When JoAnne Carpenter first came to College of the Atlantic there was no art at the college. Thirty-five years later, as Carpenter is looking to retire, the college has graduated numerous artists.

From April 18 through May 1 at the college's Ethel H. Blum Gallery, College of the Atlantic will present an Alumni Tribute to JoAnne Carpenter. The gallery will be filled with artwork from students spanning much of the college's 35-year history.

Among the alumni artists will be David Vickery, who graduated in 1989 and is now working fulltime as a painter from his Cushing-based studio; Liz Cunningham, a California-based artist and poet who graduated in 1982 and has displayed her work at the Oakland Museum; marine scientist Julianne Kearney who graduated in 2006 and Tawanda Chabikwa, a Zimbabwean artist who graduated in 2007.

According to Frank Twohill, a 1980 COA graduate and a member of the governing board of the college's alumni association, "JoAnne was one of the heroic, confident faculty builders of COA. She devoted her adult life to the college, enriching and influencing for the better many idealistic young people that came to COA." At the end of 2007, Carpenter became the college's first faculty retiree.

Carpenter has taught art history and painting at COA since 1973. She holds an MA in art history from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania. A trained art historian, her own paintings carry the symbolic and technical quality of the Early Renaissance.

According to Bill Carpenter, faculty member in literature and creative writing, Carpenter, "established the living centrality of art to the human ecology curriculum" of College of the Atlantic.

Among the artists showing oil paintings, photographs, illustrations, watercolors and sculptures are Lelania Avila, Alana Beard, Jennifer Beckman, Emily Bracale, Matt Drennan, Bianka Fuksman, Abby Goodyear, Noreen Hogan, Jude Lamb, Ondine Owens, Dina Petrillo, Barbara Sassaman and Sam Wustner.

The opening reception for the exhibit will be held after the close of events on Earth Day, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. It will include a tribute to Carpenter's 35 years of devotion to the college.

The gallery is open from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will be open on Saturday, April 19, when the college becomes an immense community gathering during its Earth Day celebration.

CAPTION INFORMATION:
Pitkin Interior by David Vickery: 2007, oil on linen, 20" x 15"
Rusty at Sea by Julianne Kearney: 2005, watercolor, 12'' X 15'