Lybi Cucurullo joins Brenau as gallery director
Lybi Cucurullo, a conceptual artist and former Brenau professor, has been appointed as the new Director of Galleries.
In her new role, Cucurullo will be responsible for overseeing Brenau’s five exhibition spaces and the university’s extensive collection of over 3,500 works from both internationally and nationally renowned artists, as well as local talent. These galleries play a vital role in serving as both an educational and cultural resource for Northeast Georgia through providing free public programming and exhibitions.
“I taught at Brenau as an adjunct last year and formed a great connection with my students,” Cucurullo. “I’m excited to expand the opportunities the galleries here have to offer, both to our student body and to the local community. We have so many amazing shows and exhibitions coming up and I can’t wait to connect students with local artists.”
(Sidney Chansamone/Brenau University)
Cucurullo’s prior experience as an educator in higher education and public-school systems will be instrumental in providing engaging and informative programming alongside exhibitions. Her dedication to community outreach, with a focus on the arts and education, will play a vital role in supporting the ongoing growth of Gainesville’s vibrant artistic community.
Cucurullo earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Central Florida in 2011 and her Masters of Fine Arts from CUNY Brooklyn College in 2019. She was awarded the Wolff Ravenal grant for research in Utah while studying at CUNY, and was an artist in residence at the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild in Woodstock, New York, after graduating and again in 2024. She was also the artist in residence at A.I.R. Studio in Paducah, Kentucky, in the winter of 2020 and 2022. Her artistic contributions have been showcased nationwide, particularly in New York, throughout the Hudson Valley, and across Georgia.
Her conceptual art is centered around exploring the concepts of cycles in nature. Through abstracted, natural imagery, Cucurullo aims to convey the relationship and balance between what is constant and what is unpredictable.
“Abstracted landscapes provide a comfort in recognition, while simultaneously stirring up discomfort in that which cannot be recognized or understood,” Cucurullo said in her artist statement. “My work strives to invite viewers to enter a liminal space, to oscillate between knowing and unknowing, and to recognize that we are intrinsically a part of the ebb and flow of nature – and that in that knowing – there is comfort.”
Brenau University’s permanent art collection was established in 1986, and it currently includes three gallery spaces on Brenau’s Gainesville campus: the Presidents Gallery, Sellars Gallery in the Simmons Visual Arts Center, and Leo Castelli Gallery in the John S. Burd Center for Performing Arts. Additionally, there are two galleries located on the Downtown Campus: the Manhattan Gallery in the Brenau Downtown Center and the gallery on the Gainesville Renaissance first floor.
Throughout the year, the galleries host multiple exhibits that are open to the public, including a recent display of over 60 print works created by Pablo Picasso at the Sellars Gallery during October and November.
Alexi Torres: Unbrainwashable
Atlanta artist Alexi Torres will present Unbrainwashable at Brenau University this fall. The solo exhibit features contemporary sculptures, installments and large scale oil paintings that emphasize the importance of thinking for oneself.
Torres was born in Bermeja, Cuba, a small village about 70 miles southeast of Havana. He came to the United States in 2003 and maintains a studio in Atlanta. Much of his work is political in nature, and reflections of life under communism and political unrest in Cuba.
“My art seeks to initiate a dialogue on the effects and power of human thought and behavior on our everyday reality,” Torres said in his artist statement. “Following universal laws, I find the connection between spirituality and politics, richness and acceptance.”
With an emphasis on collective memory, Torres engages his audience with playful themes and irony that are relevant to what he calls “the contemporary experience.”
“My series subjects range from portraits of ordinary people, culture, and military to a diverse sampling of symbols from popular culture,” Torres said. “These images are then reimagined and reconstructed employing a complex unique multi-layer painting technique, bronze sculptures and objects.”
Brenau Galleries will host an opening night reception from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Leo Castelli Art Gallery on Brenau’s historic Gainesville campus. The artist will discuss his life and work at 6:45 p.m. in Redwine Lobby in the John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts.
