Maryville College’s Professor Sarah Bernstein creates ‘Omens & Auspices’ for Clayton Center art gallery exhibit
Feb. 12, 2025
Sarah Bernstein, assistant professor of art at Maryville College, will present “Omens & Auspices,” a collection of works on display in the Blackberry Farm Gallery & William “Ed” Harmon Gallery in the Clayton Center for the Arts through Feb. 28.
This exhibition, which Bernstein says is rooted in her interest in dream interpretation, includes pieces in several different mediums, from colored-pencil drawings to mixed-media assemblages using grass, wood and found objects.
“The exhibition explores images, textures and objects rich with symbolic potency and narrative potential,” Bernstein explained. “By drawing from pastoralism, historical events, craft traditions and contemporary digital techniques, this work blurs the boundary between timelessness and anachronism.”
As a visual artist, Bernstein says she is led by a desire to create meaning and often takes inspiration from other fields, including theater, history, poetry and nature.
“My creative process is really driven by enthusiasm for an idea, story or theme,” said Bernstein. “I love to be obsessed with an idea! I am a really curious person, so I’m constantly trying new processes and creating really interdisciplinary shows. I am also a very spiritual person, and this part of me always shows up in my art.”
A lifelong artist, Bernstein has dedicated her time to studying the visual arts since her teenage years. She attended an art magnet high school in Louisville, Kentucky, and went on to study at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where she earned her bachelor of fine arts in drawing and printmaking.
She continued making art for years while working non-art-focused jobs and eventually returned to school to earn her master of fine arts from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Her work has been displayed in numerous galleries across the country, and she has participated in art exhibitions and performances, held artist residency positions and hosted workshops around the world, including residencies in Greece, Malaysia, Thailand and France.
Last year, Bernstein joined the faculty at Maryville College as an assistant professor of art, where she says she’s excited to share her passion for art with younger generations.
“I think teaching art in higher education is an awesome job. Working with students who are developing the skills that will eventually allow them to do whatever they want creatively is really exciting to me,” she said.
This semester, Bernstein is teaching Painting & Drawing 1, Intro to 2D Design, and Design 3, where she’s able to work with Art and Design majors as well as non-majors at various stages of their learning journey in the arts.
“I’m hoping that my intro students learn to slow down and enjoy the hard work I’m asking of them. For my advanced students, I hope they feel inspired by some of the new digital skills we’re practicing and are thinking about ways these skills can enhance their design portfolios,” she said.
“We move so fast these days, but making art can really slow you down in a good way. It makes you examine all of your little movements, frustrations, and impulses. It makes you take risks and learn to roll with your failures or let those failures direct you to new places that are actually pretty cool.”
Patrons can visit the gallery and view Bernstein’s work between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. An artist’s reception for Bernstein will be held in the gallery from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 28.
Written by Julia Jeffress ’25
