Today at the Northwest Art Gallery at Minot State University, weather permitting, artist Guillermo Guardia from Grand Forks will be present at the artist reception set for the Hartnett Hall Gallery from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Guardia, a ceramicist from Lima, Peru, earned masters degrees in fine art and industrial technology at the University of North Dakota. He has the current show at the Northwest Art Center's Gordon Olson Library Gallery through March 15, and is also giving an art seminar on Friday in Hartnett Hall at 9 a.m.
Guardia's exhibit, titled "Mis Tres Verdades," or "Three Truths," is comprised of crafted pieces. Guardia's award-winning works have been featured throughout the United States and Peru. He concentrates on the human figure, but also does allegorical and fantastic takes on it.
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Terry J. Aman/MDN - - 'Wade Roper” by MSU arts faculty member Walter Piehl is one of several pieces on display as part of the faculty art exhibit at Northwest Art Center's Hartnett Hall gallery.
"I just recently perceive a stronger relation of my art to my Peruvian heritage, the ancient pre-Colombian cultures like Nazca, Chim, Inca or Mochica. They were expert artisans specially working in clay. They made pots, bowls, functional ceramics but they added relief, designs, animal patterns, faces, drawings narrating ceremonies or rituals. It wasn't just a plain piece of ceramic. They depicted their traditions in an art media, and that is what I am doing with my sculptures in ceramics, to (show) how I perceive my surrounding, the people, the society, my friends (and) myself."
In the Hartnett Hall Gallery through April 4, the art faculty of MSU is presenting an eclectic collection with pieces from each of the instructors.
"These are always interesting displays, and each instructor has their best work out," said Northwest Art Center executive director Avis Veikley, who also has works on display. "Besides the familiar artists, like Bill Harbort and Walter Piehl, we have Jim Bailey, Patrick Sheldon, Russ Hanson, Linda Olson, Andrea Donovan, Micah Bloom and Maureen Williams. Michael is new on the faculty, and Maureen is an MSU graduate and now teaching adjunct who has gone through this program. It's really interesting to see someone who has done that."
Most of these instructor-artists are expected to be present at today's reception, ready to discuss their presentations.
The reception is free and open to the public.