Artist Dede Hutcheson's personal collection of paintings, which includes pieces by some of the masters of figurative painting from both the United States and Europe, will be on display at John Brown University this month.
An opening reception for the exhibit, titled "The Hutcheson Collection: From the Eye of an Artist," will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, in the Windgate Visual Arts Gallery West. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will be open during gallery hours through Nov. 4.
The 91-year-old Hutcheson, a Fort Smith native, has spent a lifetime collecting the paintings and has a story to go with each one, according to Charles Peer, JBU Gallery Director. The collection, which is being exhibited for the very first time, includes 47 paintings by such notable artists as Richard Schmid, John Asaro, Kevin McPherson, Raymond Kinstler, Dan McCaw, Burton Silverman, Charles Sovek, Camille Przewodek and Matt Smith.
"One element that I believe gives a rich insight into the eye of an art collector is that each painting is accompanied with a statement on how she came to own the piece and/or what she finds particularly wonderful about the work," Peer said.
Hutcheson's husband Bill bought the first painting in the collection while he was serving in World War II, from an artist working along the road in Germany. Hutcheson knows or has a personal connection with most of the artists, Peer said.
"This is a very unique opportunity to view a collection of paintings collected by one individual, Dede Hutcheson," Peer said. "Mrs. Hutcheson, an artist in her own right, has gotten to know most of the artists through exhibitions and visits to their studios. She has also studied with a number of them including MacPherson, Roberts, Przewodek and Peggi Kroll Roberts.
"Through her love for oil painting, and particularly working en plein air, she has developed a passion for color and for the expressive brushstroke. Her keen aesthetic judgment, along with her interest in figurative artwork, is reflective in this collection -- the pieces she has chosen to surround herself with on a daily basis. Although there is a great variety in style, subject and media, her personal perspective adds a wonderful unity to the exhibit."
Peer is hopeful the exhibit will be a rich experience for his students and the community because it will allow visitors to view many paintings with a high level of quality and give them inspiration to find their own unique style. The exhibit is also an opportunity to see how one individual can build a collection they can enjoy on a day-to-day basis.
"I know that will be an exhibit that will appeal to everyone. It is a joy to be able to host artwork of this quality for the purposes of inspiring our students to find their own voice in the artwork that they feel connected to and to striving for the highest of quality. It is also a collection that each member of the community will find beautiful and enriching," said Peer.
The Wingate Visual Arts West Gallery is open from 8 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information visit www.jbu.edu/art/gallery.
General News on 10/05/2016