Alumna artist to explore ‘Shape of Things’ at Oswego State Downtown

Three-time SUNY Oswego graduate Cala Glatz will convey “The Shape of Things” through her mixed media creations in an exhibition that opens Friday, Sept. 20, in Oswego State Downtown.

An opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 20 will feature an artist talk by Glatz and presentation of original work by two SUNY Oswego students -- poet Damian Campana and artist Jacklyn Lopez -- as part of the college’s Downtown Artists Series. The reception, like the exhibition, is free and open to the public in the college’s downtown Oswego space on the corner of West First and Bridge streets. 

The exhibition, sponsored by Artswego and Auxiliary Services, will run through Nov. 8.

Glatz was born into a family of makers: carpenters, gardeners, farmers and artists who worked with their hands to create and shape the world around them. Her family instilled a love and appreciation for nature and the joy and satisfaction from working hard on something she cares about.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in English, a bachelor of fine arts and a master’s degree in art all from SUNY Oswego, Glatz took these lessons and inspiration into the professional world of graphic design.

“Her love of both images and the written word has proven to be a perfect fit for a career in graphic design, where conveying messages and telling stories is an everyday task,” according to her artist’s statement. “The formal training she received in drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture and ceramics greatly influences her design and digital aesthetic and leads to a variety of styles, layers, colors and textures -- everything that makes visual communication tick.”

More recently, Glatz shifted her focus to painting, spending a year as an apprentice at Pike Stained Glass in Rochester where she learned how to restore and build stained glass windows. 

“Working in the city also led to a greater interest in structures and materials, and ideas about how humans make spaces, or make spaces accessible, and how often the structures we build will outlive us,” the artist’s statement noted. “Even though we know we, as humans, are temporary beings, how often do we really think about what we are leaving behind?”

Active student

During her undergraduate years at Oswego, Glatz was very involved in helping others, including acting as a project leader for hunger and homeless outreach as well as environmental protection projects. Glatz led a team that organized a very successful “Stuff a Car” event, collecting food for the Human Concerns food pantry in Oswego. She also received the Erwin Palmer Award for Outstanding Senior in Literary Studies in 2005, and graduated summa cum laude for her English degree.

Her honors continued when she returned to Oswego for her art degrees. In spring 2009, Glatz earned the Jesse E. and Jay D. Rudolph Award for excellence in graphic design. During her graduate studies, she was a teaching assistant, active in art organizations and earned a Festa Fellowship to work and learn at Isca Design Studio. She began full-time work at Isca after her 2011 master’s graduation.

Hours for Tyler Art Gallery at Oswego State Downtown are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 315-216-4983 or email amy.bartell@oswego.edu.