June 3- July 25

Artist Talk: Sat., June 5th, 5-6 PM

Reception: Sat., June 5th, 6-8 PM

The Gandee Gallery is proud to present the work of ceramist, John Jessiman, and painter, Steven Barbash.  These two distinguished former professors of art taught together for almost 30 years at State University of New York, Cortland. The public is invited to hear the artists speak about their artwork and long friendship at the Gandee Gallery Saturday, June 5^th, from 5-6 PM with a reception to follow, from 6-8 PM.

John Jessiman’s ceramic artwork is rooted in function and inspired by the abstract expressionist aesthetic.  He received his MFA in Ceramics from Alfred University in 1963 at a time when artists where pushing the boundaries of their medium and he was drawn to ceramic artwork that “moved clay much as the expressionist painter approached painting.”  This connection continues to inform his art practice.  His work in the upcoming Gandee Gallery show will demonstrate his visceral forms and atmospheric surfaces.

After retiring from SUNY Cortland in 1996 after 33 years of teaching, Jessiman moved to Appomattox, VA and founded the Cub Creek Foundation in 2001, a residency program for emerging ceramic artists.   He actively exhibits his artwork and conducts workshops at many venues nationwide.

Steven Barbash is a master draftsman. His work investigates the natural world with attentiveness and formal precision.  A graduate of Yale (where he studied under Bauhaus proponent, Josef Albers), he applies abstract construction and structure to “the compelling images of life.”  His proficiency with painting, printmaking, and drawing can be seen at the Gandee Gallery, offering the viewer a sampling of his techniques and subject matter, including studies of landscapes, flowers, birds, and the human figure.

Barbash’s teaching career began in 1960 at Juniata College, in Huntingdon, PA.  In 1970, he moved to Upstate New York to teach at State University of New York, Cortland, and nearly 30 years later, he retired in 1999 as a University Distinguished Professor.  He has shown his work regionally and nationally, and has work in many permanent collections, including the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, and the National Collection of Fine Arts at the Smithsonian Institute.  He lives with his wife, Judy, in Ludlowville, NY.