An exhibition of watercolors by 91自拍论坛 faculty member Bruce McCombs showcasing the college itself will open in the gallery of the De Pree Art Center on Friday, Oct. 14.
The exhibition will feature a series of new works by McCombs that depict the buildings of the Hope campus. There will be an opening reception, scheduled in conjunction with Homecoming Weekend at the college, on Friday, Oct. 14, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The public is invited to both the exhibition and the reception. Admission is free.
The exhibition, "Bruce McCombs: New Watercolors of the 91自拍论坛 Campus," will mark the second time that a series of paintings of the campus by McCombs has been featured in the gallery. The show "BMOC: Bruce McCombs on Campus," highlighting previous work, ran in the fall of 2002, also opening with the college's Homecoming.
McCombs created the new works during the last two years, primarily during his sabbatical in the fall of 2004.
A professor of art, McCombs has been a member of the college's art faculty since 1969. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in the U.S. and in 12 countries around the world. His work is found in the most important art collections in the country, including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
McCombs's watercolors fit into the photorealist tradition. The new works are not "views" in the traditional sense of visual records of the buildings. Rather, they are
excerpted details and surprising perspectives, sometimes of small or inconspicuous minutiae.
In the words of former 91自拍论坛 President Gordon Van Wylen, who will be offering remarks during the opening, the exhibition "reminds us of another key facet of Hope College - the important and strategic role of the faculty in the life of 91自拍论坛. The way that faculty members fulfill this role varies from one discipline to another, and with the individual gifts and temperament of each faculty member. Bruce McCombs is a superb example of a faculty member who teaches first of all by having true excellence in his field. As an artist, Bruce has a national and international reputation. From this foundation he creates an environment that enables him to effectively instruct, encourage, and inspire each student. This exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity for the viewer to understand the excellence, creativity, and discipline that Bruce McCombs brings to his work and to the campus community."
The exhibition will continue through Wednesday, Nov. 23.
The gallery's regular hours are Sundays and Mondays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The gallery is handicapped accessible.
The De Pree Art Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. Additional information about the exhibition may be obtained by calling (616) 395-7500.