Where Function meets Art

Zirkle House seems to be well known within JMU — as well as the surrounding Harrisonburg community — as a gallery exhibiting unique and inspiring shows. Select student artists, as well as featured work from graduates and professional artists, introduce a variety of mediums and topics through their collections.

On Monday, Nov. 22, Zirkle will be featuring work by senior Mark Pinnow, upperclassman Jeff Weis and graphics design students at JMU. The graphics design exhibit consists of a random sampling of work by students in the program, features various 2-D layouts and package design, said Sarah Boyts (’06), a graduate adviser for Zirkle House.

"I feel that all of the shows selected for this semester were very strong and really exhibit the wide variety of talent here at JMU," said Boyts. "To consistently be able to display student art work that is both exciting and thought provoking is quite refreshing."

Exhibits at Zirkle House are not just what is seen on the respective canvasses or in the sculptures displayed. Much of the spirit of Zirkle also is evident in the preparation for a show. "It’s a great experience for me to learn the work that goes into setting up a show and everything that happens behind the scenes," junior Ann Cameron, a studio art major who works at Zirkle, said.

Pinnow’s exhibit "will be mostly functional work," with pieces being constructed out of steel and sometimes stone, aluminum and brass, he said. His featured piece is a 6 feet high, 9 feet long and 3 feet wide chair that "mimics the feeling of laying in a hammock under a tree in winter looking up through the bare branches," Pinnow said. His show also will include at least one table, several floral lamps and an abstract piece "that explores motion, line interactions and balance as a means of meditation," he said.

Reflecting on his work and inspirations, Pinnow said, "my work is a product of creative release ... and my pieces usually have no more meaning than what the viewer wants to take from them. I am heavily influenced by nature, organic lines, and industrial materials ... I really like to challenge the dichotomy of natural forms in steel."

Interested in having a show at Zirkle House for the spring semester? Call x6869, or e-mail Cassie Ingram at ingramac.