Dyer Arts Center Events

Opening Receptions for:
David Mudgett: The Chromatic Weave of Nature
Stacy Lawrence: Where The Heart Finds Home: Deaf Heritage Through the Lens of Time
Uzi Buzgalo: Portraits of Legacy - Deaf and Hard of Hearing Changemakers

Join us for the opening reception of three exhibitions that celebrate creativity, heritage, and the stories that connect us across generations.

The Chromatic Weave of Nature showcases David Mudgett’s delicate watercolors and sketches, capturing everyday beauty from American landscapes to portraits. In Where The Heart Finds Home, Stacy Lawrence offers a moving photographic journey into the lives of Deaf elders, honoring their resilience and the lessons they pass on. Uzi Buzgalo’s Portraits of Legacy pays tribute to influential Deaf and Hard of Hearing changemakers, whose contributions in the arts, sciences, and humanitarian work continue to shape the world.

Guests are welcome to enjoy light refreshments, connect with fellow attendees, and experience the stories these works bring to life.

This event is free and open to the public. Please register here to assist us in planning for refreshments.

For more information, please contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu.

Join us at the Dyer Arts Center on Friday, October 3, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. for a special evening with Deaf artist Uzi Buzgalo. This event will be a wonderful opportunity to come together, share conversation, and get to know Buzgalo through his presentation as well as his exhibition, Portraits of Legacy: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Changemakers, which will be on display in the Ohringer Gallery during the event.

Tickets are $5 for RIT/NTID students, $15 for RIT/NTID faculty and staff, and $20 for community members. Heavy refreshments will be provided. Please register here!

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu.

Join us as we celebrate the closing of two exhibitions: Background Noise, featuring the work of Justin Dougan-LeBlanc, and A Fearless Trailblazer: Dr. Robert F. Panara, honoring the enduring legacy of a pioneer in Deaf education and culture on Friday, September 19, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The evening will include light refreshments, opportunities to engage with special guests, and a chance to reflect on the impact of these thought-provoking exhibitions.

The reception is free and open to the public, but please register via this link to assist us in planning for food: https://forms.gle/Qt6WW63DmUEJxLgL9.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu.

[ID: LEFT SIDE: A transparency black and white photo of a black bust of a human head. The head has multiple ears arranged in a row all the way around, where the eyes and ears would usually be. The title "BACKGROUND NOISE" appears in bold black text at the center, with Works of Justin Dougan-LeBlanc written just below it. RIGHT SIDE: A photo of Dr. Robert F. Panara.]

Dyer Arts Center invites you to the opening reception for “The Merkin Collection Unveiled” on Friday, February 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Ohringer Gallery at the Dyer Arts Center in LBJ on the RIT campus. This exhibition will feature the remarkable collection of Lewis Merkin, who has gathered artworks over the years to amplify the voices of the Deaf, disabled, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups. It will showcase a variety of artworks, including pieces that many have not yet seen.

The reception is free and open to the public but please register via this link to assist us in planning for food: https://shorturl.at/4qbhh.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu.

[ID: The background is a collage of different artworks, showing a mix of colorful paintings, cultural art, and mixed-media pieces. In the center is a semi-transparent box with bold, uppercase text. The title, "THE MERKIN COLLECTION," is in black, while "UNVEILED" is in gold. Below the title, the exhibition dates, "February 28th - May 16th, 2025," are displayed in black text.]

A special Director's Panel will be held on Friday, October 18, at 7:30 pm in the Panara Theatre. Esteemed directors Patrick Graybill, Jerome Cushman, Bonnie Meath-Lang, Aaron Kelstone, Jim Orr, Thomas Warfield, and JW Guido will share the stage reminiscing with stories, memories, and discussions about the history and future of Performing Arts at NTID. Admission is free but registration is required.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu to learn more about upcoming events.

[ID: Poster with the words Celebrating 50 Years weaved within a graphic that consists of 2 hands colored orange, words Celebrating 50 Years in black, and the two comedy and tragedy masks colored orange and grey. Below are the words NTID Performing Arts Special Events in orange. Below is a photo of performers cheering. Below that are the words Retrospective Exhibit, October 18, 2024 to May 16, 2025, Dyer Arts Center.]

Join us for the closing reception of the exhibition “Resonances” by Chicago-based artist Janhavi Khemka, 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, September 13, 2024, in the Dyer Arts Center in Lyndon Baines Johnson Hall on the RIT campus.

Khemka will discuss her exhibition, which approaches acoustics through woodcut printmaking and experimental installations composed of animation, sound, performance, and vibratory material. She will share how she imprints her experience of the ‘real’ world through art.

Khemka’s exhibition is on display in the Williams Gallery on the Dyer Arts Center’s first floor. Admission is free and open to the public. Registration is not required to attend the reception.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu or visit rit.edu/ntid/dyerarts-center to learn more about upcoming events.

