Art Exhibitions
Don Lee: Working Through Time
EXHIBITION DATES: March 20 – April 19
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, March 20, 6-8pm (RSVP HERE)
LOCATION: Alexander Gallery at the Porter Art Warehouse
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:
Spanning decades of studio production and more than 46 years in higher education, this exhibition traces the sustained growth and unwavering focus that define Don Lee’s practice.
In his own words, Lee’s practice is mark-making. Both across a variety of surfaces and using drawing, painting, collage and assemblage as tools to create and resolve visual form. “I’m open and not hampered by a signature style,” Lee suggests. The commitment to and curiosity for the practice of creating work is his primary concern, including for the artistic development of thousands of art students.
Lee helped build and shape the studio art program from a two-year open enrollment model into a comprehensive four-year degree with NASAD accreditation at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. Over the course of his tenure as faculty member, department head and gallery director, he played a central role in curriculum development, the planning of the Windgate Art and Design building and the growth of a permanent art collection that continues to serve students and the community. His influence – a rigorous and profoundly attentive process of creation – is embedded in the work of thousands of regional artists who carry forward his emphasis on discipline, curiosity and material intelligence.
Emphasizing form over content, Lee approaches each series as an exploration of material, tools, surface and design. Working Through Time presents a comprehensive view of this process: individual works stand as distinct investigations, but together they reveal an ongoing dialogue between maker and material.