Torres studied at Escuela Provicial de Artes in Mantanzas, Cuba, and at Escuela Nacional de Artes in Havana. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions both in the United States and abroad, including at Unix Gallery in New York City, the Digital Museum of Modern Art in Switzerland, and the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art in Marietta, Georgia. His art can also be found in public and private collections, such as The Rice Collection of Cuban Art, Delta Airlines in Atlanta, and actor Will Smith’s private collection.
In addition to exhibits and collections, his work has been featured in numerous publications, including Hi Fructose, the Huffington Post, and the Daily Mail UK. He has received multiple awards and accolades.
More about Alexi Torres and his work can be found on his website.
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- Love is in the Air
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- Dream Home
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- Meditation with Tea
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- Intuition
Avian Song: Natural History Works from Brenau University’s Permanent Art Collection On View in Brenau’s Renaissance Gallery
AVIAN SONG: Natural History Works from Brenau University’s Permanent Art Collection
The natural history collection on display in Brenau University’s Renaissance Gallery opening April 11th and running through December 5th, encompasses artworks dating from the 1700s to the present, drawing from Brenau University’s Graham Arader Art Collection. These carefully selected original watercolors, lithographs, and engravings vividly capture avian subjects in their natural habitats.
Established by Graham Arader in collaboration with Dr. Michael Stubblefield, the Arader Art Fund at Brenau University is dedicated to expanding its collection of the university’s natural history artwork and integrating them into its academic curriculum.
Since its inception in late 2018, the Fund has facilitated the acquisition of over 700 pieces, enriching Brenau’s campus with a wealth of artistic representations of the natural world.
This initiative enables Brenau to offer students unparalleled access to an extensive array of natural history art, fostering meaningful integration of artistic expression across various disciplines. With boundless potential for curricular adaptation across departments, this program aims to immerse students in the intersection of art and science, enhancing their educational experience and appreciation for the natural world.
-Gena Brodie Robbins, Director of Galleries and Curator of Permanent Collections
Avian Song will have its opening reception on April 18th during the Historic Gainesville Art Walk from 2-8 PM.
Renaissance Gallery is located on the square at 106 Spring Street, Gainesville, GA 30501
Jenny Bishop Heaton to Show at Leo Castelli Gallery Opening April 4, 2024
Jenny Bishop Heaton: Lavish Delights
Opening Reception: April 4, 5:30-7 PM
Artist Talk 6 PM
Leo Castelli Gallery, John S. Burd Center for Performing Arts
429 Academy Street, Gainesville, Ga 30501
Georgia artist, Jenny Bishop Heaton (aka Virginia) is an active and proficient artist in Metro Atlanta. Heaton will be having a solo exhibition at Brenau University’s Leo Castelli Gallery, from April 4th – May 30th, 2024.
Heaton’s solo exhibition, Lavish Delights, will feature a wide range of works consisting of altered silkscreened prints, paintings, drawings, and digital works on paper.
The extensive knowledge of the mediums in which Heaton works is evident throughout her playful, daring, and colorful explorations; boldly investigating themes of the abstracted figure and form using a myriad of mediums. Her repeated layers of carefully placed abstract shapes, combined with delightful, whimsical lines are an evidential nod toward intuitive expression and improvisation.
Jenny Bishop Heaton in her studio discussing her printmaking process.
Jenny Bishop Heaton holds up one of the many silkscreens she uses to create her limited edition prints and one-of-a-kind prints.
Heaton’s love of decorative patterns has led her to embrace a new form of art application with Heaton’s Art Apparel, her line of clothing, and home fashions.
–Gena Brodie Robbins, Director of Galleries
Heaton earned a BFA studying graphic and fine arts from Auburn University with a concentration in figure drawing. She produced a thesis in fashion illustration and then furthered her education with graduate studies in psychology and education at Georgia State University. Her varied creative interests also include a fascination for studying and drawing floor plans. Heaton created house plans to scale for her current home with final plans and architectural elevations professionally executed by Walker Candler, an Atlanta architect.
Multiple prints by Jenny Bishop Heaton, altered and embellished with colored paint pens, marker, ink, and drawing media.
