WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Aug. 30, 2017 — West Liberty University’s Nutting Gallery presents the first exhibition of its 2017-18 exhibition season, Tom Estlack: Investigations and Interactions with an opening reception from 5:30 – 7 p.m., Wednesday, August 30. Open to the public, the exhibition runs through September 21, 2017.
A professional artist with experience in web development, sculpture, music, animation and other media, genres and technologies, Tom Estalck has done pro-bono work with non-profits, teaching, curriculum development and developing marketing solutions for academic use.
A resident of Bethel Park, Pa., he has an MFA in sculpture from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is married to WLU’s Associate Professor of Graphic Design Sarah Davis.
“The title of this exhibition — Investigations and Interactions — represents two features of my work. I am interested in creating artworks that involve the viewer in varying levels of interaction, participation, and psychological immersion; the intent being that hopefully a viewer/participant is led to further levels of investigation or exploration upon interacting with the work.”
“I am interested in provoking the viewer to sometimes break with the social mores associated with the traditional exhibition space to explore the work. In the case of some works in this show, the viewer/participant could blow on sculptures, touch the artwork or hold a cell phone very close to a painting to connect to a web page. Other elements are nearly invisible to the naked eye and are therefore only able to be explored with flash photography, using the flash on the cell phone camera for example.”
“Artworks that synthesize elements such as music, animation, physical interaction, and sculpture have great potential to awaken someone to the present. Initiating the viewer’s natural impulse to play is a catalyst for cognition and can launch wider investigative process. It’s my hope that connecting to the “play-state” in this way can lead to a greater sense of connection and understanding.”
Part of the College of Arts and Communication, the Nutting Gallery is dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through art exhibitions of the highest quality and to promoting the visual arts within the WLU community.
The Gallery fulfills this mission through eight exhibitions during the academic year. This exhibition schedule includes five exhibitions by visiting artists, two Senior Exhibitions, and the Annual Art Faculty Exhibition.
The exhibitions are free and open to the public. Located in the Fine Arts Building, Nutting Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekends and other times are by arrangement only.
For more information, please contact rvillama@westliberty.edu or call 304-336-8370.