Aug. 29–Sept. 24;
Opening Reception: Aug. 31, 5 p.m.
TACOMA, Wash. – On one side of the newly renovated Kittredge Hall, four summer resident artists hang the first bodies of work they’ve completed since graduating. Under Construction shows the work that will propel them in the next step of their careers—may be to grad school, maybe too creative professions, maybe to creating artwork full time. On the other side of the gallery, Bill Colby shows the dedication and beauty of a lifelong passion for printmaking and building studio art study at Puget Sound. Retro Colby is a retrospective of an artist whose work bubbles with vitality, as his talk at the opening reception will show.
The university celebrates Kittredge Hall’s 75th anniversary with a series of events this year—and this is a fitting pair of shows to start the celebration. Bill Colby has influenced teaching studio art for decades, and the graduate residents showing their work have benefitted from his legacy.
Retro Colby shows evolution, change, and quality over 61 years (1955–2016) of Colby’s life as a printmaker. “Under Construction represents a summer of vision, labor, and grit. The four inaugural studio art graduate residents, Grace Best-Devereux, Carly Brock, Rachel Kalman, and Gaby Yoque, maintained steady, rich studio practices in a construction site,” said Elise Richman, chair of the Department of Art and Art History, and the residency’s faculty advisor. “Thin plastic sheeting stood between their studio space and jackhammers, electric saws, and other tools used by the hardworking construction crew installing a much-anticipated elevator in Kittredge Hall. There are striking parallels between this—literally—ground-breaking construction, which improves accessibility for all members of our campus community and the figuratively ground-breaking summer residency, initiated to enhance the residents’ access to opportunities in the field of art.”
Kittredge Gallery serves as a teaching tool for the Department of Art and Art History and a cultural resource for both the university and the community, exhibiting work by noted regional and national artists. Exhibits and talks are free and open to the public.
Reception and Gallery Talk:
Wednesday, Aug. 31, 5–7 p.m. Talk by Bill Colby and summer residents at 5:30 p.m., Kittredge Gallery
Gallery Location: the University of Puget Sound, N. 15th St. at N. Lawrence St., Tacoma, Wash.
Directions and Map: pugetsound.edu/directions
Regular Hours: Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, noon–5 p.m.; Sunday, closed.
Website: pugetsound.edu/kittredge
Facebook: facebook.com/KittredgeGallery
PRESS PHOTOS are available upon request.
Photos on page: From top right: Sun Rocks; Blue Stairway; Sun at Short Sands -- all by Bill Colby; Poster for Under Construction