University of Wisconsin-Platteville students are preparing to showcase their artwork on and off campus next month, as part of the annual Group and Solo BFA Exhibitions and Senior Show.
The Group BFA Exhibition will feature the work of seven students in Nohr Gallery: Brad Bell, Melanie Bisbach, Sara Ditchman, Jackie Dyrud, Morgan Fuerstenberg, Ross Gulcynski and Colee Pasinato. The BFA candidates were tasked with selecting works, made at any time during their UW-Platteville career, that highlight research from their area of emphasis – particularly painting, printmaking, graphic design and ceramics. These students are also each organizing a solo exhibition, which will take place around campus and in the Platteville community, including the Center for the Arts, Sesquicentennial Hall, the Platteville Public Library, Driftless Market and Rountree Gallery. The solo exhibitions are the culmination of the students’ work and research on their thesis projects. In the fall semester, each student prepares a thesis and project proposal that they then execute during the spring semester.
Letha Kelsey, professor in the Department of Performing and Visual Arts, said that sharing artwork in community spaces is an important part of the students’ learning experience in the program.
“Art faculty encourage our BFA candidates to seek out an exhibition space that suits individual needs and highlights the student's individual research,” said Kelsey. “Part of this charge is to build confidence in each student's ability to navigate the gallery proposal process and procure a space on campus or within the Platteville community. We want the BFA Thesis and Exhibition project to underscore the practical nature of what it means to be an artist seeking to share one's work with a broader audience.”
The annual Senior Show will run concurrently in Nohr Gallery, featuring the work of Sawyer Hahn. An opening reception for the Group BFA Exhibition and Senior Show will be held on Tuesday, April 25 from 3-4:30 p.m. in Nohr Gallery. The Solo BFA Thesis and Exhibition shows will celebrate openings on Friday, April 28 at their various locations on campus and in the community, from 4-7 p.m., with the exception of the opening at the Platteville Public Library, which will be held from 3-6 p.m., and the Center for the Arts, which will be held from 5-8 p.m.
The artwork will remain on display in community locations until Saturday, May 6 and in Nohr Gallery until Friday, May 12.