Heaton has lived in forested areas much of her life and draws inspiration from nature’s curvilinear lines, biomorphic shapes, and myriad colors. She has taught and continually studies art, most recently with California artist Robert Burridge, and Georgia artists Gena Brodie Robbins, Helen DeRamus, and Leslie Newman. Heaton enjoys taking part in juror-selected art shows. Anderson Arts Center, Dalton Creative Arts Guild, Cobb Arts Alliance, Tannery Row Artist Colony, and Quinlan Visual Arts Center are among the art centers whose jurors selected Heaton’s works for awards. A recent multi-media piece was chosen for the Hudgens Center for the Arts permanent collection. She has had numerous one-person shows, including a solo show in the Main Gallery of Dalton Creative Arts Guild; and recently had the honor of holding a solo show in Gallery 4945 of the former Highpoint Episcopal Church, Sandy Springs, Atlanta. Her art is in collections in the US, Japan, The Netherlands, India, and Denmark.
Brenau’s Fashion Department Presents: A walk-In through Princess Shirazi’s Closet – A Historic Clothing Collection Exhibition
Come join the Brenau Center for the Arts – Fashion Program, as they unveil the magnificent collection of Princess Lucie Jadot Shirazi from the Historic Fashion Collection.
Brenau acquired her collection in 1996 after her demise in 1994.
Princess Lucie Jadot Shiraz was married to one of the sons of the Shah of Iran, and was known for her philanthropic work as one of the founders of the World Wildlife Fund. She was also an enthusiastic patron of all things Art & Design, and was notably captivated by Metropolitan Opera and Polonaise Ball, serving as a chairwoman of the Polonaise Ball
In addition to highlighting the exquisite ensembles of the Shirazi Collection at Brenau University, the exhibit is a great resource for our fashion students, including our costume and art students. To be able to view some of these pieces – see how they were constructed, and gain insight of the actual silhouettes, is experiential learning at its best!
Artist talk will be on March 14 at 6 p.m. with a dessert reception from 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Gallery Location: Presidents Gallery, Second Floor of the Simmons Visual Arts Center, Brenau University
200 Boulevard, Gainesville Ga.\
FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC
This exhibit was developed and promoted by the College of Art and Design Department and curated by Dr. Priya Pandy
Brenau’s Director of Galleries and Curator of Permanent Art Collections, Gena Brodie Robbins Talks on NPR, WABE with Lois Reitzes’ City Lights Radio Show
Brenau University Director of Galleries, Gena Brodie Robbins talks with Lois Reitzes on WABE/NPR’s City Lights discussing Brenau’s extensive and impressive permanent art collection. Robbins reveals the very beginnings of the collection, sharing how Brenau acquired its very first pieces and the integral connection between Dr. John S. Burd, Brenau’s 8th President, and the famed N.Y. art dealer, collector, and agent responsible for helping Dr. Burd develop Brenau’s world-class permanent art collection.
Robbins also shared with Lois about the current exhibitions on view at Brenau Galleries and its partnership with the High Museum as well as its outreach program, Free Art Friday.
To listen to the City Lights segment with Lois Reitzes, tune in to WABE 90.1 at 11 AM and 8 PM on Feb. 20th, or go online to WABE.org to listen online.
Art on the Green Festival at Brenau Now Open for Registration
Are you affiliated with Brenau in some way? Are you an artist or maker? Then register to sell your creations during the 1st Annual 2024 Art on the Green Festival at Brenau. This exciting event will be on the same day as the Gainevill Historic Downtown art walk. In fact, Brenau University Galleries and Art on the Green will be on the Trolly Stop.
The cost of having a booth at the event is a minimum of 35 dollars to support Brenau Galleries.
CLICK HERE to read detailed information about Art On the Green at Brenau University.
To register, fill out the registration form and hit submit. Once you have submitted the form, print and bring your confirmation email to Sellars Gallery during the Art on the Green check-in between 10-12 PM on April 18th.
Art on the Green begins at 12:00 PM and ends at 8 PM, April 18th.
