The Newman University Steckline Gallery will present “Timeless Traditions, New Fire” by Susan de Wit and other artists as the second show of its 2013-2014 season. The exhibit of enamel works, which begins with a Final Friday reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 will be on display through Oct 18. Both the reception and admission to the gallery are free and open to the public.
An “Art for Lunch” presentation by the artists will be held Tuesday, Oct. 1 from noon to 1 p.m. in the gallery. A light lunch will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests can also bring their lunch. This event is also free and reservations are not required.
The show features work by de Wit, Sandy Carpenter, Diane Hurst, Brian Hinkle, Jennifer Watlerscheid, Karin Cernik and Linda Gebert.
“Working with enamel is an obsession, whether you are a beginner or have many years of practice,” de Wit said. “The process is the reward even though it is so unpredictable at crucial moments. It’s like a mystery unfolding before your eyes.
“Enameling can also be something of a meditative pursuit. For many in this show, cloisonne’ is the perfect embodiment of the process. The constraints of the wires keep everything orderly, so there is a freedom to layer colors and alter the results in the individual cells and with successive firing. The process itself is deliberate, yet allows your mind to wander free. As a group we enjoy a broad range of techniques and styles.
“At 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, powdered glass melts onto copper in just a couple of minutes. A dozen times in and out of the kiln, new colors added with each step, all melting and changing with infuriating unpredictability. This is the process of enameling. The artist seeks to create beauty amidst the chaos.”
The Steckline Gallery is located inside the De Mattias Fine Arts Center on the Newman campus, 3100 McCormick. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. For more information, call 316-942-4291, ext. 2199.
