The newest Mount Saint Mary College CMA Gallery exhibition, “Aflame Anew” by Auguster Williams, is currently on display through January 27. Williams is seen here showcasing some of his art at the gallery opening on October 26.
Mount Saint Mary College’s CMA Gallery hosted the opening reception for its newest gallery, “Aflame Anew: Re-Igniting, Re-Engaging, and Re-Purposing” by Auguster D. Williams Jr., on Thursday, October 26.
The gallery is free and open to the public. It’s located on the first floor of Aquinas Hall on campus, 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh, N.Y. The gallery is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours, or by appointment, through January 27, 2024. Email cma-gallery@msmc.edu for more information.
Navy veteran Williams creates most of his artwork from materials that were discarded. Through this exhibit, he expresses his continuous development as a productive community member, artist, and human being in a transformative way. The works on display exemplify how one’s hopes and dreams can be reignited and reimagined, welcoming us all to keep our flames burning, he said.
“My art is about second chances,” Williams explained. “Art is for everyone. Everyone gets something different out of it. What I got out of this for myself was a sense of accomplishment – to put something together out of nothing.”
There’s a tactile, 3D aspect to Williams’ art thanks to the materials he uses. It’s all part of the experience, he explained: “Feel free to touch the art. It may touch you back.”
The CMA gallery was created in 2019 as a professional artist space to exhibit media picked by Mount faculty from among the rising population of artists who live and work in Newburgh, Beacon, and throughout the Hudson Valley.
The Mount’s CADM programs encompass the study of digital media production, graphic design, and journalism. CADM also offers minors in each of these disciplines, as well as in art and film studies. CADM programs prepare students for both traditional and emerging professions.