The annual exhibit of paintings and drawings by artist and Penn State New Kensington professor of visual arts, Charles "Bud" Gibbons, is set to run until June 30 in the Art Gallery on the Upper Burrell campus. The artist’s 40-year run as a professor ends the same day with his retirement.
The theme of the show is "Unfinished Paintings," and the display features 75 oil and acrylic pieces. Many have been a part of Gibbons’ previous exhibits. "Paintings" is the traditional name of the show.
"Each year I get to see my paintings 'fresh' in the gallery," Gibbons said. "It helps to know how to move the paintings forward. These paintings have not made it into exhibits before or have been reworked to the point that they should be shown again.”
The idea of unfinished paintings comes from Gibbons’ en plein air (in the open air) style. He prefers working outdoors, but he is limited by time and weather, so a painting can get started but not always completed. The exhibit comprises a number of these outdoor pieces called “studies,” which are small paintings done on location. A study becomes the foundation for a larger painting that can be done in the studio.
The exhibit is free to the public. The New Kensington gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. For more information, call 724-334-6032.
For photos of the exhibit, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com/.
For more about the show and Gibbons’ retirement, visit http://nk.psu.edu/Information/News/45878.htm#NEWS45878.