GCCC Visual Arts Faculty Biennial Works From The Vault

WORKS FROM THE VAULT

The 2023 Garden City Community College Visual Arts Faculty Biennial Exhibition is coming to the Mercer Gallery from September 5th until September 29th. This much-anticipated exhibition features artwork by Brian K. McCallum and Michael K. Knutson. This year’s exhibition theme is Works from the Vault, meaning the artistic duo has dug deep into their personal archives and pulled out some critical pieces from throughout their careers. Works in this exhibition range from Knutson’s dark and mysterious paintings to McCallum’s commanding cerebral figurative sculptures. The closing reception will occur before the GCCC Music Facility Recital in the Joyce Fine Arts building theater at 7 pm. Light refreshments will be provided during a closing reception.

Knutson and McCallum are proud to dig deep into their personal archives and curate a diverse collection of unique works of art, including some rare never seen before pieces. You will want to take advantage of this opportunity to see this mid-career retrospective of two prolific artists. Do not expect to find Knutson’s lushes western landscapes or McCullum’s whimsical pottery, as this exhibition delves into each artist’s more conceptual idealistic narratives. Knutson brings his dark and mysterious nocturns that communicate a sense of Deja Vu alongside his imaginary friends’ installation of ghostlike abstracted portraits. At the same time, McCullum brings his allegorical figures that sit on pedestals like deities that demand to be worshiped. The two art professors’ works complement each other well with McCullum’s playful abstracted figurative sculptures that pair nicely with the melting and morphed portraits in Knutson’s Imaginary Friends painting series. McCallum’s figurative sculptures convey emotions about the human condition while giving the viewer an enchanting experience. At the same time, Knutson’s Imaginary Friends installation combines his past relationships with his imagination to create abstract portraits that range from very representational to very abstract. Words cannot fully justify the artwork in this experiential must-see exhibition that spans two decades of these two extraordinary artists’ careers.
Brian K. McCallum is an artist and educator who received his MFA from Kansas State University under the tutelage of Yoshiro Ikeda. His work in ceramics is often figurative and focuses on the nature of the human condition. He arrived at GCCC in 2003 and is the three-dimensional foundations specialist. McCallum’s courses include History of Art, Appreciation of Art, Sculpture, Design, and all levels of ceramics, and he has received numerous awards in competitions nationally and internationally. His peers voted him Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year in 2020. His work appears in the book “500 Figures in Clay” by Lark Press. In addition to his sculptural work, Mr. McCallum is an accomplished potter. Pottery lovers have quietly collected his practical work for several years. He is incredibly proud of his students and their accomplishments. GCCC graduates in art have gone on to earn degrees with honors from several universities.

Michael K. Knutson has been an art educator at GCCC since 2015. He was the son of two art educators. He spent his childhood immersed in creativity, drawing inspiration from his experiences in the natural environment of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Knutson earned a studio arts BA from Black Hills State University in 2010 and his MFA at Fort Hays State University in 2013. He is an accomplished visual artist and works primarily as a painter; the courses he instructs include Art Appreciation, all levels of Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, and Design. His peers voted him Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year consecutively in 2021 and 2022. Michael has an active national exhibition record of solo and group shows and has completed many public art commissions. The base for Michaels’s work is a deep connection to the immediate environment, life experiences, and the human condition. Michael encourages exploration, searching for cinematic scenes with a strong sense of impending drama.

Take advantage of your opportunity to view this installation by the renowned GCCC Visual Arts Faculty. The Mercer Gallery is open Monday through Wednesday, from 9 am to 4 pm, Thursdays from 9 am to 10 pm, and Fridays from 9 am until 4 pm.
For information, contact Gallery Director Michael Knutson at [email protected].