“BLOOM,” an exhibit by Lacroute Visiting Professor of Digital Art Belle Bezdicek, will run Feb. 8-March 24 in the Linfield Art Gallery, with an artist talk and opening reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 in the Vivian Bull Music Center.
Bezdicek teaches and develops curriculum around digital art; while her work is primarily in that medium, this exhibit will also include physical creations, including printmaking and woodwork, many of which are integrated into her digital art.
BLOOM focuses on Bezdicek’s highly decorative animal forms, taking inspiration from Byzantine art’s depiction of mythical and sometimes exotic creatures.
“This is an exciting show because as a retrospective, she is going to be enveloping and unifying all her art practices,” said Thea Gahr, who serves as curator for Linfield Art Gallery. “She isn’t just a digital artist — she has worked as a commercial artist, she’s a printmaker, and she has this tremendous connection with the natural world.”
Much of Bezdicek’s work stems from strong connections with particular animals, including elephants and owls; her work, Gahr said, creates empathy and connection.
“She’s experimenting and creating more installation pieces by having this entire gallery to work in,” Gahr said. “It’s going to be very exciting to see how it unfolds.”
For more information, visit linfield.edu/art/gallery.html or call 503-883-2804.
