The University of Alabama Department of Art and Art History presents the Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition of Ashlee René Thompson, April 1 through May 6, 2022. The exhibition, titled Fragments, will be held at The University of Alabama Gallery in the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, with a reception for the artist on First Friday, April 1 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.
Ashlee René Thompson is an MFA student concentrating in painting who is also working toward a certificate in museum studies. In her artist statement, Thompson writes, “Artistic expression and exploration with materials drives my work and provides a means and context for introspection. Concepts associated with memory and interpersonal relationships, as well as the connection between the mind and body inspire my current practices.” Thompson said that through mark and gesture her paintings present and interpret “an anxious mind.” She said, “an inner dialogue emerges” on the canvas. “Impulsive mark-making paired with chaotic and ordered gestures reflect the irrational and calculated.” Thompson works mainly in acrylic and ink, sewing and gluing additional mixed media elements in her primarily two-dimensional canvases, but also working in three-dimensional forms.
Thompson held her MA thesis exhibition, Synaptic Transmission, in March 2021. Her work was selected for the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art’s new national juried exhibition, Emergence (June 2021), for the online In Art Gallery, and for the show, Open Exhibition, at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery in July 2021, among other exhibitions. She also served as the project manager for the recent exhibition, Weaving Muscogee Creek Culture: The Artistry of Mary Smith, at the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum in Tuscaloosa in 2021. Thompson holds an MLA in general studies and a BA in art with a minor in art history from Auburn University Montgomery, where she also serves as an adjunct instructor. Her art website is here.
The University of Alabama Gallery is an essential part of the education and development of UA students and our community. Admission to the gallery is free. The gallery is located in the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center at 620 Greensboro Avenue in Tuscaloosa. It is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm and First Fridays 12:00 noon-7:00 pm. Masks are encouraged although not required inside the gallery. Have questions or need assistance? Call (205) 345-3038.
For more information about The University of Alabama’s programs in studio art and art history, visit our Degree Programs page.