Bradley University Galleries

Visit the virtual exhibition HERE View Video Walkthrough HERE

Paul Krainak’s new paintings plot fragments of industrial design, typography, and textile patterns in constructivist spaces. The images are post-vernacular, recognizing craft, outsider art, and regional architecture as aesthetically foundational.

Krainak is a painter and art writer who retired from Bradley University in 2020. He was Department Chair for ten years and the Founder and Director of the Inland Visual Studies Center for six. The Center was a collaborative project with the Sam Fox School of Art & Design at Washington University, St. Louis and the Department of Art at The Ohio State University in Columbus. He was awarded Professor Emeritus at Bradley in 2020.

Krainak has exhibited widely throughout the U.S. and internationally and lectured in numerous venues in the U.S., China, and Eastern Europe. He’s exhibited at Fassbender Gallery, N.A.M.E. Gallery, and the Hyde Park Art Center, in Chicago. He’s also shown at The Umbrella Factory, Nijmegen, Holland, Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA, and Semaphore, New York, NY. He is a former Associate Editor and Corresponding Editor of the New Art Examiner and ARTpapers. He’s contributed essays on contemporary art to numerous journals, exhibition catalogues and academic presses. These include the Kemper Museum of Art in St. Louis, The Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University, Sculpture Magazine, Afterimage, and Indiana University Press.

Join us for an archive Visual Voices Lecture from March 2019, presented by our 2019 Bunn photographer Holly Roberts. This lecture will be available for online viewing March 4th – 11th 2021. From the artist: I work intuitively, painting an abstract image before applying bits and pieces of photographic fragments and other materials on the surface of the painting. What I am trying for is a painting that can stand alone but that won’t dominate the collage that is to follow. However, in large part, it is the painting that determines what is to follow; the colors, the movement, the essence of the paint. Once I start forming the image, I select materials that speak to me. Most of what I use are photographs that I have taken and materials that I have either made or collected. These bits and pieces will provide the structure of the story as it unfolds, giving me the clues I need to understand where I’m headed. It’s much like following a trail of breadcrumbs through the forest; not knowing where I’m headed but trusting that I will, eventually, arrive. The collage works best when the pieced photos make up something that they aren’t about literally, but have a metaphorical or poetic connection, either through subject or texture. The large concerns in my life are at the core of my work: the degradation of the environment, spiritual meaning in a world of polarized and extremist views, the stress and fear of aging, the daily fears and anxieties of being alive in the world today. My default subjects are usually awkward, sometimes threatening, and most often, a little lonely. My work is about the people, animals, and landscapes which inhabit my world, both urban and wild. As well, I have always had an ongoing fascination with portraiture, trying to capture an essence without being too literal. These collages allow me to continue to do what I have always done with my art; by processing the world through my eyes and my hands, I am able to make a greater sense of the confusion, the complexity, and the humor of the world around me. This program has been made possible by the support of The Bunn Lectureship in Photography series. Endowed by a generous donation from Bradley alums, Jacob and Lorrie Bunn, for over 20 years The Bunn Lectureship in Photography has brought nationally and internationally recognized photographers to Bradley’s campus. With the goal of broadening and enriching students’ educational experience, this program supports exhibitions, lectures, and workshops where students benefit from direct interaction with professional photographers. View lecture HERE. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Visit our facebook page or click HERE to view a virtual exhibition of artwork by Holly Roberts.

Special loan of the artwork “Being Saved” made possible by the generosity of John and Jeff Heintzman.

Exhibition installed and designed by Taylor Fawcett.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

From the artist:

I work intuitively, painting an abstract image before applying bits and pieces of photographic fragments and other materials on the surface of the painting.  What I am trying for is a painting that can stand alone but that won’t dominate the collage that is to follow. However, in large part, it is the painting that determines what is to follow; the colors, the movement, the essence of the paint.

Once I start forming the image, I select materials that speak to me. Most of what I use are photographs that I have taken and materials that I have either made or collected. These bits and pieces will provide the structure of the story as it unfolds, giving me the clues I need to understand where I’m headed.  It’s much like following a trail of breadcrumbs through the forest; not knowing where I’m headed but trusting that I will, eventually, arrive. The collage works best when the pieced photos make up something that they aren’t about literally, but have a metaphorical or poetic connection, either through subject or texture.

The large concerns in my life are at the core of my work: the degradation of the environment, spiritual meaning in a world of polarized and extremist views, the stress and fear of aging, the daily fears and anxieties of being alive in the world today. My default subjects are usually awkward, sometimes threatening, and most often, a little lonely. My work is about the people, animals, and landscapes which inhabit my world, both urban and wild. As well, I have always had an ongoing fascination with portraiture, trying to capture an essence without being too literal.

These collages allow me to continue to do what I have always done with my art; by processing the world through my eyes and my hands, I am able to make a greater sense of the confusion, the complexity, and the humor of the world around me.

