In many languages, "garden" means the same as "paradise." Currently, the Miller Gallery, located in the Art and Communication Building, is housing a dream-like oasis full of bright colors, metallic paints, flowers and animals.
All seamlessly collaged together, these inventive pieces are from retiring art professor Joanne Stichweh's sabbatical exhibit, "Garden of Earthly Delights," which runs until Oct. 17.
Upon returning to campus to teach her final year, Stichweh had the honor of being the first artist to exhibit her work in the gallery.
Though she spent her sabbatical researching like every other professor, her work is not shown in the traditional written manner.
Stichweh used multiple mediums to make up her one-of-a-kind pieces, which classifies it as mixed media.
Many of the materials Stichweh used to create her pieces are everyday tools, including homemade stencils, textured spray paint, painters tape and Q-tips. She considers her paintings to be "low-tech" because no special equipment was needed to produce them.
Her artwork is certainly unique in the fact that all her pieces are painted on regular-sized doors she obtained from a number of hardware stores.
"Research has always been an important part of my artistic process," Stichweh said.
Instead of bringing a bibliography to her gallery talk, she brought in stacks of books she used for her research.
Images of gardens from around the world and personal travel greatly influenced her work.
"Gardens have had an important role in art history... including social and economic history... it's not just about painting flowers," she explained.
There is artwork representing ancient Persian gardens, Japanese Gardens and ice gardens.
Stichweh believes it is important to show some recognizable characteristics of the cultures in the work and "after that, I do whatever I want," Stichweh said playfully. The paintings are very intricate and include features that she hopes will make the viewers laugh, including a hedgehog rolling around on his back in the middle of a seascape. "There is a sense of humor about my work," Stichweh said.
"It is a wonderful exhibit. She has been teaching for 30 years and it is a great way to finish up her career," said Don Austin, professor and chairperson of the art department.
"She shows students a really good example of what it's like to be successful as a painter and an artist... we're going to miss her," he said. t&c;
