Praxis

The SAA Collective is excited to bring together two top Illinois artists, Thom Whalen and Kevin Veara, for a featured exhibition opening Friday, May 10. PRAXIS, will be on display at the SAA Collective in the Hoogland Center for the Arts from May 10 - June 27 with reception on Friday, May 10 from 5 - 7 PM. The reception and exhibition are free to public event.

PRAXIS is a discipline of art that places an equal emphasis on theory and practice, adopting an invigorated methodology that considers and interrogates the processes of art making, its changing contexts and the ways in which it engages an audience. "Praxis is something both these artists embrace fully," say gallery director Corrin McWhirter. "The practice of art is part of their daily lives. It is evident in their stunning and meaningful body of work."

Thom Whalen, was born in Hillsboro, IL and currently lives and works in Springfield, IL. He earned a BA in painting and art history from Eastern Illinois University and an MFA in visual art from University of Kansas. His curiosity of art history has deeply influenced his painting practice, as he uses the model of art historical language as a way of embracing the poetry of symbolism and practice. This work is thick with metaphor spun together in a thoughtful narrative about our current cultural climate. Whalen trained as a painter by assisting in the studios of Roger Shimomura and Richard Hamilton in the Kansas City area. His works have been exhibited throughout North America, including Henry Frye Museum, Smithsonian Institute, Thompson Gallery, Illinois State Museum Gallery and The Lockport Museum. In addition to painting, Thom is a Professor of Art at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, IL.

Kevin Veara, is a bird guide for Lincoln Memorial Gardens and has been leading hikes for close to twenty years. His paintings focus on birds and plants that are found in the steep, forested banks and flood plains of the Sangamon River. His work can be describes as stylized-realism. His array of avian life, native and migratory, are often pictured encircled by dense, yet flat, foliage reduced to formal design. In this series, Veara works to bring the subtle skulkers of the forest to the forefront -- out from behind there protective brush. Veara obtained his BFA from Sangamon State university and his MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His work has exhibited extensively in Illinois and the United States with several works in the Illinois State Museum collection.

Alongside this featured exhibition will be a showcase of SAA Collective artists new paintings, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, photography and more.

The BACKdoor gallery will feature emerging Springfield artist Alyssa Farmer. Recent graduate of Millikan University, Alyssa's bight bold work pairs plants with the human figure referencing personal and individualized growth.

The exhibitions are free and open to the public on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 AM – 5 PM and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 – 7 PM. For more information about this exhibition please contract gallery director Corrin McWhirter at [email protected] or 217-544-2787.
SAA Collective
in the HD Smith Gallery located in the Hoogland
420 S 6th St. Springfield IL 62703
Hours
Tuesday - Wednesday 10 AM - 5 PM
Thursday - Saturday NOON - 7 PM
For more information, call (217) 544-2787 or visit www.springfieldart.org