Mount Marty College’s Bede Art Gallery To Feature Works By Renée Boutwell

YANKTON, S.D. – The Mount Marty College Bede Art Gallery will feature an exhibit by Renée Boutwell, entitled “Casual Hustle,” from Oct. 1-31.

As a painter, Boutwell is inspired by the history of palimpsest manuscripts, ancient texts that were scraped or chemically erased and written over by other documents.

“Often these texts were eradicated so that the valuable vellum paper could be reused. In some instances, this re-writing had a more politically or spiritually-charged motive. Texts that were considered heretical or intellectually inferior were destroyed and covered over with more acceptable documents,” Boutwell explained.
                
Palimpsests texts are visually interesting because the underlying “erased” text often could be seen behind the newer writing, Boutwell said. In her paintings, Boutwell uses similar techniques to create layered effects.

“I build up and scrape down the surface to explore the interaction between earlier and later layers of the painting,” she said. “I utilize additive and subtractive techniques: impasto, sgraffito and glazing to create contrasting textures and finishes. An essential part of my approach is reworking the canvas in order to develop a high level of physical and visual density.”

Boutwell was born in Birmingham, Ala. She spent most of her life moving between East Coast states and has lived in 24 different places by age 20. She continues to move regularly, and reflects her experience of relocating to her art through reworking her paintings to include a variety of textures, colors and techniques. She focuses primarily on non-objective work, which she feels reflects the spiritual nature of human experience.

Boutwell is currently a master’s of fine arts in painting scholar at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. She is a 1993 graduate of Florida State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art.

“Casual Hustle” can be experienced from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday from Oct. 1-31 at the Bede Art Gallery. A reception and gallery talk is planned for 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. The Bede Art Gallery is located in the Roncalli Center on the Mount Marty College campus, Yankton. The gallery is free and open to the public.

Mount Marty College
College Relations Office
1105 West 8th Street
Yankton, SD 57078
(605) 668-1517
mmc.college.relations@mtmc.edu