exhibition, click on the heading above or the image to the left. A second exhibition will open to the public physically in New York City at Blue Mountain Gallery. A reception for the NYC exhibit is contingent on NYS Covid-19 guidelines.

The Senior Portfolio exhibition is the capstone experience of four years of intensive study by Bachelor’s of Art candidates in Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, and Studio Arts. Congratulations to the class of 2020:

Graphic Design:
Sara Cabrera Jonathan DeMarco Amaris Diaz Adrian Franzino Jose Garcia Munia Hossain Nicole Ilagan Marin Keefe Matthew Landusky Rashonda Lee Bianca Nguyen Allison Novella Alysan Pages Daniel Paglialunga Jessica Paternoster Angie Perez Francis Serra Bhadrangi Soni Nowshin Tabassum Alessandra Turano

Illustration:
Janelle Chandler Colleen Feenan Mariam Haidar Paige Kissinger Ashton Sneed Kurt Vinci

Photography:
Jacalyn Doerwald Steven Oyarvide Daniela Pontaza-Santander

Studio Arts:
Arts Erik David-Lukas Alyssa Del Giorno Eleftherios Farina Hannah Lauth Joseph LoStocco Ellie Moon

The Department of Art organizes the MFA Thesis Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience demonstrating the personal artistic direction and mastery in the work of candidates for the MFA in Visual Arts. This exhibition featuring their thesis work is the culmination of two years of intensive creative study by graduate candidates in Painting, Illustration, and Interdisciplinary Visual Arts. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, a physical exhibition in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center is no longer possible, therefore we have created a virtual exhibition in place of a physical one and we would like to invite all of you to go to the link below to visit the exhibition. The MFA candidates' presenting their work in the 2020 Virtual Thesis Exhibition are:

Stephanie Dee
Brian Antonio McCarley
Amanda Paige Megill
Jen Olvera
Hannah Hurricane Sanchez
Wing Na Wong

January 30 – March 8, 2019
Leslie Giuliani & Roxy Savage

Opening Reception: Thursday, Jan 30, 6–8 pm
Artist Talk: 7 pm

Featuring both individual and collaborative works highlighting each artist’s unique vision and shared love of play. Fascinated with materials, process, and symbols, the artists will demonstrate how personal interests and technological means determine and influence the creation of artwork and how artists continually inspire each other.

Read more about the exhibition and the artists in the Press Release Here.

WCSU DEPARTMENT OF ART
FACULTY EXHIBITION
October 24–December 8, 2019

Opening Reception: October 24, 6–8 pm
in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center

This exhibition is an opportunity for students and the community to learn from the artwork of the full-time and adjunct faculty members who teach in the Department of Art. The talent and breadth of work presented in this exhibition provide a reminder of the creativity and diversity represented within the department. Faculty participants in the exhibtion will include David Boyajian, Riley Brewster, Leslie Cober-Gentry, Bruce Dunbar, Stacey Kolbig, Jurg Lanzrein, Sabrina Marques, Colleen McGuire, Francis Patnaude, Lori Robeau, Ken Scaglia, Elyse Shapiro, David Skora, Clintel Steed, Jack Tom, Catherine Vanaria, Chad Wallace, Erin Walrath and Terry Wells.

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release here.

COVERING BLUE NOTE
October 10–16

Reception & Performance:
Thursday, October 10, 2019, 6–8 pm
in the Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center

Covering Blue note is a collaborative multi-disciplinary project, performance, and exhibition simultaneously combining live music, a multi-photographer photo session, and multiple graphic design stations. Leveraging the speed and flexibility of digital technology, a process that took weeks in the past will happen in real-time during the gallery opening. Drawing on the iconic Blue Note jazz label’s sound and look, a jazz quartet will present an “open rehearsal” in the gallery while multiple photographers shoot the session ala famed Blue Note co-owner and photographer Francis Wolf. An in-house photo editor will download the photographs, select the most interesting ones and send them to three graphic design work stations. Using the iconic work of designer Reid Miles as a model, individual graphic designers will create 12x12 album sized artwork for both electronic display, printing, and exhibition.

Sponsored by the WCSU Alumni Association

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release here.

AMERICAN SUBTITLES
Andres Chaparro & Robert Charles Hudson
August 26 – October 6, 2019

Reception: August 29, 6:00–8:00 pm
in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center

American Subtitles is an exhibition featuring a richly varied range of paintings, sculptures, collages and mixed-media works that interpret the American experience of people of color. Chaparro and Hudson share a common passion in their artistic work to invite and challenge viewers to re-examine social crises from a fresh perspective and to explore the individual’s contributions to humanity while embracing visions of both unity and diversity.

