(AAPNW-NY) – Albert Einstein once said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” The latter comes visually prevalent during the official public opening from 6:oo-10:00 pm on Friday, February 4 at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center when the “Mentors & Makers” show presents works by Wendell Castle and Nancy Jurs, who have selected former students, Tom Lacagnina and Bethany Krullis, to exhibit with them.
There is also another saying which has floated around over the decades, “Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can’t, Teach” but this successful series has no correlation; in fact, wherever the latter saying evolved, including why is about as probable of a snowball found near the equator. Viewers will see the “offspring” that comes from the dual roles an artist and educator perform in their career paths, as well as a more in depth look of those native to the region.
Often described as the ‘Father of Contemporary Art Furniture’ – works by Wendell Castle can be found at the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Art and Design, including in other museum’s permanent collections. Currently, he is an educator and Artist-in-Residence in the School for American Crafts at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Nancy Jurs is a ceramic artist who has taught at SUNY Brockport, Columbia University as well as Rochester Institute of Technology, where she also a graduate and has been an important mentor to young clay artists.
Wood and mixed-media sculptor, Tom Lacaginia has influenced many artists in the New York region. For 29 years, he taught at the School of Art and Design at Alfred University and maintains a Professor Emeritus status. Educationally, he achieved a BFA and MFA from RIT, where he also studied with Castle. In addition, the artist-educator has lectured across the US.
From her recent series “Dominance and Affection,” Bethany Krullis’ clay works examines the interactions between human and animal. Her works have been in over fifty nationwide exhibitions and can be found in the collections of the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Among other professional assignments, she teaches ceramics at Goggleworks Center for the Arts in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Aside from the public opening, there will be a Patron Preview on Thursday, February 3 from 6:00-8:00 pm, and on Sunday, February 6 at 1:00 pm during Artist’s Talk, all four exhibitors will be on site.
For more information, see: www.rochestercontemporary.org