Bradbury Gallery to feature
work of two faculty artists

Jan. 5, 2005--The Bradbury Gallery in the Fowler Center of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will begin the new year with a two-person exhibition titled John Keech: Night Lights / curtis steele: artist unknown. 

This exhibition offers the opportunity for ASU students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the Jonesboro community, to see a body of work produced by two faculty members in the department of art. For art students, in particular, the show provides a glimpse into the studio practices of artist/teachers with whom they work on a regular basis.

John Keech was born in Winston-Salem, N.C. He received his B.F.A. in painting and drawing from Washington University in St. Louis, and his M.A. and M.F.A. in painting and drawing from the University of Iowa. Keech began teaching at ASU in 1968 where he currently is a professor of art. 

Keech will be exhibiting numerous examples of his illuminated mixed media works.   His delicate reverse paintings are lit from behind or within resulting in a dramatic and unusual artform.  His “paintings” take on a wide variety of shapes and forms delighting the viewer from one work to the next.  

Keech states, “This work is about drawing in tongues….drawing from spontaneous combustion.  I search for that which has never existed before. The images are poetic, mysterious and humorous. My interpretations are often a spiritual, mystical or mythical nature….All things leave a trace. Meaning, metaphor and context are as philosophical as a fingerprint or a spirit.”

Curtis Steele is a native of Los Angeles. He received his B.F.A. in graphic design from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, his M.A. in art from California State University in Chico, and his M.F.A. in art from the University of Memphis. Steele joined the ASU faculty in 1978 where he is presently a professor of art and chair of the department of art.

Steele presents a range of works from photography to assemblage, performance, installation and video. Steele says his interest is in self-reflection as well as, ”to exhibit images made by unknown photographers working in the early 20th century whose glass plate negatives I have owned for 25-35 years.”

He continues, ”one of my favorite definitions of art is that it is conspiratorial: the artist makes the work and the viewer makes a judgment, with each one being as guilty as the other. I wish to display images made by persons unknown and to ‘reveal’ personal ‘unknown’ attributes of curtis steele, the artist unknown.” 

An opening reception will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13. The exhibition continues through February 13. Gallery hours are from noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The exhibition and the opening reception are admission-free and open to the public. For additional information please contact the Bradbury Gallery at 870-972-3471.

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