The Alfred Berkowitz Gallery is proud to host its annual open competition. This exhibition showcases and celebrates Michigan artists and promotes the resources of the University of Michigan-Dearborn to diverse audiences. The competition is open to all media and artistic styles.
Opening Reception
Thursday, August 2, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Juror Jan Brown to speak and present awards at 6:00 p.m. Event is free to the public. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages provided.
Without Boundaries, Merlo Bern, acrylic on paper
Exit, John Diephouse, digital photography
A life-long resident of Michigan, Jan Brown began early to show a spark of art talent. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Michigan State University with an emphasis in printmaking and later, a Master of Arts from Eastern Michigan University with a focus on classroom teaching. Jan taught elementary education for thirty five years and was named Teacher of the Year in the Wayne/Westland school district in 1991.
After retiring, Jan devoted herself full time to her artwork, and she has been working within the realm of abstract expressionism since 2010. Having previously been very representative in her work, abstraction freed Jan to explore color, texture, and composition on numerous levels.
For Jan, art is an endeavor to reach a satisfaction from inside. Examining all media, she sees a common thread to good art — it challenges the artist and the viewer. Jan has exhibited her award winning artwork extensively across the state. She was featured in Acrylic Artist magazine in 2016.
Guardians, Christina Haylett, mixed media
Dusk, Claudia Hershman, mixed media on canvas
The Alfred Berkowitz Gallery is located on the third floor of the Mardigian Library at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. For further information, see below for contact information. Anyone requiring accommodations under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact (313)-593-5087.
Prisoner of Continuity,
Scott Chaseling (b.1962), n.d.,
Blown, fused glass
Gift of Richard and Louise Abrahams, Collection of UM-Dearborn (2014.1.8), Photograph by Kip Kriigel
Australian glass artist Scott Chaseling (b. 1962) attended the Australian National University’s Canberra School of Art in 1995. In a collaborative project with fellow glass artist Klaus Moje, the two artists invented the Australian Roll-Up technique. Their process is quite similar to the traditional Venetian murrini cane pick-up method with one major difference. Chaseling and Moje’s concept involves picking up pre-fused panels of glass. This innovative approach allows artists to create carefully controlled designs that are not possible with traditional glassblowing methods. The pre-fused sheets of glass allow varying interior and exterior imagery, precise color placement, and full cross-sections of color, all seen in the skillful craftsmanship of this piece. After picking up the pre-fused panels on a punty, a glass blowing pipe, the final steps to the Australian Roll-Up technique consist of blowing, rolling and manipulating the glass form into a finished standing vessel shape.
