Just in time to welcome spring and the busy revisit days centered at the PMAC, the Choate Rosemary Hall Visual Arts Faculty Biennial art show has graced the gallery and theater lobby walls once again. This year’s show features the artwork of faculty members Bob Mellon, a photography teacher, and Jane Gustin, one of Choate’s painting, mixed media, and ceramics teachers. Mr. Mellon’s photographs of softly lit lighthouses adorn the walls of the gallery, while Ms. Gustin’s carefully composed and brightly colored paintings line the rounded lobby of the theater. Their artwork brings life to the PMAC and gives everyone the chance to appreciate the talent of Choate’s faculty.
Mr. Mellon has been a part of the Choate faculty for almost thirty years. Originally a member of the theater department and the technical director of the PMAC, he has gradually shifted his focus and currently teaches Photography and Digital Video classes. His interest in photography began in college, but it was only in the past seven years, while teaching photography at Choate, that he became a serious photographer. Mr. Mellon says he uses photography as “a way to interact with [his] environment”, and his love of nature shines through his work. Trees peeking through the fog of a misty day, delicate ice frozen onto a tangle of bright red berries, and dragonflies alighting among mustard-yellow buoys are just a select few of the many spectacular photographs that illuminate the PMAC.
Sunlight seems to be a theme throughout Mr. Mellon’s photographs, as his photos often depict light dappling on American flags or shining through windowpanes. “It’s seeing interesting light that makes a photo work for me,” he comments. Close-ups are also popular among his work. He tries to “isolate and break things down into shape, line, and texture”, his explorations of geometry depicted in delightful close-ups of rough wood, chains, and saw blades. Mr. Mellon clearly enjoys photography, and his love of nature and the environment ties his work together beautifully.
Choate’s other faculty artist is Ms. Gustin, who has been a member of the Choate faculty since 1976, beginning in ceramics and later shifting her focus to painting. She presently teaches Ceramics, Mixed Media, Color and Design, in addition to various other visual arts classes. Her interest in artwork began with art history and painting, and this interest was and continues to be the foundation of her work. Having a colorful palate has always played a major part of her artwork; both her ceramics and paintings exhibit a love of vibrant shades. Ms. Gustin agrees with the observation, as she too describes her work as “very colorful and having a lot to do with surface patterns”.
Teacups and delicate porcelain pepper Ms. Gustin’s artwork, and often there is more than one rendition of a particular composition. “The still lifes are very specific to a compositional plan,” Ms. Gustin comments, “so seeing them in a different light gives me more information about the set-up.” Her work is carefully composed and carried out in the haven of her studio, or refered to by Gustin as “[her] own world,” which few people have ever visited. For Ms. Gustin, painting is a “very private affair,” one that takes much concentration and solitude. Both aspects prove quite rewarding, as her work so aptly illustrates. With their charm and color, viewers will delight in exploring her carefully composed paintings.
The Visual Arts Faculty here at Choate make up quite a talented coalition, and this Biennial exhibition is a way to let these artists exhibit their work, and even more importantly, to give their students a chance to see just what their teachers are up to. Ms. Gustin’s vibrant paintings and Mr. Mellon’s enchanting photographs are pleasing to all.
