Jack Maxwell Mesquite Tree Oil on Canvas painting

The Art Staff Gallery Exhibition is on display in the Shore Art Gallery from October 20 to November 17. This exhibition is just one of many that happen in the Shore Art Gallery every semester.

The artworks are all created by the art professors during their free time outside of teaching students. The artworks vary from oil paintings on canvas to a layered podium that was made at our very own Maker Lab.

Jack Maxwell, a professor of Art and Design and the Gallery Director for the Shore Gallery, said how the art professors surprise each other with their own evolving work.

“There is no real theme to the exhibit,” Maxwell said. “It is a group show that gives a glimpse into the creative work of our diverse department faculty. Our faculty are not just teachers but artists and designers as well. They continually work on their own professional artistic pursuits—it’s always interesting to see how their work evolves and changes over the years between each show.”

Mike Wiggins an associate Art and Design professor and the head of the Art and Design Department, talks about what photographs he submitted for the exhibition.

“Those photos were taken on the Art Study abroad trip from the summer of 2016,” Wiggins said. “and the inspiration was Florence, Italy. Florence Italy is a remarkably inspirational place and my inspiration was certainly drawn from that location.”

Maxwell also talked about one of his latest paintings he created that is also being exhibited.

“It’s an old mesquite located adjacent to the Piersall Funeral Directors here in Abilene,” Maxwell said. I’ve attended many services there and have always been drawn to this tree. It is cut and scarred, a ruin of what it once was, but still powerful and beautiful”.

If you want to see the artwork the staff has created, stop by the Shore Gallery located at the Don Morris Building by Moody Coliseum. This is a biennial event so do not wait until 2019.