It's a truism that "kittens, small children and adults with short attention spans are easily distracted by bright, shiny objects," said Dr. Michelle Nordtorp-Madson, curator of an exhibit, "Shiny is My Favorite Color," this fall at the University of St. Thomas.
"But ‘shiny' comes in many manifestations," notes Nordtorp-Madson, who also is the university's chief curator. "It can have a color of its own."
Nine area artists show their interpretations of "shiny" in this mixed-media exhibit, which includes more than 70 works ranging from metal and glass objects to illuminated manuscripts and textiles such silk, satin and lamé.
The public is welcome to the free exhibit, featuring works by Carolyn Halliday, Alan Honn, Melinda Kordich, Nicholas Legeros, Bernadette Mahfood, Don Paul, Robyn Beth Priestley, Marlene Regan and Jo Wood.
"Shiny is My Favorite Color" will run from Monday, Sept. 21, through Friday, Nov. 13, in the Lobby Gallery of O'Shaughnessy Educational Center on St. Thomas' St. Paul campus. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 10 p.m. Sundays.
The public is welcome to the gallery for a free reception for the artists from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. That evening guests also are welcome to visit eight other local college and university art exhibits between 5 and 8 p.m. at the sixth annual college art gallery crawl.
The College Art Gallery Collaborative Fall Art Tour features exhibits at St. Thomas and eight other institutions – Augsburg College, Bethel University, the College of Visual Arts, Concordia University, Macalester College, Northwestern College, St. Catherine University and the University of Minnesota (Katherine Nash Gallery). Two routes of free shuttle buses will take visitors from gallery to gallery, where they’ll enjoy refreshments and music along with exhibitions.
For more information, call St. Thomas' Art History Department, (651) 962-5560.
Here is a detail from Carolyn Halliday's "Jacket for Aphrodite," a 2008 garment of finger-knit copper flashing, copper stampings and copper wire.
