By Dustin Farnsworth
By Phil Haralam
The Todd Art Gallery in the Department of Art at Middle Tennessee State University presents a joint exhibit of work by artists Chandra DeBuse, Dustin Farnsworth, Phil Haralam and Lisa Johnson. As artists-in-residence at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, they combine today’s contemporary artistic vision with a commitment to continue the rich heritage of traditional craftsmanship found in the East Tennessee region.
Chandra DeBuse describes her work as functional pottery which incorporates narrative imagery, pattern and form to reflect human attitudes towards play. The intimacy of her work she states is “of using a handmade object infused with bouncing lines, candy-colors, low-relief and hand-drawn elements,” which “beckons users to ponder the playful message illustrated on each.”
After concluding formal studies at Kendal College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Mich., Dustin Farnsworth moved to the “epicenter” of Appalachian craft in Asheville to work and study under sculptors Stoney Lamar and Brent Skidmore. He comments, “[My] current work explores the narrative that unfolds as industry leaves the communities built upon its promise. [My] hand-carved and sewn figurative sculptures blur the line between realism and vintage plaything, encapsulating the eerily life-like qualities of marionettes and their inherent innocence to examine the relationship between human beings and their physical and mental environment.”
Phil Haralam uses the complex exterior and interior levels of human nature to represent the psychological underpinnings that present themselves in social form and structure. Therefore, he combines sculpted forms and graphic imagery into non-representative psychological portraits. He says, “Each piece evolves from a central form, upon which I layer additional visual information through painting, incised line, and applied decals. Through the interaction and juxtaposition of these visual elements I create layered compositions that emulate the seemingly random associations embedded within the human psyche.”
by Chandra DeBuse
Lisa Johnson’s work involves metalsmithing and jewelry. Of her current work, she states, “The work I create exhibits vast methods of construction from both metalsmithing and ceramic disciplines.” Her works convey her further interest in “the juxtaposition of puns, translations, irony, and duality. Through identifiable objects my obsession with redefining the recognizable is a direct expression of observations or experiences that communicates as appealing, stimulating, and sometimes humorous.”
The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Exhibition opens Jan. 12 and runs through Feb. 2. A reception honoring these artists is scheduled for 6–8 p.m. on Jan. 18 with student lectures slated throughout Todd Hall earlier in the day.
Todd Art Gallery hours are Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. For more information, call (615) 898-5653.
