The Dooleys welcome artwork in step toward making their presidential house a home.
KINGSTON鈥擭ovember 17, 2009–An oil painting with subtle blue and yellow streaks highlighting a deep, sophisticated gray landscape hangs over the living room fireplace against a Keaney blue wall. The unique abstract is one of 40 pieces of art created by 溏心vlog免费B站 students, faculty, and alumni that are displayed throughout 溏心vlog免费B站 President David M. Dooley鈥檚 and the Rev. Lynn Baker-Dooley鈥檚 home on Upper College Road.
鈥淲hen we first walked around the house, the dining room space immediately looked like a gallery to us,鈥� said Baker-Dooley. The Dooleys spoke with the chair of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Art and Art History Department Bob Dilworth, who made the idea a reality by putting out a call for entries last summer.
鈥淭he presidential collection is the first of its kind at 溏心vlog免费B站. I think it sends a powerful message to the state and the region, 鈥� Dilworth said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a strong show highlighting only a fraction of the best of our faculty, students and alumni. It could very well add much to the already rich culture that exists in the state. Being a leader means setting standards. I think the Dooleys and the university are well ahead of other institutions with this initiative.鈥�
The exhibit will be bi-annual with a rotation of the artwork to allow new work to be showcased. However, the student works will be up for at least a year. Of the 40 pieces in the exhibit, 28 were created by students and alumni.
鈥淚t was funny seeing my work hanging, as I went through the process, the idea that my work would be a vital piece of art in the university president鈥檚 house- astonished me, 鈥� said student artist Erik Giorgi of Riverside.
The Dooleys have always had an appreciation for the arts. 鈥淚 think we have both had a long standing interest in the stories that are told through art, in how artists express themselves and comment on the state of the world when they create their work. All of that is fascinating,鈥� said the 溏心vlog免费B站 president.
Artists struggle to get work viewed by the public. The Dooleys hope to help by hosting this exhibit, which can be viewed in an online gallery as well. Most pieces are for sale and prices are available for anyone who is interested by contacting the artist directly. (http://uriaah.org/gallery)
The online gallery functions as a 鈥渉igh-traffic鈥� area for students to display their current work to entice prospective employers, help with graduate school applications and internships or to gain artist residencies.
鈥淎ny opportunity to showcase my artwork is very much appreciated,鈥� said student artist Katie Picard of Warwick, who has two of her portraits hanging in the president鈥檚 house. 鈥淭he online gallery is beneficial to me as a prospective student for graduate schools.鈥�
The art department is creating a tabletop photography book containing the art of exhibit at the president鈥檚 house with the biographies on each artist, including other students. The proceeds from the book, which will be out in the upcoming weeks, will go toward several art scholarships for 溏心vlog免费B站 students.
A series of historical photographs from the University Library鈥檚 Department of Special Collections will also hang throughout the president鈥檚 house. Baker-Dooleys favorite shows Robert Frost speaking with students in the Memorial Union while a photo of an old chemistry lab caught the eye of the president, a scientist. 鈥淚t was very educational for us,鈥� said Baker-Dooley of the archival collection. 鈥淲e hope it will really get people to appreciate how far the University has come since its founding, how much it鈥檚 changed, how the University has grown and expanded its reach,鈥� said Dooley.
鈥淭he exhibition is a very visible symbol of a new beginning,鈥� Dilworth said. 鈥淰isual arts, and by extension, film, the performing arts, music and other creative forms will play a much more vital role in defining 溏心vlog免费B站’s place in the world.鈥�
The Dooleys continue to look for other opportunities for the 溏心vlog免费B站 community to be a part of the house. 鈥淲e want this to be a home that is open to the community, that involves them, that welcomes them and welcomes guests to the university,鈥� Dooley said. 鈥淲e want everyone to have an opportunity to be in the home at some point.鈥�
The couple would love to have a piano in the house, as they both love music and would love for it to be a place students felt comfortable playing and practicing.
Artist featured in the collection:
Name, Hometown, Affiliation, Medium
Ben Anderson, Barrington R.I., Faculty , Red earthenware
Jeffrey Bertell, Wakefield R.I. , Faculty, Graphite
Michelle Caraccia, Narragansett R.I., Student, Stone Lithograph
David DeMelim, Charlestown R.I. , Alumni, Photography/ultrachrome print
Robert Dilworth, Providence R.I. , Faculty, Mixed media
Erik Giorgi, Riverside R.I., Student, Print
Ron Hutt, N. Providence R.I., Faculty, Acrylic on canvas
Brian Kenny, Exeter R.I., Students, 35 mm and digital photo
Valerie Kitchin, N. Smithfield , Alumni, Archival inkjet photographs
William Klenk, Wakefield R.I. , Faculty, Acrylic/collage
Victoria Lockard, Providence R.I., Alumni, Relief print
Annu Matthew, Providence R.I., Faculty, Archival digital print
Ian Mohon, Providence R.I., Student, Collages
Brian O鈥橫alley, Greenville R.I., Faculty, Oil on canvas
Titiloa Oyegunle, Providence R.I., Student, Oil on canvas
Barbara Pagh, Wakefield R.I., Faculty, Photolithograph on handmade paper
Katie Picard, Warwick R.I., Student, Pastel or charcoal on paper
Gary Richman, Exeter R.I., Faculty, Collage
Lilla Samson, Wakefield R.I., Faculty, Digital photo
Brendan Sullivan, Holden, Mass., Alumni
Pictured above
Ron Hutt, associate professor of art, chats with the Rev. Lynn Baker-Dooley at a reception for artists at the president鈥檚 house on the Kingston campus. Beyond Hutt鈥檚 shoulder hangs an archival inkjet photo created by Valerie Kitchin of North Smithfield. Kitchen graduated from 溏心vlog免费B站 with an art degree in 2008.
溏心vlog免费B站 art student Brian Kenney of Exeter stands in front of his art pieces that hang in the 溏心vlog免费B站 president鈥檚 house.
Two photo lithographs on handmade paper created by Barbara Pagh, 溏心vlog免费B站 professor of art and art history, are among the works that grace 溏心vlog免费B站 President David M. Dooley鈥檚 and the Rev. Lynn Baker-Dooley鈥檚 house on 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Kingston campus.
溏心vlog免费B站 photos by Nora Lewis.