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Media Relations

Aspiring artists to display works at IU Art Museum

M.F.A. thesis exhibitions to run through May 7

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Each spring the Indiana University Art Museum celebrates the graduation of a new group of master of fine arts candidates from IU Bloomington's Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts through a series of special exhibitions. Presented in three consecutive group shows, these events not only recognize these talented students' years of study, but also allow the Bloomington community one last opportunity to view their works before they embark on their professional careers. All of the exhibitions, which are scheduled from now until May 7, will be on view in the museum's Special Exhibitions Gallery. In an attempt to offer the public greater insight into their creative development, the artists will each present a 10-minute gallery talk about their work at scheduled group receptions. Each artist talk will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The first show, scheduled for March 29 to April 9, will feature the work of a painter and a photographer. Eva Speer's paintings and drawings use color and line to evoke a sense of energy and volatility. These mixed media pieces are built with multiple layers of paper, pigment and wax. The artists' books of photographer Maureen Roberts combine inkjet-printed photography with sculptural three-dimensionality. Medical and anatomical themes are prevalent in her work, with her interest in this subject stemming from experiences with illness in her family. A reception for these artists will be held in the museum's Thomas T. Solley Atrium on March 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A second show, to be held April 12 to 23, will feature photography, painting and ceramics. Missa Coffman's inkjet-printed photographs are mini-narratives that explore the realm of childhood imagination. Her photographs capture the whimsy and danger inherent in the imaginary worlds created by children. Color and shape play a pivotal role in the paintings of Ian Hagarty. His paintings are based on cubes and cube-like forms, which are repeated, overlapped and grouped to metaphorically reference music, art history, current events and architecture. Daniel Gardner's ceramic pieces explore the often paradoxical relationship between the aesthetics of vessels and the human body, through an exploration of the texture and behavior of clay. This group's reception will be held April 14, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Thomas T. Solley Atrium.

The season's final show, to be held April 26 to May 7, features paintings and an installation. Jessica Held's abstract paintings explore the process of painting through an emphasis on shape, color and texture. She describes her work as "expressionistic visual poetry in paint." Anne Markwith's primary subject is the human figure. Central to her paintings are questions of how people grow, learn and change from their interaction with the world around them. Isabela Prado's installation is comprised of fabric walls and porcelain spheres. Viewers will be able to physically interact with the installation as they walk through it. A reception honoring these artists will be April 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Thomas T. Solley Atrium.

All of the MFA exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public. Many pieces are for sale, with price lists available for reference at the museum's information desk.

Here is more information about the artists:

Group 1:

• Eva Speer is a native of Seattle, and has studied at Otis College of Art in Los Angeles and the University of Washington in Seattle. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in Seattle.
• Maureen Roberts received her BFA in 2003 in textiles and photography from Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind.

Group 2:

• Missa Coffman studied at the University of Houston, where she received a BFA in photography and digital media in 2001. She has exhibited in juried and invitational shows in Houston, Los Angeles and Chicago.
• Ian Hagarty was born in Delanco, N.J., not far from Philadelphia. His undergraduate education took place at Arcadia University and the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. He also received an MA in art education from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in 2004.
• Daniel Gardner was raised in Waco, Texas, and studied English, art and psychology at Southwestern University. He also has a BFA from Southern Illinois University. He has shown his work in several juried and invitational exhibitions.

Group 3:

• Jessica Held is from Winchester, Mass., and received her BFA in painting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2004.
• Anne Markwith graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2003 with a BFA. She has spent time living abroad in Basel, Switzerland and Florence, Italy. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in Bloomington, Illinois and Durham, N.H.
• Isabela Prado is from Brazil but has spent the last four years studying in Bloomington. She is studying printmaking and installation art. Several of her performance-oriented installations have been featured at the SoFA Gallery in the School of Fine Arts.

About the Indiana University Art Museum: With collections ranging from ancient gold jewelry and African masks to paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, the Indiana University Art Museum is located on Seventh Street within the heart of the Bloomington campus. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m., and features the redesigned Angles Café & Gift Shop. The Art Museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

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