With nearly fifty years of experience as an artist, and thirty spent at Gettysburg College, Jim Agard, professor of art & art history is nearing retirement.

After being approached by Gettysburg College's Schmucker Art Gallery to produce a retrospective show of his work, he decided to go forward when alumna and good friend Kerri Rosenstein '98 offered her assistance. Rosenstein, once a student of Agard's, has curated art spaces and exhibitions for the past ten years and will select the work for the show and prepare the corresponding catalogue.

Agard recalls that his relationship with Rosenstein started when she was a talented freshman in his Intro to Drawing class. Rosenstein, passionate about art and looking for an on-campus job, became Agard's student assistant for four years. After graduation, Rosenstein received her Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting/Drawing from University of Montana, Missoula and credits part of her desire to attend graduate school to Agard's encouragement.

Agard and Rosenstein have maintained correspondence since Rosenstein's graduation, always keeping each other updated on their current work and continuously learning. "We've both been students with one another and both been teachers for one another," says Rosenstein. "There are so many rich opportunities for learning and growth in fostering relationships with faculty. I feel very grateful."

When approached to curate the exhibition for Agard, Rosenstein did not hesitate. She and Agard will be working closely over the next couple of months to place the finishing touches on the exhibition. Those who visit the exhibition can expect to see many different pieces by Agard, including sculptures, drawings, maquettes, illusional pieces, and iPad drawings.

"I'm excited to see the exhibition in its final form and discover if people can find the commonality through the years of my work," says Agard.

The exhibition "Jim Agard Retrospective" will be open from January 27 to March 9, 2012.

A gallery talk with Agard and Rosenstein will be held in Schmucker Art Gallery on January 27 at noon. Lunch will be provided. An opening reception for Agard's exhibition will follow in Schmucker Art Gallery from 5 to 7 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Shannon Egan, Director of the Schmucker Art Gallery, 717.337.6125

About Agard & Rosenstein

Agard's work is frequently a means to pursue a quality of perception somewhere between mind and body and the ever-changing nature of illusion and reality, usually in the form of drawing, sculptures and maquettes. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibition and competitions, and his work can also be seen in private collections. Agard received his Bachelor of Science in Art Education from State University of New York at New Paltz and his Master's Degree of Fine Arts from Rutgers University.

Kerri Rosenstein's work often pertains to themes of impermanence, presence and the cycling nature of things, usually in the form of drawing, sculpture, installation and large collaborative efforts. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally, including an exhibition at the Schmucker Art Gallery from September 3 to October 9, 2010. Rosenstein has curated art spaces since 2000 and maintains various roles as an arts educator and facilitator for both academic and alternative programs.

About Schmucker Art Gallery

The 1,600-square-foot Schmucker Art Gallery is a lively art space that displays seven to eight different exhibitions each year. Included in the gallery calendar are shows by local, national, and international contemporary artists, a faculty exhibition, a student exhibition, the annual senior art-major show, and exhibits of works selected from public and private collections.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Article by Lindsay Preucil, communications and marketing intern
Contact: Nikki Rhoads, assistant director of communications, 717.337.6803