Press release:
They teach their craft to students every day, but they are also practicing artists outside of the classroom. This fall, see the work of the Fine Arts faculty at Genesee Community College in an exhibit entitled "Art Matters: GCC Arts Faculty Exhibit."
The show is now on view in the Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Gallery in the Genesee Center for the Arts on the GCC Batavia Campus. Opening receptions for the exhibit are planned on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and again at 5:30-7:30 p.m. The afternoon opening will include a performance by Music instructor Jennifer Sisbarro.
The show will feature the works of six GCC faculty members. They include Joe Ziolkowski, Instructor of Photography, who is coordinating the exhibit; Moi Dugan, associate professor of Ceramics and 3-Dimensional Design; Heather Jones, assistant professor of Fine Arts; Pamela Swarts, assistant professor of Digital Art; Jennifer Sisbarro, instructor of Music, and Ed Hallborg, Theater technician.
Ziolkowski, who teaches digital and film-based photography, creates unique self-portraits that use multiple formats, including 35 mm, 4 x 5 inch pinhole, digital SLR, mirror-less and iPhone digital cameras.
"In a world filled with the effortless 'selfie,' my work is effort filled," Ziolkowski notes. "As the artist, I select the vantage point and frame the subject, making my lens the viewers' eye. As subject, I place myself within the frame and guide the viewer through the frame with my own gaze. Within this gaze, I join the viewer, experiencing the joy of gazing myself."
Moi Dugan's new work is inspired by the woodlands surrounding her family's new home.
"My wheel thrown and handbuilt ceramics act as canvases for my painted narratives. While my work is functional, I strive for each piece to stand alone as a work of art when not in use," Dugan said.
She uses brightly pigmented slip and the sgraffito ("scratch") technique to produce the layers of color, texture and pattern on each of her one-of-a-kind pieces.
The mixed media creations of Heather Jones integrate glass, metal, paint and untraditional materials to "create social commentaries that speak of environmental issues.
"My current artwork focuses on the ethics of patenting life and the scientific processes of changing plants, animals and humans at a cellular level," Jones said.
Pam Swarts features graphic artwork on posters and event design materials.
Cultural debris is the focus of Ed Hallborg's work entitled "Remnants," which "is meant to be consumed in passing, like digital graffiti." Automated slide projectors display the words and images.
And musical sound bites featuring vocal performances by Jennifer Sisbarro will play continuously. Sisbarro's selections come from classical, jazz, and musical theater genres. She's an experienced performer who's been singing since the age of 3. Sisbarro will perform jazz standards with Deborah Sorenson accompanying her on piano during the opening reception from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Sept. 11.
The exhibit will be on display through Nov. 20. The Roz Steiner Gallery, located in the Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College, is open Monday – Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by special appointment. GCC's Batavia campus, located at One College Road, is just a short drive off exit 48 of the New York State Thruway. Directions to the campus are available at http://www.genesee.edu/about/visit/maps.cfm.
