Published: September 19, 2008 12:30 pm            

Artist David Williamson to present exhibit

Artist David Williamson will hold an exhibition titled “The Art of Becoming AWARE” Monday, Sept. 22, through Friday, Oct. 10, at Central College’s Mills Gallery in the Lubbers Center for Visual Arts.

The exhibit reflects everyone’s responsibility in keeping Iowa’s rivers and watersheds clean. In the exhibit, Williamson guides people as they create sculptures from recycled scrap metal collected during Project AWARE, A Watershed Awareness River Expedition and volunteer riverside clean up project sponsored by Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources.

In 2004, Williamson created “Riverse,” an artistic off-shoot of Project AWARE. Two of the sculptures call the Wallace Building in Des Moines home, where the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is located. “Drop-In,” is a giant, walk-in water droplet sculpture. Next to it is a 10-foot tall model of a canoe paddle called “Fair Catch.” In 2006, Williamson helped create “Strongback,” a sculpture made of three connected arches that represent everyone’s responsibility in shouldering the effort of protecting Iowa’s rivers and watersheds.

Williamson will give a speech titled “The Art of Becoming AWARE” at a convocation Monday evening, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. in Douwstra Auditorium. Tickets are available at the Info Booth in Maytag Student Center by calling 641-628-9000. A reception will follow in Mills Gallery.

Williamson will be in residence Monday-Friday, Sept. 22-26, working with Central students to create new work. Thursday, Sept. 25, Williamson will be doing studio work such as preparing patterns, sand and forge work in Graham Conference Centre. He will lead a group that night in pouring metal at 7:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. in the glass studio in Lubbers Center for Visual Arts. Williamson will also pour metal in Graham Friday, Sept. 26. The public is invited to observe his work on the new sculptures Thursday-Friday, Sept. 25-26.

All events are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

        

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