An opening reception for the artists will be held from 6–8 pm on Thursday, Aug 29 in The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center on the university's Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave Extension in Danbury. The exhibition will be open for public viewing during gallery hours from 12–4 pm, Mon–Fri and from 1–4 pm, Sat–Sun. Admission for gallery viewing and the reception will be free and open to the public.

Artist and curator, Andres Chaparro will also present an Artist Talk at 6 pm on Thursday, Sept 19 in the Art Gallery. Admission will be free and the public is invited.

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.

APRIL 18 – MAY 5, 2019
Opening Reception:
Thursday, April 18, 6-8 p.m.

WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition. This exhibition is the capstone experience for students pursuing a B.A. in Art in one of five areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture. This year’s exhibition will feature works by 38 Western Connecticut State University undergraduate art majors who are candidates this year for the Bachelor of Arts degree (listed below).

Admission is free and the public is invited.

Graphic Design:
Nahndi Ali, Joseph Bottone, Paige Carnes, Alexa Collins, Ramazan Dovoljani, Heather Gantt, Lucas Gonzalez, Joshua Mueller, Kimberly Palmer, and Jonathan Spencer.

Illustration:
Kelly Criswell, Francisco Del Carpio-Beltran, Lindsey Lawton, Zachary Lloyd, Julie McCloskey, and Felisha Ortiz.

Painting:
Dana Aftyka, Emily Alderman, Octavia Byrd, David Flook, Morgan Ho, Alex Mondaca, Ashley O’Brien, Rachel Rossier, Thoai Tran, Valerie West-Rosenthal, and Veronica Woods.

Photography:
Alex Diverniero, Marcus Escribano, Khaalis Lee, Charles Loomis, Casey Orsini, Rachel Peet, Alessandra Turano, and Brianna Walker.

Sculpture:
Jacob Martnick, Phillip Reynolds, and Rockelle Veneruso.

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release Here.

MARCH 28 – APRIL 8
Opening Reception:
Thursday, March 28, 6-8 p.m.

The Department of Art organizes the MFA Thesis Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience demonstrating the personal artistic direction and mastery in the work of candidates for the MFA in Visual Arts, expressed in the works they present for viewing. The following MFA students will show their work in this year’s exhibition:

Dee Rose Barba Mildred Paulino
Brett M. Colon Dee Dee Perrone
Brian Ferreira Rima J. Rahal
Greg Mursko Andréa Rios

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.

JANUARY 31 – MARCH 3, 2019
Opening Reception & Artist Talk: Thursday, Jan 31, 6-8 p.m.

Like trying to describe a color with words, a painter reaches for what is hard to make real. Like color, a painting can seem to be more than one thing. The way in which a painter wrestles with issues is hard to pin down. There is no ever-reliable solution. Often a painting depends not just on the painter, but also on the imagination and willingness of the viewer. Neither Here Nor There presents a collection of six artists work that eludes, disrupts, or transforms what seems familiar. Participating Artists: Samantha Bates, Gideon Bok, Rachel Hellmann, Sam King, Matt Murphy, and Stephanie Pierce. Curated by Matt Murphy.

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.

JANUARY 25 – MARCH 4
Opening Reception: Thursday, Jan. 25, 6 – 8 p.m.

Gallery Talk with guest curators: Wednesday, Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.

Closing Reception/Gallery Walk with the Artists: Sunday, March 4, 2 – 4 p.m.

Parallel Practices showcases the cross pollination of ideas across different mediums and the unexpected variety of creative expression that often happens concurrently in artists’ studios.

Participating Artists: Harriet Bellows, Matt Bollinger, Guy Corriero, Deborah Dancy, Fukuko Harris, Carol McMahon, Patricia Miranda, Elisa Soliven, Martha Tuttle, Alan Wiener, Mie Yim

Read more about the exhibition in the Press Release.

SEPTEMBER 25 – DECEMBER 3
Opening Reception: Thursday, Sept. 28, 6 – 8 p.m.

Artist Panel Discussion: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.
Moderated by Jack Tom, Associate Professor of Illustration

Featuring 15 contemporary illustrators from Connecticut, the exhibition will include books, design and editorial artwork in a variety of styles representing the specialized talent and diversity in this field of practice.

Participating Artists: Ross MacDonald, Bruce Degen, Guy Billout, Randy Enos, Wendell Minor, Robert Giusti, Bill Thomson, Roger Huyssen, Gerard Huerta, Leslie Cober-Gentry, Christine Kornacki, Robert Crawford, David Wenzel, James Grashow, Jon Sideriadis

Read more about the exhibition in the press release.