Gallery

 

	Ben Butler’s sculptures point out the futility of common household items by exaggerating a defining element, deconstructing it at the expense of its functionality, and re-contextualizing it; transforming the object into an absurdity. Butler received his BA in Visual Arts from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine and will receive his MFA in sculpture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in May, 2003.
	Paul Chidester’s candy-colored landscapes illustrate a cynical view of man’s effect on the environment. Chidester received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and his BFA from the University of Colorado in Boulder.
	Julie Comnick’s disquieting narrative paintings elicit uneasiness, hinting at the near proximity of impending disaster.  Comnick received her MFA from Montana State University in Bozeman and her BA from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.
	Rachel Davis’ playful abstract paintings are based on the artist’s close-up observations of nature.  Davis received her MFA from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and her BA from the State University of New York at Plattsburg.
	Rhonda Gates’ geometric abstractions are based on wintry landscapes of Midwestern fields and cities, and the occasional intersection of the two.  Gates received her MS in Art Education and her BFA from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.
	Mary Henderson’s photorealistic family snapshot paintings carry a palpable 1970’s vintage.  The images are dramatically cropped, obscuring specific identities while evoking vague recollections or semblances of intimate familiarity.  Henderson received her MFA from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and her BA from Amherst College in Massachusetts.
	Steve Hough’s stereo-chromatic paintings are hand-carved Plexiglas surfaces with undulating ripples and striations painted with enamel car paint that changes color as the viewer moves around it.  Hough received his FA from Slade in London, England.
	Gregory Jacobsen’s dystopic vision celebrates the spectacle of failure in a neo-imagist parade of human tragedy. Jacobsen received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
	Rena Leinberger’s non-functional sculptures of functional objects are generally inspired by idiosyncrasies of the space they inhabit.  Leinberger received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her BA from Anderson University in Michigan.
	Martina Nehrling’s formal abstractions focus on color, exploring variations in tone, texture and relationships.  Nehrling received her MFA from the University of Chicago and her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
	Sandra Perlow takes shapes that she observes in landscapes, human forms and architecture, repeats, reorganizes and obscures their spatial equilibrium into asymmetrical abstract compositions. Perlow received her MFA and BAE from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MA from the Illinois Institute of Design.
	Natasha Spencer’s low relief sculptures of words written with synthetic hair address the subtleties of language amid gender issues, slang and double meanings.  Spencer received her MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her BFA from The Cleveland Institute of Art.
	Betsy Stirratt’s abstractions explore the issues of biological obsession and desire.  She combines matte and glossy surfaces to emphasize the tactile quality of her referents.  Stirratt received her MFA from Indiana University in Bloomington and her BFA from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
	Dan Treado uses colorful scientific based biomorphic shapes taken out of context to create fictionalized scenarios by placing them in a lateral format that is read left to right.  The serialization allows for multiple panels to come together and tell a story, usually exploring the tensions found in the evolutionary process. Treado received his MFA from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY and his BA from Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
	Dann Witczak focuses on the direct comparison of man-made vs. organic patterns.  Panels of exotic hardwoods are matched with canvases painted with vivid strokes of intense colors analogous to the wood grain of the attached panels.  Witczak received his BFA from The Cleveland Institute of Art.