by Natalia Kirychuk, Public Relations Writer
Annie Lee-Zimerle, assistant professor
of studio art, opened her joint exhibit with her husband, Brian Zimerle,
at the Boyd Cultural Art Center at Wilmington College on Wednesday, January 24. Lee-Zimerle’s art will be on display until March 10.
Lee-Zimerle was introduced to the space through a mutual friend at Wilmington College and submitted a proposal to the gallery outlining how she and her husband could fill the space. A faculty grant from Cedarville funded the materials for the Zimerle exhibit.
“I included my husband in this exhibit because the space is rather large, and I knew some 3D aspects would add to the overall theme,” said Lee-Zimerle. “I also wanted students to see us working together as artists and as a couple. I wanted to show them possibilities of what they can accomplish.”
Lee-Zimerle’s concept involves bridging the gap between seeing beauty in the world and recognizing its brokenness. For the exhibit, she created a large, 6-by-6-foot screen made from rice paper. Within the screen, she created three images with windows. Inside each window is a bear. Two of the bears are seen as vicious and mature, while the third is displayed as a young teddy-like bear covered in kisses. The bears are a relatable image open to interpretation.
“This relates back to when we were young and very possessive over some item that brought us comfort — maybe a blanket or stuffed animal,” Zimerle said. “Even though that item brought us comfort, it got beat up and worn through. It was used and abused. As Christians, we have to be sure not to do this to our relationship with Christ. We don’t want to use Him for comfort and not give Him proper place in our lives.”
Complementing Lee-Zimerle’s art, her husband, a sculptural ceramist, has filled the space with smaller 3D pieces. One piece is an orange platter with an abstract form glazed gold on top. This piece represents the idea of how gold creates attraction. We may place more material value on pretty things, but underneath, the item is still clay and dirt.
“Having Christ in us allows us to communicate him in everything we do,” said Lee-Zimerle. “Even if I’m not creating explicitly Christian work, I hope people can still see that Jesus is at the heart of my work.”
The exhibition is open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, Ohio.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.
Lee-Zimerle was introduced to the space through a mutual friend at Wilmington College and submitted a proposal to the gallery outlining how she and her husband could fill the space. A faculty grant from Cedarville funded the materials for the Zimerle exhibit.
“I included my husband in this exhibit because the space is rather large, and I knew some 3D aspects would add to the overall theme,” said Lee-Zimerle. “I also wanted students to see us working together as artists and as a couple. I wanted to show them possibilities of what they can accomplish.”
Lee-Zimerle’s concept involves bridging the gap between seeing beauty in the world and recognizing its brokenness. For the exhibit, she created a large, 6-by-6-foot screen made from rice paper. Within the screen, she created three images with windows. Inside each window is a bear. Two of the bears are seen as vicious and mature, while the third is displayed as a young teddy-like bear covered in kisses. The bears are a relatable image open to interpretation.
“This relates back to when we were young and very possessive over some item that brought us comfort — maybe a blanket or stuffed animal,” Zimerle said. “Even though that item brought us comfort, it got beat up and worn through. It was used and abused. As Christians, we have to be sure not to do this to our relationship with Christ. We don’t want to use Him for comfort and not give Him proper place in our lives.”
Complementing Lee-Zimerle’s art, her husband, a sculptural ceramist, has filled the space with smaller 3D pieces. One piece is an orange platter with an abstract form glazed gold on top. This piece represents the idea of how gold creates attraction. We may place more material value on pretty things, but underneath, the item is still clay and dirt.
“Having Christ in us allows us to communicate him in everything we do,” said Lee-Zimerle. “Even if I’m not creating explicitly Christian work, I hope people can still see that Jesus is at the heart of my work.”
The exhibition is open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, Ohio.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.