“Free Association” exhibit at NMU

The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University is hosting a new exhibit featuring two artists who offer paintings and sculptures to tell mythical stories.

The show displays several works of sculptor Amy Long and painter Jennifer Davis.  Davis’ work focused on surreal depictions of humans and animals.  Long uses playfulness and melancholy in the brightly colored pieces on exhibit.

“It sort of explores creativity and has this mythical and whimsical feel to the gallery. Free association is title that I came up with. I was just thinking about the similarities between these two artists and what makes them unique,” Curator of the museum, Melissa Matuscak said.

This exhibit is called “Free Association.’  It features many abstract works that the museum curator said tells stories that are often “simultaneously dark, yet childlike.”

The museum will hold a tour and question-and-answer session with the artists at 6:30 p.m. Friday, September 20.

Davis is an illustrator from Minneapolis whose work has exhibited at several galleries across the country.   Long, a sculptor from Traverse City, works with sculptures formed from crocheted or felted wool and deal with organic shapes, bodily forms and bright colors. In addition to exhibiting nationally, she teaches visual arts in the fiber studio at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Hours for the DeVos Art Museum are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Thursday noon – 8 p.m. Weekend hours are 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The exhibit is free and open to the public until September 29.