En Español. PHOENIX (January 27, 2023) – Contemporary painter, sculptor, author and Phoenix College (PC) alumnus Eric Fischl will host the 2023 ERIC FISCHL SERIES on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 in partnership with Phoenix Art Museum (PAM) and Varitec Solutions. Held at the Phoenix Art Museum from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., the series includes a student art exhibition and reception in the Great Hall, followed the Vanguard Awards Presentation and a conversation between Eric Fischl and guest artist Scott Avett in Whiteman Hall.
Scott Avett
An accomplished painter and printmaker, Scott Avett is best known as co-founder of the Grammy-nominated folk-rock band The Avett Brothers. Avett earned a BFA in studio art from East Carolina University in 2000 and explores life in the American south in large-scale figurative paintings with vibrant palettes. His work was described on Artsy as “psychologically charged and emotionally intense, featuring at times intimate, vulnerable and honest portrayals of his family and himself.”
While Avett grew up in the rural south and is now raising a family there, his work is also influenced by the cultural and artistic influences he encountered in the years he spent on the road touring with his band. His art-making has been a solitary creative pursuit compared to his life as a musician, singer, and songwriter. After decades of creating visual art, free of exhibition deadlines or audience expectation, Avett had his first museum exhibition in October 2019 at the North Carolina Museum of Art, which highlighted his work across 20 years spanning multiple disciplines, including painting, printmaking, and sculptural objects. An extensive catalog, Scott Avett INVISIBLE, accompanied the exhibition. Avett is represented by the Hexton Gallery.
The Event
At the event, Fischl and Avett will present the prestigious Vanguard Awards to Phoenix College students whose works are selected as “Best in Show” from pieces submitted to the annual Student Art Exhibition, which will be on display in Phoenix Art Museum’s Great Hall. Then, Fischl and Avett will engage in a conversation in Whiteman Hall about the artist’s visual art practice and the parallels to his songwriting and music development.
Wednesday, April 12 / ERIC FISCHL SERIES / Phoenix Art Museum / 1625 N. Central Avenue / Phoenix / 85004
• 5:30 p.m. / Student Art Exhibition & Artist Reception, Great Hall
• 7:00 p.m. / The Vanguard Awards followed by Scott Avett & Eric Fischl Conversation, Whiteman Hall
Tickets for the ERIC FISCHL SERIES are required and available via the Phoenix Art Museum website HERE.
The Vanguard Awards
A hallmark of the ERIC FISCHL SERIES, the esteemed Vanguard Award was created by Eric Fischl in 2005 to recognize emerging student talent in the fine arts, make Phoenix College a center for the arts in downtown Phoenix, and create life-changing opportunities for students. The Vanguard Award is a $2,500 Best in Show Award, selected by Fischl and guest artist from among the work submitted for the Annual Student Art Exhibit. To-date, 62 students have been presented with the Vanguard Award.
# # #
Phoenix College is the flagship of the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. Established in 1920, PC offers academic courses leading to associate degrees, university transfer, certificates and short-term job training.
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. The Maricopa County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, http://www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.
Contact: Christy Flora / Manager of Public Relations and Marketing / christina.flora@phoenixcollege.edu / 602-920-8458