Every two years the faculty of the art department showcase their newest creations in the Faculty Biennial show. This year’s was called “100 Years/100 Works: Celebrating the Centennial” in honor of Marywood’s 100th birthday. I remember going to the Biennial two years ago in 2013 during my freshman year where it served as a way to get acquainted with the faculty and to meet my professors. Now in 2015 during my junior year, I know most of the faculty, but now I see how their work has changed and how they work as professional artists.

Going to the opening night or just looking through a show is great, but Marywood and the gallery staff provide “Gallery Talks” where a moderator speaks to the artist(s) about their works and their meanings. The Gallery Talk for the Faculty Biennial was moderated by Bob Schweitzer and everything was coordinated by Sandy Povse, the Gallery Director. Bob and Sandy announced that they will be retiring in the next year or two, so this was their last bittersweet Faculty Biennial. These two will definitely be missed!

The works in the show were all different and consisted of many mediums. Photography professor Niko Kallianiotis photographed a small town scene much different than his native Greece. Professor Mark Webber was inspired by ancient art and Caravaggio in his paintings of assorted figures. Paul Nielsen showed us both the functional and sculptural aspects of his tactile jewelry. Bob Griffith, the Department Chair, experimented with different kinds of sculpture than his traditional style. The newest faculty addition, Lynn Pauley, told us about how she is a trained visual reporter and quickly paints detailed scenes around the area. Other professors who explained their work included Laura Alexander, Peter Hoffer, Ryan Ward, Dean Collier Parker, Barbara Parker-Bell, Pamela Parsons, Steven Brower, Steven Alexander, and Sam Olfano.

If you missed the show’s opening and/or the Gallery Talk, never fear! The Faculty Biennial will be on display in the Mahady Gallery until October 4th. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your professors and what inspires them and their work.