Fine Arts Center hosts dozens of pieces from students, professor

KINGSTON, R.I. – June 10, 2010 – Intertwining the worlds of art and technology, Associate Professor of Art Ron Hutt is bringing the practical application of digital painting and drawing to the University of Rhode Island.

Hutt is running an art exhibit featuring his own work, as well 14 students from his digital painting and drawing course that ran during spring semester. Housed in the Corridor Gallery of the Fine Arts Center, the exhibit features more than 30 inkjet print pieces on the subjects of environments, figure studies and portraiture.

“This is the first course at the University I have taught that focuses exclusively on the enormous potential of digital painting and drawing as a means of visualization for all types of art and design,” said Hutt, who holds a master of fine arts from The School of Art Institute of Chicago. “Every traditional art form has a digital component. Many can be utilized as visualization tools in a number of academic and professional fields.”

What makes the exhibition more unique is that many of the pieces were not created by art students. While Hutt certainly had a number of art students in his spring course, it was also populated with students from computer science, film studies, landscape architecture and other disciplines.

“This exhibition represents how URI is moving forward, developing new courses that are essential for the success of our students as they make their way into the growing creative arts, new media and entertainment industries,” Hutt said.

Hutt developed the course for students who wished to gain proficiency in digital processes in painting and drawing for both fine arts and applied media design. The class instruction was organized around the use of Photoshop and Painter software, Mac computers and Wacom digital drawing tablet.

The Corridor Gallery exhibit is free and open to the public. It will remain open throughout the summer and is open during regular hours of the Fine Arts Center (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.) and when the building is open for performances.

For more information, call the URI Art Department at 401.874.5821.