The gallery of the De Pree Art Center at Hope College will feature the figural drawings and inlaid sculptures of New York based artist Michael Ferris Jr. from Friday, Aug. 21, through Friday, Sept. 18.
Ferris opens a dialog regarding ecologically minded art- making practices and recycled materials as they relate to depicting the human figure. The exhibit will feature sculpture and ink/acrylic wash on paper.
Ferris was born in Chicago in 1969. Originally trained as a painter, he received his bachelor's degree from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1991 and his Master in Fine Arts from IndianaUniversity, Bloomington in 1996. He was an artist in residence at the Roswell Art Center in New Mexico, and has received grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the George Sugarman Foundation, among others.
"My intent is to render an accurate likeness of my subject however what I find more compelling is communicating the sitter's 'inner world,'" Ferris said in his artist statement. "I do this by contrasting the sculpture's stoic, classical form with its complex multi-patterned surface. Ultimately my aim is to express the psychological and spiritual complexity of my subject."
The De Pree Art Center is located at 160 E. 12th St., on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. The regular gallery hours are Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Gallery hours may be reduced during breaks and holidays. The gallery is handicapped accessible.