New Season Opens at QCA

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University has opened an exciting new season of exhibitions, including the re-installation of the University’s permanent collection as part of the University’s ongoing sesquicentennial celebration.

Re-installation of the permanent collection in the Quick Center’s Dresser Gallery refocuses attention on the most important works of the collection and some new additions. Among the new works are a set of 18th century baroque paintings of Franciscan saints from Fulda, Germany, on loan to the University from the Holy Name Province; and a recently restored painting of the University’s founders, Nicholas and Mary Devereux.

In addition, the gallery exhibition includes a reredoes, a panel that has been painted to be used on an altar or as a screen behind an altar. The work, on loan from St. John Grace Episcopal Church of Buffalo, is by Hildreth Meiére. She will be the subject of a large exhibition at the Quick Center in 2009-10.

The Quick Center is further celebrating the University’s anniversary with the first of three small exhibitions that will take place throughout the season. The first in the series, “1858,” provides a historical reference for the establishment of St. Bonaventure. Visitors will learn about local, national and world events that took place in the year of the University’s founding.

This year’s focus exhibition, “Art of Sky, Art of Earth: Maya Cosmic Imagery,” features the Quick Center’s collection of Maya ceramics, given to the University in 1982. The collection has been cleaned and restored by conservators and photographed for the Maya Vase database. Dr. Stephen Whittington of the Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University was curator for this exhibition, which includes 11 artifacts on loan from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology.

Sharing the large gallery space with the Maya ceramics is “Land and Spirit Revisited,” an exhibition that features photogravure prints by Edward Sheriff Curtis taken between 1900 and 1920. These photographs feature Native Americans of the western states, including the Plains, Southwest and Eskimo Indians. Also on exhibition is the University’s collection of Southwest pottery and rugs. Both of these exhibitions are open through June 14, 2009.

“Focus Fiber” is a contemporary fiber art exhibition that is organized by the Textile Art Alliance of the Cleveland Museum of Art. First shown at the Cleveland State University Art Gallery, this juried show includes works from artists in eight states. The exhibition will be open until Nov. 2, 2008.

Last year’s focus exhibition, “African Odyssey: the Arts and Cultures of a Continent,” returns on a smaller scale. This popular exhibition brings together the art and material culture of Africa.

Two exhibitions that opened during the summer months continue:

· “Gary Bukovnik: Works in Bloom,” featuring the work of the contemporary watercolorist, runs until Sept. 28;

· “David K. Gordon: Over My Head, Below My Feet” is an exhibition that includes one of the oldest formats for making art, the woodblock print, and one of the newest, iPhone photographs. This exhibit has been extended to Nov. 30.

The Quick Center has developed a series of educational programming to accompany this season’s exhibitions for area schoolchildren. Teachers and those providing programming for children are encouraged to visit the Quick Center’s Web site at www.sbu.edu/quickcenter. To book tours of the galleries or for more information, call (716) 375-2494.

The Quick Center at St. Bonaventure University is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. There is no charge.