REGISTER HERE
Los Angeles Artist Paul Paiement to speak at Brenau Jan 17th
Los Angeles Artist, Paul Paiement will be giving a lecture at Brenau University’s Thurmond McRae Lecture Hall on Jan 17th at noon.
Paiement will be discussing his creative process and concepts behind his multimedia layered works exhibited in his solo show, Nexus 2.0 in Sellars Gallery.
Paiement’s Lecture is open to the public.
Learn more about Paul Paiement’s work HERE.
Paul Paiement to Exhibit Works in Solo Show at Sellars Gallery in January
Award winning Los Angeles Artist, Paul Paiement, will be coming to Brenau University to exhibit his contemporary multi-media and installation works Jan. 18th – March 14th, 2023 in Sellars Gallery at Simmons Visual Arts Center. He will also give an artist talk to the public during the opening reception discussing his concepts and studio processes.
An artist reception and artist talk will be held Jan. 18th @ 6 PM during the opening reception at Sellars Gallery.
Free and Open to the Public
Show Dates: Jan. 18th – March 14th, 2024
Opening Reception: Jan. 18th, 5:30 – 7 PM
Artist Talk: Jan. 18th, 6 PM
Paul Paiement’s paintings attempt to reconcile the differences between inorganic, synthetic elements of culture with the organic elements of the natural world through the visual languages of linear/atmospheric perspective, representation/abstraction, and the use of layering.
Paiement chooses to paint landscapes that lack any specific identity or location. He uses atmospheric perspective to create a naturalistic scene that is vast and infinite. The airbrushed plexi-glass overlays are flattened architectural drawings and though flat, they are rendered using perspective techniques that create a geometric abstraction that contrasts with the detailed representation in the landscape.
Paiement is also known for his Hybrid Series of installations and ceramic works His series of “Hybrids” transforms everyday electronic gadgets to resemble various insect forms, classically rendering the insects in egg tempera.
Electronic overlays depicted by a series of dots created with wooden dowels, are a reference to the halftone screens of vintage ads and the digital pixels of modern photography.
Paul Paiement was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). He attended graduate school at the University of Southern California (USC) and has shown throughout Asia, Europe and the United States in both solo and group shows. His solo exhibitions include the Laguna Art Museum (Laguna Beach, California), Palazzo del Bargello (Gubbio, Italy), and Carrousel du Louvre, The Louvre (Paris, France) to name a few. Paiement is a tenured professor (painting/drawing) at Cypress College.
Watch the video on the life of Paul Paiement below published by Twin Cities PBS.
Learn more about Paul Paiment at paulpaiment.com
Melissa Huang’s solo show, Body Cloud to open at Brenau’s Leo Castelli Gallery in January
Melissa Huang will be have a solo exhibition of her dynamic glitch-inspired paintings and video self-portraiture Jan. 11 – March 19th, 2024 in Leo Castelli Gallery located in the John S. Burd Performing Art Center at Brenau University.
An opening reception will be held from 5:30- 7:00 PM, Jan 11th at Leo Castelli Gallery with an Artist Talk that will be held in the lobby just outside the doors of Leo Castelli Gallery.
This event is Free and Open to the Public
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Melissa Huang (b. 1992) is an interdisciplinary artist living in Statesboro, Georgia, where she is an Assistant Professor of Art at Georgia Southern University. Melissa graduated from the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University with her MFA in Drawing and Painting (2021) and the Rochester Institute of Technology with her BFA in Fine Arts Studio (2014). Her glitch-inspired painting and video self-portraiture studies the desire, failure, and dissonance associated with portraying an idealized self for a largely digital audience. Melissa has exhibited nationally and abroad with recent solo exhibitions at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, the Albany Museum of Art, and Whitespace. Melissa has a background working in galleries, museums, archives, and art appraisal. She is represented by Whitespace in Atlanta, GA. You can see more of Melissa’s artwork on Instagram (@melissahuangart) or her website (www.melissahuang.com).
Melissa Huang, Reflecting Pool, oil on canvas with video projection
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/789497070″>Melissa Huang, Reflecting Pool, oil on canvas with video projection, 40" x 60", 2023</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user109682455″>Melissa Huang</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>