This month the Carnegie Arts Center opens a pair of new exhibitions in the Lobby Gallery, both with a literary theme.
“Painting & Poetry” shares the work of Merced artist Jennifer Fosgate. With careful attention, she examines and presents the landscape of the Sierras in all its details. This body of work features haiku poetry that weaves into the compositions as one of the collage elements in each painting.
“Poetry, printed out on paper, works as part of the physical construction of the works—alongside leaves, rocks, flowers, photographs, torn papers, and textural acrylic paints. But it also serves as insight into the meaning, stories, and emotions the paintings carry,” said CAC Director Lisa McDermott.
Fosgate has a BA in Creative Arts and an MA in Library Science. For more than 40 years she has explored her passions as both a writer and a visual artist. She has written and illustrated two books for children, a novel, and a volume of poetry. She lived in Mariposa for 10 years and found inspiration in the water, rocks, fauna, and flora of the region. This imagery appears in Fosgate’s recent collage works, abstracted in ways as subtle and creative as the poems she pens in response to her experiences in the natural environment.
“Coming Together: Art & the Written Word” will feature works created by participants in the CAC’s Wellness Art Club program. Led by recreational therapist Jesse Hunt, the Wellness Art Club is a free monthly gathering, open to everyone interested in exploring creativity as a process to find balance and personal growth. At each meeting participants learn to use artmaking as a coping skill, with lifestyle lessons to support positive mental health. Last spring McDermott asked Hunt and the participants to use some of their time to create art that finds an intersection between words and images.
“The resulting pieces are uniquely personal, often experimental in their approach, and even collaboratively made,” according to McDermott. “Writing and drawing (or painting) are such helpful ways for us to deal with our emotions, it seemed natural to invite this kind of exploration from individuals who are connecting with each other in the supportive atmosphere Jesse provides.”
Hunt has worked for more than 14 years as a dedicated recreation therapist in mental health. He has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of art.
“It's more than just colors on canvas; it's a pathway to healing and self-discovery. My passion lies in inspiring others to embrace art as a tool for healing and a means of coping with life's challenges,” he said.
Both exhibitions will be on display in the Lobby Gallery from Oct. 21 – Jan. 10. The public is invited to a free reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 24.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission to the Lobby Gallery is free. The Carnegie is located at 250 N. Broadway, Turlock.
