Diverse New Exhibitions to open Jan. 16 at UCA’s Baum Gallery

The Baum Gallery of Fine Art at the University of Central Arkansas opens its spring season Thursday, Jan. 16, with four new exhibitions: Deb Schwedhelm: Whispers from the SeaKirsten Kindler: Paper ConstructionDrawing Blood and Guts: The Best of Contemporary Medical Illustration, andRecollections Transformed: An Interactive Installation Inspired by the Work of Miranda July in Collaboration with Hendrix College.

A public reception will be held Thursday from 5-7 p.m. and will be on display through Feb. 20.

Deb Schwedhelm: Whispers from the Sea presents a series of high-contrast, black and white photographs of figures in and near bodies of water. The figures are most often children and even the most traditionally composed images have a striking, poetic quality. Schwedhelm is based in Tampa, Floridaand her photographs have been exhibited widely and featured in numerous publications throughout the world.

Kirsten Kindler: Paper Construction is an exhibition of intricate hand-cut magazine images carefully collaged, often in multiple layers, on clear mylar and installed in large-scale, wall-hung compositions and in complex sculptural installations hanging from the ceiling.  The work is time intensive and fragile. They read from a distance but closer inspection rewards the viewer with near infinite visual detail. Kindler is based in Richmond, Virginia and has exhibited widely within the United States and received numerous art awards. She will give a gallery talk about her work on February 20th at 1:40 p.m. in the Baum Gallery.

Eighteen of the top U.S. medical illustrators were selected for the exhibition Drawing Blood and Guts: The Best of Contemporary Medical Illustration. The exhibition was curated by medical illustrator, Alexandra Baker, of DNA Illustrations in collaboration with the Baum Gallery. The illustrators have distinctive styles and cover a range of medical subject matter. Selected illustrators are: James Archer, Molly Borman-Pullen, Todd Buck, Gary Carlson, Jennifer Fairman, Rob Flewell, Craig Foster, Michele Graham, Bonnie Hofkin, Craig Kiefer, Christy Krames, Michael Kress-Russick, Scott Leighton, Cassio Lynm, Michael Linkinhoker, Kimberly Martens and Linda Nye. The curator, Alexandra Baker, will give a talk about the exhibition and her work as a medical illustrator on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 1:40 p.m. in McCastlain Hall 143 on UCA’s campus.

Recollections Transformed is an interactive art installation inspired by the work of Miranda July.   July is an actress, artist, writer and film director who will be visiting Conway in February. In anticipation of this visit the Baum Gallery is collaborating with Hendrix College to create an art assignment to be included in Hendrix’s online web project, Guiding Us to You. This web project was inspired by July’s own art website, Learning to Love You More, created in collaboration with artist Harrell Fletcher, which asks visitors to complete projects that promote creative thinking through art. Visitors to the public reception on Thursday will have the opportunity to participate in the installation on site but submissions will be continually accepted for the duration of the exhibition. For more information about the project visit http://hendrixmurphy.org/guidingustoyou/.

Baum Gallery exhibitions and events are always free and open to the public. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday 10-5, Thursday 10-7, Sunday 1-5. The Baum is located in the west wing of McCastlain Hall on UCA’s campus.

For more information visit the Baum’s website http://uca.edu/art/baum/ or contact Gallery Director, Barclay McConnell at (501) 450-5793 orbarclaym@uca.edu.