FVCC To Host Opening Exhibition, Gallery Talk for Ceramic Artist Alumnus
The art department at the Flathead Valley Community College will present the works of alumnus Joseph Pesina during an opening exhibition and gallery talk.
Pesina is a ceramic artist from northeast Wisconsin who started his college career at FVCC.
The opening exhibition takes place April 4 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Arts and Technology Building lobby on campus in Kalispell.
The event is sponsored by the FVCC Art Club and is free and open to the public.
FVCC released the following details:
Flathead Valley Community College’s art department is set to host an opening exhibition and gallery talk for FVCC alumnus ceramic artist Joseph Pesina on April 4 from 4- 6pm in the Arts and Technology Building lobby on campus in Kalispell. The event is sponsored by the FVCC Art Club, so entrance is free and all are invited to attend.
Joseph Pesina is a ceramic artist hailing from northeast Wisconsin. Though already a ceramic artist of over 10 years at the time, he started his college career right here at FVCC at age 30. He then went on to receive his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah State University and his Master of Fine Arts from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax.
Pesina’s impressive background includes artist residencies at the Clay Studio of Missoula, the Pottery Workshop and Experimental Factory in Jingdezhen, China, and the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek, Wisconsin.
When describing his current work, Pesina explains how he is exploring themes of vessel abstraction, architecture and geometry. “I’m looking to dismantle vessels in an abstract way by removing all the telltale signs of a typical vessel, like a handle, and distill the vessel down into its core elements. Take a cylinder for example. I want to expose that cylinder, take it apart, and play with the idea of a cylinder – turn it on its head a bit and give it a new life form.”
Pesina has been underway exploring this and other themes for his current collection from Missoula, Montana where he currently lives with his family and works as studio manager at the Clay Studio of Missoula. He describes how FVCC holds a special place in his heart from his time on campus and then as he went on to continue to build his career.
“FVCC was so wonderful and so nurturing. It really prepared me for what higher education would be like and for my path toward a graduate degree,” added Pesina. “I’m grateful for my inspiring yet challenging classes and teachers. It’s quite flattering to be back and have my art on display.”
Join the opening event Tuesday, April 4 from 4-6pm to view the collection and hear from Pesina himself during the gallery talk at 4:30pm. For directions to campus and more information about art at FVCC, visit fvcc.edu.