Art faculty members showcase a variety of works in 11th biennial exhibition

The “Biennial Faculty Exhibition” at McDaniel College highlights a variety of works by current Art faculty members at the college.

The exhibition runs Tuesday, Jan. 23–Friday, Feb. 16. An opening reception takes place Friday, Jan. 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m., with a gallery talk at 6 p.m.

This 11th biennial exhibition encompasses a wide range of media, styles, and subject matter and is a rare opportunity to see the works of select McDaniel faculty members. 

Associate professor Chloe Irla '07 showcases new work by her irladen design studio, including a painting, poster, infographic, books, stickers, and the newest issue of her “Parenting Through Anything” magazine. 

Steven Pearson, the Joan Develin Coley Chair in Creative Expression and the Arts, also plans to exhibit a new drawing as part of his 12-drawing series inspired by the 12 labors of Hercules along with plein air paintings created in the summer of 2023 when he worked with four McDaniel student summer research fellows. 

Adjunct lecturer Jordan Cannon says she tries to “continually balance my senses” with new tactile materials, such as clay, digital drawing, wire, music, animating, “or even bookbinding and sewing,” and that the pieces she is exhibiting “are explorations into messy mediums and how I implement balancing my senses in my creative process.”

Another adjunct lecturer Nicole Diem, who has been creating Raku pottery for over 15 years, has used horse hair, dog hair, and peacock feathers, as well as organic matter, such as leaves, ferns, and grasses, burned into her pottery to create cherished mementos. 

The exhibition also includes recent work by adjunct lecturer Seán Boylan from a series that explores the relationship between the flat and framed surface, including fabric, paintings on stretched and unstretched canvas, and printed photos, as well as oil paintings by adjunct lecturer Andrew Thorp, who is known for focusing on small intimate moments.