New art abounds: 6 reasons to visit the Visual Arts Center

This paid piece is sponsored by Washington Pavilion Management Co.

Sioux Falls increasingly is showing it loves art.

So far this year, the Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion has experienced record visitors – double the attendance for the same time in 2021. That’s not by accident.

“Over the last two years, we have started to reevaluate the Visual Arts Center,” director of museums Brandon Hanson said.

“This includes increasing the quality of our exhibitions, thinking intentionally about how people encounter the artwork and the space and learning more about our audience. I think there is a stigma about how people might expect to experience art, and it has been incredibly rewarding to turn that on its head and surprise people.”

In return, he increasingly hears comments like “This was amazing” or “I had no idea this was in Sioux Falls.”

“Our team is trying to ramp up awareness as much as possible because we are bringing artists and exhibitions to this community that either won’t be shown anywhere else or are coming from significantly larger markets,” Hanson said.

“People will continue to see high-quality shows that are appealing to a wider audience, incredible variety at all times and exciting changes to our evening art receptions. You now experience live music, energy, performance artists, a Q&A with the artists, a bar and workshops.”

The coming weeks will bring even more reasons to pay a visit to the Visual Arts Center.

Nationally known artist arrives

Work from artist Doug Burns of Portland, Oregon, debuts in the Visual Arts Center on Friday, May 6.

“He is catching a lot of attention nationally and yet is incredibly humble,” Hanson said.

“His passion is clear throughout his work, and he is working in mediums that we don’t always see. With bits of found objects, such as old notes, magazines and office documents, Doug uses collage to tell his story.”

Like many artists, Burns’ work is a reflection of his life, Hanson added.

“This particular group of work tells the story of a working dad adjusting to a busy life. After having children, time became more limited, and working with readily available and everyday objects became his way of continuing to make art,” he said. “Going through the exhibition with that idea in mind allows us to see pieces of ourselves through Doug’s story, constantly trying to balance everything in our busy lives.”

Exhibits for kids, families begin

Your whole family will enjoy visiting the new exhibits at the Visual Arts Center, especially from a group of local and regional artists.

If you’re a cat lover, you’ll connect with the work of Judith R. Peterson of Sioux Falls.

“The show depicts dozens of cat portraits and is quite striking,” Hanson said.

“Deep, bold colors have certainly been drawing families and tour groups in, and children love this show. Judith talks a lot about how attractive and interesting cats are to people and references how easy it is to get stuck in a loop while watching cat videos online. That particular loop is certainly present within this art exhibition as it is very easy to find yourself mesmerized by all the feline eyes.”

Those of all ages also will love the work of Andrew Nordin and Lisa Bergh from Hutchinson, Minnesota, two very down-to-earth artists who bring an exhibition filled with bold colors, various mediums and a clear interest in scale.

“The way the artists have played with light and color is calming and has turned our largest gallery into a place to reflect and find peace,” Hanson said.

“I am particularly proud of our VAC team on this show for producing something truly unique and pushing the boundaries of what we can produce. Between Judith Peterson’s exhibition and this one, I would expect to see our galleries full of kids and families over the next few months.”

Teachers, students show their work

USD professor Amber Hansen of Vermillion “is a force to be reckoned with in the arts community,” Hanson said, and will be showing her work in the Bates Trimble Gallery, which features South Dakota art and artists.

“She is a teacher at heart and has been influential to young female artists in this region,” he continued. “Between her talent and the good work she is doing, getting Amber to show in the Visual Arts Center and include her in our community was a no-brainer.”

Work from SDSU students also will be the latest from area universities to go on display, building on a yearlong effort to give college students an entry point to the Visual Arts Center.

“As a person who graduated from a local art program, the Visual Arts Center seemed like a place exclusively for seasoned artists who had, at the minimum, a national presence in the art world,” Hanson said.

“We wanted to break that down a bit, give students and professors an opportunity to be part of the Visual Arts Center and showcase where a lot of amazing talent gets its start in our community. From day one, we have been shocked at how much the students stepped up to produce highly professional exhibitions and haven’t missed a beat since.”

First Friday filled with activity

The first Friday in May – May 6 – is the Art & Wine Walk, so it’s an ideal time to stop into the Washington Pavilion, which is a stop on the event in addition to offering tons of other activities.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll discover:

• Live musicians.
• Art activities in the Raven Children’s Studio.
• Five artists offering Q&As or workshops.
• “Come From Away” performing in the Mary W. Sommervold Hall.
• Free admission to the Kirby Science Discovery Center and Visual Arts Center.
• Showcase of science and history projects from Harrisburg North Middle School.
• Free cake!

Pavilion Gala debuts

This June brings a new event to celebrate and fundraise for the mission of the Washington Pavilion of Arts & Science.

The inaugural Washington Pavilion Gala includes an outdoor social hour in the Paladino Hohm Sculpture Garden on June 2 followed by a gourmet meal, live and silent auctions, and a program honoring corporate and individual supporters.

More than 30 pieces of art by local and regional artists will be available in the auctions. The auctions also feature a variety of special experience packages, ranging from sporting events to vacation destinations and more. Many of the items from these packages were donated by local artists, patrons and businesses.

The event previously was known as Arts Night; “however, as our organization has evolved over the years, we have chosen to rebrand to ensure that the evening supports all areas of our mission,” said Chelsea Cronin, director of development.

“Whatever your reason for loving the Pavilion, whether that’s performing arts, visual arts, science or education, this evening is for you.”

The event also will include a curated group art show that supports the Pavilion’s mission and directly impacts its programming. The pieces in this year’s Gala represent a true cross section of the arts in Sioux Falls and surrounding area.

Tickets for the Gala are $125 and can be purchased by calling 605-731-2377.

“Tickets for the Gala are selling very quickly, with a limited number remaining. We would encourage everyone to purchase their tickets soon,” Cronin said.

Reason to return

Stay tuned because the Visual Arts Center has booked a traveling exhibition for fall that will be announced soon.

“It is going to be an exhibition with more than 20 major and influential artists represented in the work,” Hanson said. “People would normally need to travel to New York to see this exhibition. Our regional colleges and high schools in particular are going to want to make time to get their students to the Visual Arts Center after Oct. 1. We are expecting this to be a major draw in the tourism industry as well.”

To learn more about everything you’ll find at the Visual Arts Center, click here.