Tim Waldrop is a living example of the old saying, "Ask, and you shall receive."
The Western Illinois University associate professor of art recently asked for, and received, a substantial donation (more than $3,100) of glitter and glitter-related craft materials from Martha Stewart Crafts.
The sparkling decorations are being used by students and faculty to create their one-of-a-kind artwork for display in the next University Art Gallery show, "Exploring Media: Glitter," which will run from Tuesday, Feb. 23 through Thursday, March 11.
A kickoff reception, open free to the public, will be held from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Art Gallery.
"This generous donation from Martha Stewart Crafts directly impacts our students' artwork," Waldrop said. "'Martha Stewart Living' asked me to document the students and faculty working, and the exhibit as well," Waldrop said. "They said they would like to include the show information and images on their blog. This is really exciting for our students and for our department participating in the show."
He started preparing for this spring exhibition in Fall 2009, thanks to a Western Illinois University-Macomb community Performing Arts Society (PAS) grant, which, in part, helped him schedule visiting artists for the glitter exhibition.
Waldrop has been requesting, and receiving, nontraditional materials for this annual exhibit, "Exploring Media," the past four years.
"I began the "Exploring Media" exhibit series as a way for our students to become more experimental with materials. I started by simply contacting specific corporations and manufacturers who could possibly donate 'unorthodox' materials," Waldrop said.
The first three years produced "Exploring Media" with expanding polyurethane foam, tape and cardboard.
The upcoming exhibition with glitter will include a showcase of works by students and art faculty and another showcase of works by invited professional artists. Student works will be juried.
Professionals with artworks on exhibit will include glitter painter Jamie Vasta, who is represented by Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco; painter Tim Liddy from St. Louis, who teaches at Fontbonne University and is represented by Kidder Smith Gallery in Boston and by William Shearburn Gallery in St. Louis; Jason Hoeing from St. Louis, who creates small-scaled paintings with glitter fingernail polish; and Shanna Fliegel, a ceramics instructor and resident artist at The Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY.
Fliegel will be a visiting artist Thursday, Feb. 25, giving presentations of her work and a demonstration workshop in the ceramics studio, located in the Heating Plant Annex (north of Garwood Hall). Fliegel earned her BFA (James Madison University and MFA (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) in Studio Art: Ceramics.
Liddy will be a visiting artist at Western Thursday, April 22, when he will present some of his work to art department students and faculty and teach an experimental drawing workshop. He studied at the Studio Art Center International in Florence, Italy (1988-89); and he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Center of Creative Studios, Detroit (1989), and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Washington University, St. Louis (1991).
The WIU Art Gallery is open free to the public from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and from 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays during exhibitions. For more information, visit wiu.edu/ArtGallery or call (309) 298-1587.
(Western Illinois University Associate Professor of Art Tim Waldrop displays some glitter donated by Martha Stewart Crafts for the Exploring Media: Glitter art show. WGIL News Story and Photo Courtesy Western Illinois University.) |
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