Art Exhibit Features Steward Alumni

There’s a lot to celebrate at Steward this year: the School’s 50th-anniversary celebration, a community filled with spirit, and events galore — including “A Year of Alumni Art,” a rotating exhibit in the Carolyn R. Brandt Gallery. Works by Jack Sims ’15 and Lindsey C. (Leach) Jennings ’04 kicked off the project and are on display through November 18. Retired Steward Art Teacher Cindy Grissom curated the exhibit.

“Since this is Steward's 50th year, it is the perfect time to showcase the artistic talents of our alumni,” said Mrs. Grissom. Throughout the school year, the Gallery will feature works from eight alumni, plus photography and memorabilia from the School’s archives. Plans are also in place to end the school year with a senior art show. “I have been amazed at the talent of our students,” said Mrs. Grissom, whose career at Steward spanned 22 years. “Whether they went on to art school or pursued other passions, it's nice to see that art continues to hold a vital place in their hearts.” 

Mr. Sims’ displayed works are a collection that he created over several years, beginning in high school. “You can see a gradual shift in my style and expression,” he noted. After he graduated from Steward, Mr. Sims studied in Argentina, where his creative process changed. “I felt free from wanting people to enjoy my art, and instead was inspired by my own life,” he recalled. When he returned to the U.S. and took art classes in college, he began painting self-portraits  — a medium he calls “the ultimate challenge.” Mr. Sims, now in his last year of law school, credits former Steward Art Teacher Rugene Paulette with encouraging his artistic pursuits.

“Every hour I spent in class with her was an enlightening experience,” he said. Mr. Sims, whose brothers Michael ’13 and Kyle ’18 are Steward alumni, fully embraced the Spartan experience. “I took courses like Biomedical Design, tried out for the tennis team, learned how to make cheese for my senior project, and took an art class every day. Pursuing these opportunities … impacted the way I take on challenges today.”

Lindsey C. (Leach) Jennings ’04
Mrs. Jennings has art from two different series on display at Steward: “Psyche” and “Tempest.” These mixed-media paintings combine ink, pencil, colored pencil, gauche, wax, and India ink. 

“‘Psyche’ is a series I have been building on since 2015,” she noted. “The body of work in ‘Tempest’ is newer and was inspired by flying over a desert while returning home from a work trip. I could see the contrast of raging blue-gray storm clouds and placid clay and ochre landscape.” Like Mr. Sims, she has fond memories of Art Teacher Rugene Paulette.

“She allowed me the freedom of exploration, tolerated my disagreeableness with humor and love, and helped me improve through critiques of my work,” recalled Mrs. Jennings. Displaying her artwork at Steward makes Mrs. Jennings feel connected to the School. “I hope my work inspires students who may have non-art careers ahead,” she said. “Art is something that you can always return to.”