The De Pree Art Center and Gallery at Hope College will feature the exhibition “Maria Calandra: Pencil in the Studio” from Thursday, Oct. 7, through Friday, Nov. 5.
Calandra will also give an artist’s talk on Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. in the Cook Auditorium of the De Pree Art Center. The talk will take place in conjunction with an opening reception for the exhibition on Thursday, Oct. 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The public is invited to the exhibition, artist’s talk and reception. Admission is free.
The New York-based artist, originally from London, England, has had solo exhibitions in a number of states, including several in New York. She has also participated in many group exhibitions and been an artist-in-residence at 14 colleges and universities. Her work has been featured in the New York Times and Artforum, and New York’s Time Out Magazine named her one of “12 talents shaping the future of New York City’s culture.” Calandra received her master’s in painting from Cornell University and her bachelor’s in painting from Ohio University. While on Hope’s campus she’ll also be leading a drawing workshop with select art students.
While Calandra’s studio practice is primarily based in painting, her "Pencil in the Studio" series is an ongoing 10-plus-year project of pencil-on-paper drawings of other artists’ working places. Cumulatively, the series documents a loosely knit together artistic community centered in New York City that grows over time. Many of Calandra’s subjects have become both friends and prominent figures in contemporary art as their professional careers have grown since their initial documentation. Co-curated by Calandra and Jay Henderson, De Pree Gallery director, Calandra’s drawings will be paired with artworks from her subjects’ studios for the first time ever. Taken as a whole, the exhibition is a personal perspective on the dynamic artistic scene of New York City and will contribute to defining this generation of contemporary artists.
Audience members who need assistance to fully enjoy any event at Hope are encouraged to contact the college’s Events and Conferences Office by emailing events@hope.edu or calling 616-395-7222 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Updates related to events are posted when available in the individual listings at hope.edu/calendar
Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, Hope is currently requiring that masks be worn by all individuals while indoors on campus unless in their living space or alone in their workspace.
The De Pree Art Center and Gallery is located at 275 Columbia Ave., between 10th and 13th streets. The gallery is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with attendance by appointment, and guests may register on the gallery’s website at hope.edu/depree.