News 2014: Opening Reception for 2014 CVPA MFA Thesis Exhibition Takes Place April 5

News 2014: Opening Reception for 2014 CVPA MFA Thesis Exhibition Takes Place April 5
Opening Reception for 2014 CVPA MFA Thesis Exhibition Takes Place April 5

Diverse Artistic Showcase Represents Culmination of Years of Intensive Research, Preparation

UMass Dartmouth's College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) proudly announces its upcoming, large-scale MFA Thesis Exhibition, presented from April 5, 2014 to May 18, 2014, in the galleries and windows of the first floor of the UMass Dartmouth Star Store Campus in historic Downtown New Bedford. This diverse artistic showcase represents the culmination of two to three years of intensive research and preparation. The opening reception for the exhibition takes place this Saturday, April 5, 2014, at 3:00 p.m., at the Star Store Campus. 

The Thesis Exhibition includes the creative efforts of 20 UMass Dartmouth MFA degree candidates in the visual arts from across the country and abroad. Work on display will represent disciplines ranging from painting, sculpture, and furniture design to video art, installation, and application software design. This diverse artistic showcase represents the culmination of two to three years of intensive research and preparation. 

UMass Dartmouth's CVPA recently announced Judith Tolnick Champa as guest curator for its 2014 Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Thesis Exhibition. Tolnick Champa previously taught the History of Art at the Swain School of Design. As many in the community are aware, this distinguished New Bedford art school, now an integral part of UMass Dartmouth, produced a number of highly regarded artists and designers. Tolnick Champa would later serve as director of curatorial affairs at Brown University's David Winton Bell Gallery and as director/curator of the former Fine Arts Center Galleries, University of Rhode Island, Kingston. She is currently editor-in-chief of Art New England magazine as well as a practicing independent curator. 

Selections from the MFA Thesis Exhibition will also be shown this summer at the Bromfield Gallery in Boston from June 4, 2014 to June 28, 2014 with an opening reception on Friday, June 6, 2014. 

Gallery exhibitions are open daily in New Bedford from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and until 9:00 p.m. during AHA! Nights (every second Thursday each month). All events are free and open to the public. 

For publication-quality images and additional information kindly contact: 
University Art Gallery, College of Visual and Performing Arts, UMass Dartmouth 
715 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 
gallery@umassd.edu 
www.umassd.edu/universityartgallery 
www.facebook.com/UMassDartmouthGalleries