The Michael M. Williamson Memorial
Residency / Lecture Series

The endowed artist attraction was started in 1989 through the generosity of Dr. Alyce Williamson and friends in memory of the late Michael M. Williamson. The purpose of the program is to present residency / lecture activities by prominent artists so Indiana State University students and Wabash Valley citizens can have a better understanding of art in American life. Past residency artists include: Michiko Itatani, Philip Pearlstein, Kay WalkingStick, Leonard Baskin, Ed Paschke, Paul Sierra and Zhi Lin.

The 2007-2008 Williamson Memorial Artist-In-Residence will be noted painter Vera Klement. Patty Carroll and James Yood describe her paintings as "sobering probes into memory, and function as tantalizing glimpses of what is gained and what is lost on our many-faceted journey through life. Klement uses her own biography as a model for this inquiry, from her childhood in the Free City of Danzig, through her family's escape from Nazism, from her training in New York during the heyday of Abstract Expressionism, to her two decades of teaching and working Chicago. Her art remembers, echoing the bracing air of the Baltic Sea, her position as "other," her life as an artist and a woman, and her struggle to understand, to make sense of the unspeakable horrors and insatiable yearnings that in many ways constitute life, and to question what can be done in the face of heavy burdens of existence.

Klement's achievement is manyfold, but at its heart is her ability to recognize loss and document the agony of its wake. Often in her paintings a woman appears, set against a stark white ground, separated only by some inches from a nearby river or tree or field of earth. But that gulf cannot be measures in inches; the figure will never get to that bit of nature, will never find its way home. Living is its own revenge."

Ms. Klement stated that, "being a Jew, a woman, a survivor, are at the center of how I describe the world."

Vera Klement -- Paintings will be on display in the University Art Gallery from September 26 through October 26, 2007. Klement will present a public lecture to be announced. The lecture will be preceded by a reception in the artist's honor, starting to be announced at the University Art Gallery.

Left: "A Conversation with Philip Pearlstein," conducted by Charles S. Mayer, Ph.D at the Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute.
Right: 2003-2004 Williamson Memorial Artist-in-Residence Zhi Lin discussing his work with students from an advanced painting class.

Community Outreach

Community outreach is an important focus of the gallery’s programs. Through a variety of outreach activities, the program seeks to extend to the local and regional communities in an effort to enrich, expand and enhance the cultural climate of the Wabash Valley. Specific outreach projects serve to expand the audiences’ awareness of and accessibility to the arts and promote an understanding of the importance of the arts in culture.

Left: ISU students helping to install an interactive community-based installation work by artist Christopher Hicks entitled, September Memorial Sodaflower Project. The piece, a field of red, white and blue flowers made from recycled plastic soda bottles, was created in memory of the victims of 9/11.
Right: Elementary school students on a field trip to the University Art Gallery. Students learned about some of the basic elements and principles of art and then had a chance to inspect the work up close.

Visiting Artist Workshops

The gallery’s Visiting Artist / Scholar Program consistently brings a diverse array of professionals from the field to Indiana State University. Workshops present exceptional opportunities for students and teachers to learn new techniques, find out about innovations within the industry or develop their own creative perspectives.

Left: Visiting artist Kathryn Clark of Twinrocker Handmade Paper conducts a papermaking workshop on traditional and creative papermaking techniques.
Center: Contemporary printmaker Keith McIntyre, from Scotland, presents a workshop on his own brand of interdisciplinary printmaking.
Right: Artist Hiram Ball of Ball Atelier, Inc. conducts a life-casting workshop that incorporates new and innovative casting materials.

Gallery Talks / Class Discussions

The mission of the University Art Gallery is to offer direct experience with works of art in an effort to provide an enriched understanding and appreciation for the visual arts. Gallery talks are an effective tool for such an educational focus and are regularly presented by visiting artists and curators and gallery staff. Through gallery talks, visitors from the University and the local community are able to learn about the unique qualities of the visual arts or discover the innovative ways in which artists approach their own work. Gallery talks are designed for a wide range of visitors from elementary and high school groups to senior citizens.

The University Art Gallery and its programs offer unique resources for teachers and students alike. Within the gallery’s yearly schedule, exhibitions are designed to address a diverse array of technical, aesthetic and thematic concerns. Classes from a variety of disciplines often use the visual presentations as points of discussion and visiting artists and scholars have the opportunity to address students in the classroom.

To arrange for a gallery talk, class discussion, or if you are interested in bringing your class to the University Art Gallery, please contact the Director at 812-237-3787.

Left: Visiting curator James Nestor presents a gallery talk to the public about his exhibition entitled, New Works / New Europe.
Right: Visiting artist Noah Jemisin speaks to an Art Appreciation class about his art, his influences and his career.

Department of Art Exhibitions / Lectures

Annually, the University Art Gallery is host to the ISU Department of Art Faculty Exhibition in September, the Fall and Spring Graduate Thesis Exhibitions at the end of each semester, and the ISU Juried Student Exhibition, traditionally held in February. In addition, a Department of Art faculty member of art history presents a lecture.

Left: Dr. Dele Jegede, former Chair of the Department of Art, with Best of Show winner, Amy Young, at the 2002 ISU Juried Student Exhibition.
Right: Installation view of the 2003 Department of Art Faculty Exhibition.