“Pensive Allurements”
“A Moment of Reflection” - Graphite Pencil
BY TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY ON NOVEMBER 29, 2017
A two-show exhibit is planned at Tusculum’s Clem Allison Gallery on Friday, Dec. 1, from 5-7 p.m. on the Greeneville campus.
The exhibit focuses on two shows: Steve Haselroth’s “Pensive Allurements,” an exhibition of drawings, and “Mondays,” an exhibition of paintings by various amateur artists.
The Haselroth exhibit is a collection of eight drawings and watercolors of portraits. Mr. Haselroth’s work “reflects a particular emotion and a story to tell behind a face,” according to Bill Bledsoe, assistant professor of visual communications and design and chair of the Fine Arts Department at Tusculum.
Haselroth received a degree in art education from the University of Missouri and a second degree in healthcare administration from the University of Oklahoma. He served in the medical field for the United States Navy. Following his retirement, he rekindled his passion for drawing and painting, working with youth in the Greeneville area, helping to develop their interest in art.
“Haselroth’s work is an excellent visual study in the development and content of portraiture as well as the classical and foundational approach to drawing which is the premise to all great art,” said Bledsoe.
“Mondays” is a collection of oil paintings by independent students who participated in a Monday night course at the McKinney Arts Center in Jonesborough. The class was taught by Bledsoe.
Bledsoe implemented a custom curriculum for beginning painters. The range of ages in the class were sixth grade to senior citizens. The entire group followed the same class plan and concluded with each student creating an accomplished work based on college standards.
This approach is encouraged by Bledsoe, who has taught this curriculum for 25 years to his college seniors majoring in art. Many of these graduates are considering obtaining a Master of Arts in teaching at Tusculum, which would qualify a graduate to teach art for grades K-12. According to Bledsoe, learning this instructional process would increase their advantage to not only be hired in a public school system, but also to excel in their capacity to teach art at a high level to all students, regardless of their aptitude in the area of art.
Tusculum to host “For the Love of the People” exhibit starting Feb. 21 in Clem Allison Gallery
BY TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY ON FEBRUARY 24, 2019
Tusculum University will host “For the Love of the People,” an exhibit of portraits by local artist Steve Haselroth that consist of famous people and others in his personal life, all of whom have meaningfully influenced the world.
“For the Love of the People”
“Greg Salazar” - Color Pencil
Among the people whose portraits will be shown in the exhibit are Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Amelia Earhart, Nikola Tesla, Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri and Winston Churchill. Portraits on a personal level include Haselroth’s wife, Janet, and son, David.
“For this particular exhibit, I have assimilated a collection of individuals from our history and from personal acquaintances that have had an impact on the world around them,” Haselroth said. “In each case, decisions of selflessness have been self-imposed, sometimes leading to the ultimate sacrifice, all for the love of those around them and leading to the benefit for others. In all cases, the individuals have had value systems that deserve the admiration of others.”
Bill Bledsoe, program director and an assistant professor for Tusculum’s art program, said one of the exhibit’s key elements is that all portraits convey the same visual strength in their structure.
“The idea is that ultimately, when you look at both of them, they actually carry the same weight in intent and introspection,” Bledsoe said. “That’s a tall order, but he succeeds in bringing the same amount of visual interest to an anonymous person as it would be with someone that you know.
“There is a similarity in scale, and the paintings work well with one another because they’re roughly the same scale and they’re done in the same medium for the most part, which is water color and color pencil.”
Bledsoe said Haselroth also likes to use a lot of negative space to highlight the nuances of each subject. The portraits are generally of people from the waist to their head.
“Each individual represented at this exhibit encapsulates the modus operandi to excel in life’s challenges, ultimately enhancing his or her community,” Haselroth said.
Haselroth’s roots in the visual arts date to his childhood. He is a retired teacher who was granted the honor of Cum Laude with the Tennessee Arts Academy Alumni Association in 2015. He has also served in the Navy, including as a medical planner and acting commander, amphibious task force surgeon, aboard the USS Saipan during the onset of the Iraq War in 1991.
The exhibit will kick off Thursday, Feb. 21, with a free, public reception from 5-7 p.m. in the Clem Allison Gallery in the Shulman Center. The portraits will remain available for viewing in the gallery until Thursday, March 7.