Emma Willard in the News

Alanis & Bandar

February 26, 2008

rista Alanis and Leila Bander, two artists working in different mediums, will show their works in an exhibit at Dietel Gallery at Emma Willard School on display March 24 through April 30. They have in common the importance of the process of creating their abstract pieces, but the resulting imagery is their own.

Arista Alanis, a member of the Vermont Studio Center (VSC), is an art instructor at Johnson Elementary School for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Her work through routines helps her to be inspired with what she puts on the canvas. Alanis holds an MFA from Louisiana State University.

Leila Bandar is a playful sculptor, inspired by the materials she uses such as common construction steel, rods, and 2x4s. They become materials used to create forms that live in a different realm from their intended use. Bandar holds an MFA from Boston University.

The Dietel Gallery is located on the campus of Emma Willard School, 285 Pawling Ave., Troy. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The gallery is closed for school holidays and summer vacation.

For more information about the show at the Dietel Gallery, contact Susan Geary at sgeary@emmawillard.org, (518) 833-1786.

Included in Emma Willard's regular communications efforts is a series of messages from Trudy Hall, Head of School. The importance of peer contact, having crucial family conversations, managing the stress of exams, and current literature on girls' development and education are just some of the topics explored in a personal and dynamic series of essays.