CORVALLIS, Ore. – Works by John Selker, a professor of biological and ecological engineering, will be on display in August and September in the Woodshop Projects experimental art space on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis.

The exhibit, a series of hand-turned wood bowls, is titled “Embracing Imperfection: Celebrating to the interior complex grace of trees.” Selker is a distinguished professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

In his artist’s statement, Selker describes the concept for the exhibition:

“We are of nature, wherein our trials become the cornerstones of our character. A perfect person is an impossibility - only through struggle, error and reflections on defeat do we build depth of the soul. We have inordinate sensitive to the lessons embedded in travails. Trees grow in the wind, vagaries of climate, competition from neighbors, and insults of animals, insects and fungus. Their character is apparent in the rich complex structure developed from responding to these pressures. I cannot create anything more beautiful or meaningful than the grain of a tree. I seek to expose the viewer to the hidden world of trees’ of character, seeking to excite the seventh sense of humanity: the breathtaking beauty of the wellspring of character.”

The gallery is in the basement of Fairbanks Hall, 220 SW 26th St., Corvallis. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and until 8 p.m. on Aug. 15 and Sept. 20 during the Corvallis Arts Walk. For information on the walk go to www.corvallisartswalk.com.

College of Liberal Arts

About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts encompasses seven distinct schools, as well as several interdisciplinary initiatives, that focus on humanities, social sciences, and fine and performing arts. Curriculum developed by the college’s nationally and internationally-renowned faculty prepares students to approach the complex problems of the world ethically and thoughtfully, contributing to a student's academic foundation and helping to build real-world skills for a 21st century career and a purposeful life.

Story By: 

Erin Sneller, 541-737-5592, [email protected]

Source: 

Andrew Nigon, 541-737-4880, [email protected]

Multimedia: 

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