The annual exhibit of paintings by artist and Penn State New Kensington professor of visual arts Charles W. "Bud" Gibbons, is set to open May 2 and will run until May 28 in the Art Gallery on the Upper Burrell campus.
The theme of this year's show is "Found Paintings," and the display features more than 60 oil and acrylic pieces that have not been a part of Gibbons earlier exhibits. "Paintings" is the traditional name of the show.
"These paintings have not made it into exhibits before or have been reworked to the point that they should be shown again," said Gibbons, a member of the campus faculty for 30 years. "I found one painting that may be as early as 1988."
The centerpiece of the display is an updated "Morning Glories," a 64-inch by 84-inch oil on canvas that was on display at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Featuring five cows (two as reflections in the pond), the painting was a part of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh's 100th annual exhibition. In the original, Gibbon's used a lot of gray in the landscape, producing a darker, more somber painting that serves as a metaphor for the ambiance of a century ago. The cows, who are grazing on an actual farm that is located between Apollo and Indiana, Pennsylvania, were not the subject of the piece.
"When I got the cows back, I decided to change the mood of the painting," said Gibbons, who teaches introductory courses on visual arts, drawing and painting. "I cut it down in size by two inches, lightened it, and made the cows the focus."
Complementing the cows is an equally imposing oil and acrylic truck. The truck, owned by, driven by and painted by Gibbons, is 1946 Chevy pick-up
"I'm looking forward to seeing the cow painting and the truck painting in this gallery setting," said Gibbons, who earned a bachelor in fine arts degree from the Maryland Institute of Art and his master's degree from Penn State.
An artist's reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 13, in the campus gallery. Gibbons' exhibit and reception are free to the public. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Gibbons has painted around the world in places as remote and exotic as Tibet, Peru, Alaska, the mountains of China, as well as the American landscape from the Atlantic to the Pacific. His paintings are represented in many collections including the Westmoreland Museum in Greensburg, the Southern Alleghenies Museum in Loretto, Pennsylvania and the National Museum in Cusco, Peru. He has exhibited in the Carnegie Museum numerous times.
He is currently working on special research projects with art museums in the United States, Germany and Holland. The focus of the research is how the museums' educational programs encourage community involvement.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gibbons is the director of the art gallery. Each month, a local artist or a group of artists show their works on campus. In the past year, the gallery featured the works of Ron Donahue, East Suburban Artists league, and Women of Visions. Gibbons displays his selected works each May.
"Each year I get to see my paintings 'fresh' in the gallery," said Gibbons. "It helps to know how to move the paintings forward."
All campus exhibits are free to the public. A recorded message describes the current exhibit. To access the message, call 724-334-6004.
For more photos of exhibit, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/43813.htm online.