Monday, December 13, 2004

Dec. 13, 2004

Wilmington, N.C. – The UNCW Presents cultural arts program will present “Paintings and Monotypes,” a new exhibit showcasing large oil and acrylic paintings on canvas and monotype prints by local artist Gary Eyster, beginning Monday, Jan. 12 and running through Wednesday, March 9 in the Warwick Center Gallery on the campus of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The opening reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12, and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

Eyster creates expressive paintings from a blank canvas with no preconceived ideas, where tools and materials are his inspiration. He employs the technique of “free form color” that makes use of unconventional painting tools while relying very little on the brush. Some of the unusual tools introduced into the painting process include plungers, squeegees, open wide-mouth jars and squeeze bottles.

Eyster received a master’s in fine arts from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has also studied at the Ecole de l’Art et Publicite in Paris and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. Eyster was formerly the director for the New Hanover County Museum, now known as Cape Fear Museum, and was also a founding member of the Lower Cape Fear Council for the Arts. He has won numerous awards including a Certificate of Distinction at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 19th Biennial Exhibition. Originally from York, Pa., he currently resides in Wilmington.

To view samples of the artist’s work or for more information about the exhibition, visit www.uncw.edu/arts or contact Shannon Hooker at hookers@uncw.edu or 910/962-7600.