Rick Cartwright (1951-2023) was a member of the Saint Francis faculty from 1975 to 2017 and the founding dean of the School of Creative Arts in 2004 until his retirement in 2017. An exhibition will display his works spanning five decades in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, digital imaging and found object sculpture. This exhibition will reflect not only the artist’s creative output but also his dedication to teaching. Cartwright earned a master’s degree in fine art from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Here are the events celebrating his artwork:

Rick Cartwright Retrospective Art Exhibition
Aug. 26 through Oct. 13
Location: Mimi and Ian Rolland Art and Visual Communication Center
Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday (closed Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 31 to Sept. 2).

Saint Francis Sculpture Garden Dedication
Thursday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m.
Location: Mimi and Ian Rolland Art and Visual Communication Center
The garden that Cartwright designed will be named in his memory for his work as an artist, teacher, mentor and community arts leader. This tribute will include a brief presentation inside the galleries and a musical performance in the outdoor garden space. The dedication will take place in conjunction with the Rick Cartwright Retrospective Exhibition and has been generously sponsored by Design Collaborative.

President’s Art Gala
Saturday, Sept. 7, 6 to 9 p.m.
Location: Mimi and Ian Rolland Art and Visual Communication Center
The 2024 University of Saint Francis President’s Art Gala will be a retrospective of artworks by Cartwright. The gala is presented by the university, President Dr. Lance Richey and Saint Francis Creative Arts. It is sponsored by 3Rivers and Design Collaborative. Gallery Director Justin Johnson (’99, ’12) will present a gallery talk at 5:30 p.m. highlighting the work in the exhibition. The gala is free and open to the public and will include live music, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

For more information on these events, contact Saint Francis Creative Arts Coordinator Molly McGowan at mmcgowan@sf.edu or 260-399-8064.