Circle Gallery
DESIGN (SKETCH) PROCESS
The Circle Gallery in the front corridor of CED’s Jackson Street Building has been home to a wide range of inspiring and award-winning exhibitions over the years. We are truly thrilled to be opening up this year’s gallery calendar with DESIGN (SKETCH) PROCESS, a "behind the scenes" tour of CED Lecturer Cameron Berglund’s work through 17 years of professional practice. The exhibition uses a combination of interactive elements and Berglund's pieces to highlight the pivotal role that both hand and digital sketching plays in the design process.
Read more about the exhibit and opening....
Mission: Engage, Enlighten, Inspire
The Circle Gallery is named for the holistic nature of design and seeks to present exhibits that engender curiosity and increase our powers of observation. Because our college is comprised of diverse programs—landscape architecture, historic preservation and environmental planning and design—our exhibits run an eclectic gamut. From paintings and drawings, to sculpture and photography, to cultural and historical presentations, we explore humanity’s place within nature.
Message
As environmental designers we are acutely aware of the human impact on our planet. It is essential that we approach our efforts with evidence-based research coupled with sensitivity that comes with experiencing art, among other things. Here at the College of Environment and Design we engender a sense of place through many avenues, including visual arts. We need the outdoors, plants, streams, oceans, and forests; we also need interpretation, expression, and elucidation. Art gives us these.
We are lucky to have the Circle Gallery in a college dedicated to understanding and exploring the rich myriad of landscapes we inhabit, both external and internal, pragmatic and emotive. As one of our advisory board members points out: The planning, design, and preservation of places is not just a technical project; we should be engaged with how a place feels (aesthetics) and what a place means (culture).
Athens is a uniquely creative college town, full of original music, art, craftsmanship and people willing to explore the world in innovative ways. Our gallery hosts several exhibits per year and we are proud to be a part of our town’s creative hub along with the many other public galleries on campus. Gallery talks by visiting artists are also a part of our tradition.
Our building, too, is a unique venue. Designed by Joseph Amisano and constructed in 1962, the Jackson Street Building was originally built for the Lamar Dodd School of Art under the watchful eye of the school’s founder, Lamar Dodd. The building remains a designer’s dream: light and spirit moving through our hallways and studios throughout the day is truly inspirational.
In addition to art exhibits we also host the annual Student Exit Show for the graduating Bachelor of Arts degree students, which stays up throughout the summer.
All exhibits are free and open to the public. For current and upcoming exhibits in the Circle Gallery, please follow this link to our Events Page.
We hope you will join us for a gallery opening or just walk through on your way across campus. There is always something interesting in the Circle Gallery.
Circle Gallery Staff and Leadership
The Circle Gallery is a resource funded by the College of Environment and Design, Dr. Sonia Hirt, dean
Advisory Board 2018-2019: Marianne Cramer, Eric MacDonald, Katherine Melcher, Dorinda Dallmeyer, Rosanna Rivero, Jennifer Messer
Location
The Circle Gallery is located just inside the main entrance to the Jackson Street Building, on your right.
Open to the public (FALL 2021 hours)
Weekdays from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Contact
Andra Walton, Executive Assistant to the Dean/Office Manager
andra@uga.edu
706-542-1816
Parking
The North Deck has paid public parking.
Gallery Layout and Dimensions
Would you like to support us?
The Circle Gallery is supported by the College of Environment and Design (CED) with an annual budget. We are also supported by generous donors and the hard work of our student assistants. Please click here or contact Jennifer Messer (jlmesser@uga.edu), director of development for the CED if you would like to make a donation.
EXHIBITION & BOOK SIGNING: PLANTS IN DESIGN: A GUIDE TO DESIGNING WITH SOUTHERN LANDSCAPE
PLANTS
On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, the UGA College of Environment + Design celebrated the publication of Plants in Design: A Guide to Designing with Southern Landscape Plants, with a book signing and exhibition opening in the college’s Circle Gallery. A reference guide to planting strategies and plant material available in the Southeast, Plants in Design was created by CED professors Brad E. Davis and David Nichols; the accompanying exhibition, “Oh, The Places We’ll Go!”, also curated by Davis and Nichols, featured large-format photographs and text from their book. See the album link below for photos, or read more about the exhibit and book here.
Circle Gallery Images
Video demonstration of Betsy Cain's technique