Brett Herron has made the most of his time as a graduate student in the West Virginia University of Art and Design”:http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/ by founding an artists’ collective with a fellow student, turning his studio space at the Creative Arts Center into an art gallery, and completing internships at prestigious galleries in New York City.
As he prepares to graduate this spring, Herron will present his Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition in the Laura Mesaros Gallery at the Creative Arts Center Feb. 29-March 4.
Titled “Somewhat Familiar,” the exhibition consists of several sculptural and photographic works that address Herron’s extended investigations into Minimalism, while at the same time adhering to his own ideas about art.
There will be a reception for the exhibition Thursday, March 3, at 5 p.m. at the Mesaros Galleries. All events are free and open to the public.
Herron’s MFA degree focuses on printmaking and sculpture and many of his previous works were large installations. His art explores the nature of materials and architectural context as a means of influence.
“My work is concerned with form and composition, along with the transformation of common, everyday materials into unusual sculptures that highlight their physical properties,” said Herron. “I emphasize the material presence of the work and spatial ambiguities, while rejecting the conventional notion that sculpture and painting are the basis of all artistic creation.
Herron grew up in Pittsburgh and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art from Slippery Rock University. He was vice president of the Art Club at Slippery Rock during his junior year when the group brought in WVU Printmaking Program coordinator Joseph Lupo to give a presentation. Meeting Lupo led him to WVU, where he received the Margaret Tavenner Rajam Scholarship.
In 2014, he was nominated for a WVU Innovation Award for his work as founder and director of the fine art gallery he established at the Creative Arts Center, called STUDIO2504, which holds monthly exhibitions showcasing artists from across the country. The gallery is part of Herron’s vision of bringing contemporary art to a broader audience.
“I had always had a passion for art,” said Herron. “Studying printmaking at WVU is the best decision I’ve ever made. It brought me all the way to New York and I met some incredible people along the way. I’m excited to see where I end up.”
For more information, including previews of the exhibition, see Herron’s website at: www.brettherronart.com and at http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/current-students/student-profile-brett-herron.
The Laura Mesaros Gallery at the CAC is open Monday through Saturday, from noon to 9:30 p.m. The Mesaros Galleries are closed on Sundays and University holidays.
For more information on the event, contact Robert Bridges, curator of the Mesaros Galleries at 304-293-2312.
-WVU-
02/24/16
CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304.293.4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu
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