'Narrow All Horizons' opens Aug. 1 at Great Plains Art Museum

            The Great Plains Art Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will open a new exhibition on its main floor gallery on Aug. 1 titled "Narrow All Horizons -- Selected Works from the Permanent Collection and Recent Photographs by Jan Christensen."

            Striking images by Lincoln photographer Christensen compliment an array of paintings, photographs, and prints from the museum's collection. Highlighting artworks with low horizon lines and expansive vistas, the exhibition celebrates the endless skyline characteristic of Great Plains landscapes.

            "Narrow All Horizons" illustrates how the American Great Plains captured the imagination of artists from the early 20th century until today. The landscapes vary in media and also incorporate several artistic styles ranging from realism to abstraction.

            The exhibition's opening reception will be 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 1, a First Friday. Christensen will give an artist talk at 6 p.m.. The exhibition runs through Dec. 21.

            "We wanted to highlight landscape works people may not have seen in a long time. We also have several new additions to the collection that we wanted to showcase," said Johanna Sawyer, exhibition and interim curator.

            Christensen describes her artistic practice as "a process of letting go and clearing out the extraneous; to just focus on being completely present. To be successful is to find what you didn't know you were looking for, yet it resonates with your soul as a timeless meditation."

            The Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., is open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:30-5 p.m. Sundays (closed Mondays, holiday weekends and between exhibitions). There is no admission charge. For more information, call 402-472-6220, e-mail gpac2@unl.edu, or visit http://www.unl.edu/plains/great-plains-art-museum.

Writer: Katie Nieland, Center for Great Plains Studies