Upcoming Exhibits
Greater than These, a Scratchboard Exhibition by Lindsey Jaeger – January 13-January 30
Artist Gallery Talk: 3:30 p.m., Thursday, January 30, 2020.
Closing Reception: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., Thursday, January 30, 2020.
In our electrified, pulsating world, full of endless options and others’ opinions, we are increasingly tuning out the beauty and opportunity that is often, quite literally, right underfoot.
“Being less sensitive to things that are less important makes the brain more efficient and faster at accomplishing the more important tasks,” says Dr. Duje Tadin, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, in ScienceDaily.
But a return to sensitivity to the smaller, “less important” objects of Nature is good medicine. While an ecosystem is greater than the sum of its individual parts, each minute product of Nature is interesting, important, and worthy in its own right. Every natural found object is an invitation to engage in wonder, and wonder is necessary to generate new thoughts—especially if we want to explore new thoughts about firmly entrenched, long-held beliefs.
My body of work deliberately engages the dialectic of what unites and separates Nature and culture, particularly from a female perspective. Paintings and scratchboards of birds’ nests and feathers nestled in crystal wine glasses, bell jars, and other vessels with highly reflective surfaces explore the beauty and complexity of the modern family, navigating the pressures of the 21st century.
While exploring my subjects, I ask: What are the limits of science? Can art inform scientific thought? Can the scientific formula explain beauty, and if not, what are the implications?
My artwork juxtaposes the intricate detail of a natural found object with the larger environment in which it naturally resides, and sometimes, with an entirely man-made environment, such as the bell jar. I am also interested in dissecting the relationship between the subject of a painting and the viewer. How are we changed after experiencing the wonder of a wildflower? Do we let artwork permeate us or do the images bounce off of us, leaving us unaffected? Are wildflowers as fragile as they first appear or are they resilient, coming back year after year? How much of what we see is Truth, and how much of our reality is what we reflect?
-Lindsey Jaeger, artist
Look Out or Lookout by Ben Frederick – February 6
Gallery History
On June 21, 2007, Thomas More University unveiled the naming of the new Art Gallery as the “Eva G. Farris Art Gallery.”
“For some individuals, giving of their time and resources comes naturally. Eva Farris is one of these special individuals,” said Sister Margaret Stallmeyer, former president of Thomas More University. “She not only gives financial support to numerous organizations, but she serves as a committed and passionate volunteer throughout the community.”
A portrait of Eva Farris, painted by Thomas More graduate, Taylor Stephenson ’07, hangs on the entry wall of the Gallery. Ms. Stephenson is one of two Thomas More art graduates whose work was selected in a national competition to be displayed at Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati.
Gallery Hours
Monday – Thursday: 8:00am – 10pm
Friday – 8:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday – 10:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday – 2:00pm – 8:00pm
Special Holiday Hours may change this schedule. The Eva G. Farris Art Gallery is located on the entrance level of the Benedictine Library. For more information, call 859-344-3300.