November 2012

Artist: Ren Hullender

Central Michigan University's College of Education and Human Services announces a new exhibit in the Mary Ann Beckwith Gallery, "Why Do You Do What You Do?

Ren Hullender, CMU assistant professor of art education, said he charged students with this question and asked them to create an art piece surrounding their future aspirations. The exhibit showcases 35 pieces and will be on display through Feb. 15, 2013. The Gallery is located in the north wing, first floor of the EHS Building. Watch a video on this exhibit here: https://vimeo.com/52555405

April 2012

Artist: Meegan Flannery

Michigan-based artist Meegan Flannery currently has a collection of artwork featured in the Mary Ann Beckwith Gallery, located on the first floor of CMU's Education and Human Services Building.

Flannery's oil-paint based art showcases a variety of images that feature intense color and the power of the imagination. Her latest work swings back and forth between explorations of human and animal figures and inert forms. Mundane objects such as an isolated tree trunk or coffeepot are animated with an energy that defies rational understanding and hints of mystery.

June 2011 - Dec 2011

Artist: Al Wildey

Journeys

Joyce Koskenmaki moved back to the UP where she was raised, after a lifetime of travel, college teaching, exhibitions, lectures, workshops etc. She taught at Finlandia for 4 years and then began her career as a fulltime artist in 2002. Her studio is in an old elementary school building in Hancock. She welcomes visitors.
Kathrine Savu is a self-taught American artist whose career spans over 30 years. Born and raised in the small town of Ishpeming, Michigan, her name has gained prominence throughout the Midwest and United States. Savu's primary media is acrylic or watercolor painting and pencil illustration. The subject matter depicts historical and ethnic portrayals of life in northern Michigan and the Midwest.



Mary Ann Beckwith is an award-winning watercolor artist and a professor of art in the visual and performing arts department at Michigan Technological University. She has twice been the recipient of MTU's Distinguished Teaching Award and her paintings have earned acclaim across the nation. She is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor Honor Society of Watercolor USA, International Society of Experimental Artists (Nautilus Fellow), Society of Layerists in Multimedia, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, as well as many more. "Beckwith Paints." will be on view through May 2010.


Learn more about Mary Ann Beckwith's process of making art.

Mary Ann Beckwith's process of making art is individual with each painting that she makes. She often begins with an under painting that is produced with decorative Halloween cob webbing and liquid watercolors. The webbing is stretched in contact with the Yupo plastic surface and liquid watercolors are sprayed in the desired colors. The paint is allowed to dry and then the webbing is removed. The impression of the webs is imprinted on the surface during this process. The slick, non-porous surface of the Yupo provides her with a very crisp image of the web and the color retains incredible vibrancy on the surface. She then covers areas of the web image with a friskit, and applies a neutral color start to develop a composition. She continues the process, masking, adding layers of neutrals and adding details with marks and scraping on the surface. Occasionally underlying color will blend with the neutral paint applications. Mary Ann likes this effect and will often scrub at the surface to obtain the richness of the blending color. After building numerous layers she begins to remove the masks. She then will work into the surface with watercolor pencils and washes of color with watercolor to refine the composition and design.