NECC hosts alumni art and design show
The works of 10 former art and design students were selected for the first Northern Essex Community College Art & Design Department Alumni Art show. The show will run from Jan. 22 through Feb. 22 in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace in the Harold Bentley Library on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliott St. The opening reception will be held Jan. 24 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The show was curated by NECC Art Professor Marc Mannheimer and Reneiry Santiago, a 2017 graduate of NECC’s General Studies: Art and Design program. This wide-ranging show is comprised of 44 works, including paintings, drawings, prints, digital design works and photography.
The art and design alumni in the show are: Kaleigh Baker, 2015, of Newton, N.H.; Kailey Hladky Johnson, 2016, of Medford; Reneiry Santiago, 2017, of Haverhill; Austin Wells, 2016, of Dracut; Devin Sullivan, 2017, Salem, New Hampshire; Autumn Markey, 2015, of North Andover; Ryan Silva of 2016, of Salisbury; Sebastian Diaz, 2018, of Methuen; Jason Shulkin, 2006, of Salem, New Hampshire; Cooper Binette, 2017, of Portland, Maine.
“I had been thinking of mounting an NECC Art & Design Department Alumni show for a couple of years,” said Mannheimer. “Our graduates are extremely successful artists and designers who have transferred to top art and design schools. I feel it is very important for our college and department to allow our current students and the local community a chance to experience the range of talent they possess. In the summer of 2017 Reneiry approached me with the idea for the show and we began to plan.”
Santiago, who is interested in becoming a curator agreed to co-curate the show. She researched the art and design graduates, compiled a list, and they were invited to submit up to six images of their recent work for consideration. The co-curators juried the images to create the exhibit.
According to Santiago,” Last year around this time. I contacted Marc because I was interested in learning more about curating art shows. We discussed applying to curating summer programs for more experience. He then mentioned that he wanted to curate an alumni show and I agreed to co-curate the moment he mentioned this. It was an amazing opportunity and I’m really grateful.”
The NECC Art & Design program, part of the Liberal Arts Division, provides a focus in fine arts, multimedia, photography, and graphic design. These lead to an associate degree in general studies: art & design. The alumni art exhibit, which is free and open to the public, is available for viewing during library hours which are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, contact Michelle Carter, art & design department chair, at mcarter@necc.mass.edu or Mannheimer at mmannheimer@necc.mass.edu