Join us for an archive Visual Voices Lecture from September 2019, presented by Justin Ahrens. Ahrens’s passion for life is rooted in his creative firm’s dedication to “making creative matter®.” For over 20 years now, Justin has led Rule29 in a commitment to smart business, great design and helping others think differently about the world around them. He is an author, teacher, creative director and self-proclaimed “do-gooder”. Through a collaborative approach in both strategy and design, Rule29’s culture is just as important as the work. This is particularly evident by Rule29’s involvement in numerous social causes, including substantial work in Africa. Rule29 has been recognized by major competitions and publications, including Fast Company, AIGA, Communication Arts, The Webby Awards, and many more. Ahrens has been a consistent voice for the design and business community in areas around social impact and work/life balance, which he has written and spoken about nationally and internationally. Justin recently served as an AIGA National Board Member focused on Design for Good and works within that community to help explore how we can all have the greatest path to impact. Seeing Different, Design for Good We are all built to see the world differently. It’s one of our unique, innovative traits. We all say we want to be a part of changing the world, but how do we actually accomplish this and can we actually make a difference? This presentation will give you thoughts, prompts and examples on how you can use your gifts to See Different. This lecture will be available for online viewing February 4th through 12pm CST on February 11th 2021. View lecture HERE. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Normally visitors can observe our install process from the Heuser Art Center 2nd floor overlook. Since Covid-19 has disrupted normal gallery interactions, we are bringing the install to you.

“What Was, What Could Have Been” is a solo exhibition installed in Heuser Art Gallery and features 13 oil paintings by BU Affiliate Professor Jack Crouch. The following photos document the artwork layout and hanging process. Artwork installation by Jack Crouch and Taylor Fawcett. A virtual presentation of the finalized exhibition will be available soon.

For more information on the artist please visit: www.jackcrouchpainting.com

THROUGH OUR EYES: Senior Capstone Photography Online Exhibition

SENIOR SWATCHES: Graphic Design Portfolio Exhibition

2020 MFA, MA, BFA ART PORTFOLIOS

THROUGH OUR EYES is the online exhibition of the Bradley University Senior Photography Capstone class. The dedicated and talented students showcased in this exhibition have spent the semester considering individual concepts that include social justice issues, environmental concerns, and investigations of identity. Though challenged with the transition from working on campus in the studios and darkrooms to working at home, these students have found creative ways to continue their photographic practice incorporating alternative processes and digital collage techniques.

Please enjoy perusing this online exhibition which features the works, artist statements, biographies, and personal website links to the ten senior photography students in the capstone class. The exhibition was originally planned to be held at the beautiful Peoria Magazine gallery space but was reconfigured due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This website is a testament not only to the tenacity and flexibility of these student-artists, but also to their creativity and ingenuity in overcoming adversity.
~Margaret LeJeune Associate Professor of Photography
www.bradleyuniversityphoto.com

The Department of Art and Design and Bradley University Galleries are proud to present our 2020 Student Thesis Portfolios.

MFA, MA & BFA Thesis Portfolios: bradleythesis2020.com

7^th Central Time Ceramics
Heuser Art Gallery, Hartmann Center Gallery
Canceled until further notice

This exhibition is the seventh installment of the biennial juried exhibition of ceramic artwork, Central Time Ceramics. The show brings together ceramic artwork from across the Central Time Zone to a city not only centrally located but also commonly associated with the central United States: Peoria, Illinois. Assembled in Peoria at the Bradley University Galleries are 51 ceramic works by 36 artists living and working in the Central Time Zone. From Minnesota to Texas, the locales represented are as varied as each artist’s aesthetic, yet the level of craftsmanship and innovation remains high throughout.

“Central” often refers to being in the middle, inferring sameness or mediocrity, yet the multiplicity of styles, methods and materials in this exhibition is anything but. This year’s juror is Doug Jeppesen. Jeppesen holds a BA in Art History and a BFA in Art with an emphasis in ceramics from the University of Tulsa, and a MFA from Northern Illinois University.  Doug holds the title of Associate Professor of Art/Ceramics at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois where he has taught full time since 1998. 

Jeppesen has superbly selected a diverse group of work full of color, technical expertise, and experimentation. This exhibition may be centrally located yet it depicts the Central Time Zone as a multifarious region including diverse perspectives on the materials, methods, and styles of contemporary ceramic art.

The 7th Central Time Ceramics Artists:

Troy Aiken – South Bend, IN
Kenneth Baskin – Lake Charles, LA
Chris Berti – Urbana, IL
Jill Birschbach – Evanston, IL
Shannon Blakey – Columbia, MO
Tracy Burton – Chicago, IL
Grace Chien – Peoria, IL
G. E. Colpitts – Belvidere, IL
Angela Dieffenbach – Chicago, IL
Keith Ekstam – Springfield, MO
Paul Eshelman – Elizabeth, IL
Teresa Frisch – Bethalto, IL
John Gargano – Lafayette, LA
Mike Gesiakowski – Saint Louis, MO
Jennifer Holt – Decatur, IL
Meg Howton – Carbondale, IL
Kevin Kao – Saint Louis, MO
Patty Kochaver – Skokie, IL
Chris Leonard – McAllen, TX
Sean Lofton – Columbia, MO
Ronny Loyd – League City, TX
Antonio Martinez – Lawrence, KS
Susan Messer McBride – Chicago, IL
Will McComb – Oxford, MS
Eric Ordway – Columbia. MO
Lisa Orr – Austin, TX
Joel Pisowicz – Chesterton, IN
Megan Quinn – Rock Island, IL
Joyce St. Clair Voltz – Cedar Rapids, IA
Mike Stumbras – Riverside, MO
Meghan Sullivan – Appleton, WI
Will Van Dyke – Evanston, IL
Rimas VisGirda – Champaign, IL
Michael Ware – Milwaukee, WI
Mary Wilhelm – Normal, IL
Lisa York – Savanna, IL

Artwork by Jennifer Holt of Decatur, Illinois
Breathe (Version 3), Slip Cast & Assembled Porcelain , 2018