Donna Carr-Roberts, University President Gary Roberts’ wife, is working with Bradley’s Department of Art to breathe new life into a number of campus buildings.
Carr-Roberts serves as an artist-in-residence for the Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts, which is a volunteer position.
“I am here as an enthusiastic supporter of Bradley and Bradley’s art programs,” Carr-Roberts said. “My goal is to develop programs and concepts that will promote the arts at Bradley, and wherever else possible. I will also be doing portraits of notable Bradley leaders that will be donated to Bradley.”
Carr-Roberts created a portrait of a young version of foundress Lydia Moss Bradley, which is displayed in the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center. There will also be an installation in Bradley Hall of her portrait of Kal Goldberg, a former Bradley economics professor.
“[Carr-Roberts] is an incredibly talented painter who has mastered the use of many graphic and paint mediums,” Erin Buczynski, director of galleries, exhibitions and collections at Bradley, said. “Her works relay more than just a depiction of her subject matter; she captures a deeper narrative and emotion.”
Over the summer, Carr-Roberts reached out to Bradley’s art professors about joining the community. They discussed displaying alumni and student artwork across campus and together created a campus artwork coordinator position to lead the project.
“All of us in the Department of Art are enthusiastic about exhibiting artwork by students and alumni across campus,” Heather Brammeier, associate professor of art and head of the painting program, said. “The individuals who loan their artwork are very generous, as committing their work to this project excludes it from being exhibited elsewhere (in galleries or museums).”
After seeing many bare walls in Bradley’s buildings, Carr-Roberts decided rotating art would be the best way to create fresh and interesting wall exhibits. Over fall break, members of the Campus Artwork Committee installed new pieces of artwork in Bradley Hall on the first and second floors.
“With such great talent available from Bradley’s art department, both students, professors and alumni, it seemed a perfect fit to use our walls as a venue to display their work,” Carr-Roberts said. “Not only will they have a more vibrant and visually interesting environment, [but] we hope this unique program will receive positive press coverage for Bradley as a whole.”
