Each semester, artist’s works are put on display as a part of the Professional Artist Series at Hillsdale College. The next contributer to the series, Connie Kunhle, will be showcasing her work, beginning at 1 p.m, Feb. 24, in the Sage Center Daughtry Gallery.
Kunhle is from Michigan and paints mainly landscapes and portraits. Her work is featured as part of the Professional Artists Series put on at the gallery. Professor of Art Sam Knecht has been arranging has been in charge of the Professional Artist Series since the 80s.
“Even without a background in art, you can respond intuitively,” Knecht said. He went on to describe Kuhnle’s art.
“She uses aspects of light that are very charming. Her work isn’t necessarily different. It’s good. You can tell that she finds beauty in all her subjects and presents them in a very realistic and unique manner.”
Knecht is an experienced painter as well, and said Kuhnle’s art showed a great deal of understanding regarding how forms appear in light.
“She knows beyond the appearance to how light actually interacts,” he said. “She paints landscape and portrait with skill and grace.”
Part of that skill and grace comes through Kunhle’s excellent use of color.
Junior Julia Kilgore and sophomore Julianna Chuslo, some of the students to set up the exhibit, noted how beautiful and realistic her subjects are.
“The thing that’s unique about her paintings,” said Chuslo, “is that they’re all painted plein air.”
“Plein air is very difficult,” Kilgore agreed. “It’s painting outdoors and on-site instead of from a photograph.”
The girls added that it was difficult because the light is constantly changing outside.
“But the use of light in her paintings is great,
Kilgore said.
“Her paintings are just all so unique,” noted Chuslo. “We’re pulling out piece after piece and just saying ‘Oh, I like this one’ again and again. Even though her landscapes are all fairly similar, there’s something unique and new in each one.”
Kilgore stood at the entry to the gallery for a moment, looking up at the first painting, a portrait.
“Her ability to use color shows great skill,” she said. “Usually beginning artists pick one particular style, seascape, landscape, portrait, or another, and stick with it. She just has skill to portray her subjects in such a variety of ways.”
Chuslo said that she thinks both students and faculty will be able to relate well to the subjects Kuhnle protrays
“What she’s really capturing here is life,” Chuslo said. “Her subjects are endearing and relatable.”
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