[ID: Work of art consisting of black and white lines depicting the upper part of a face with one eye open covered by a hand on a black banner with an orange sideways triangle at both ends.Text reads "Join us for the closing reception of the exhibition of Resonances, Friday, September 13, 2024, 1-3 p.m. in the Dyer Arts Center in Lyndon Baines Johnson Hall on the RIT campus. No registration is required. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu or visit rit.edu/ntid/dyerarts-center to learn more about upcoming events." The NTID Dyer Arts Center logo is in an orange banner with white text at the bottom.]

RIT/NTID’s Dyer Arts Center invites you to the opening reception of The Mechanical Smile, an exhibition featuring the work of artist Kevin Araujo. The reception is Friday, June 21, 2024, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Dyer Arts Center in Lyndon Baines Johnson Hall on the RIT campus.

Araujo’s work explores the complexities of human emotions, technological integration, and the continuous evolution of our interactions. In his work, “the mask emerges as a profound symbol of happiness, embodying the beauty found in real life. The smile, a fleeting yet fundamental expression, is a universal method of communication, reflecting the essence of human connection.”

Araujo studied Mechatronics Engineering Technology at California University of Pennsylvania. During his studies, he began to explore the art world and developed a deep appreciation for philosophical perspectives. He works as a robotic integration specialist for artificial general intelligence at Neuraville in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He spends a lot of time working with robots, building genomes for AGI, and writing scripts.

The exhibition is on display from June 21 to October 20, 2024, in the Ohringer Gallery on Dyer’s second floor.

No registration is required to attend the reception. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu or visit rit.edu/ntid/dyerarts-center to learn more about upcoming events.

[Image ID: Flyer with a smiling black egg-shaped object that has purple and blue eyes, above text "You bringing back all these memories of pain and regret" at the top left. Black banner at the top right with white text: The Mechanical Smile. Aforementioned text in orange and black text colors. Series of three photos: 1) a person with long black hair wearing a yellow shirt with head bent downward, 2) an outstretched hand, and 3) two closed hands facing upward. RIT/NTID Dyer Arts Center logo in orange banner with white text at the bottom.]

RIT/NTID’s Dyer Arts Center will host a closing reception and curator’s presentation for the exhibition “Black Deaf Art Period” on Friday, September 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Dyer Arts Center in Lyndon Baines Johnson Hall on the RIT campus.

Curator Earl Terry will present about the exhibition, which demonstrates the vulnerability of each Black Deaf person’s lived experiences and storytelling through painting, sculpting, clay-molding, written words and more. The exhibition celebrates the long-overdue visibility and recognition of Black Deaf people’s storytelling of trials and tribulations in their journey to expose their art to the world.

Terry’s curatorial work has featured all artists of color in the Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard-of-Hearing, Late-Deafened, and mainstream communities. He has worked as an art curator with NTID’s Dyer Arts Center for nine years.

The exhibition, which runs through Friday, September 20, is on display in the Williams Gallery on Dyer’s first floor. Come and explore the works from 14 Black artists that emphasize there are no limits to their storytelling.

Admission is free and open to the public. Registration is not required to attend the reception.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu or visit rit.edu/ntid/dyerarts-center to learn more about upcoming events.

[ID: Black banner at the left for the Black Deaf Art Period exhibit and a work of art. Contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu for information or visit rit.edu/ntid/dyerarts-center to learn more about upcoming events. At the right: Join us for the closing reception and curator's presentation, Black Deaf Art Period, Friday, September 20, 2024 1-3 pm. ET in the Dyer arts Center - LBJ Hall. Curator Earl Terry will present about the exhibition, which demonstrates the vulnerability of each Black Deaf person’s lived experiences and storytelling through painting, sculpting, clay-molding, written words and more. A line above text: No registration is required to attend the reception. Admission is free and open to the public. The RIT/NTID Dyer Arts Center logo is in an orange banner in white text at the bottom.]

Remembering the Mosaic Work of Melissa Skyer

NTID’s Dyer Arts Center invites you to the opening reception for “Brilliance,” an exhibition of the mosaic work of the late Melissa Skyer, who was an artist, scientist, and faculty member in NTID’s Department of Science and Mathematics. The event is 4-6 p.m. on Friday, March 1, in the Dyer Arts Center in LBJ Hall on the RIT campus.

This exhibition, which reveals the diverse realms of Skyer’s life, a life that mirrored the wetlands she both explored and safeguarded, serves as an homage to the artist and as a guiding force, encouraging us to probe the in-between spaces and moments, where life thrives in its full complexity and beauty. The exhibit is on display March 1 to May 17, 2024, in the Ohringer Gallery on Dyer’s second floor.

Skyer was an RIT/NTID alum and the daughter of retired NTID staff member Solange “Sally” Skyer, who worked as an academic advisor for NTID’s Business Studies students.

This event is free with no registration required to attend.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu or visit rit.edu/ntid/dyerarts-center.

[ID: A beige background of a poster with a mosaic shell image in the center. It’s made with blue, white, brown, and pink tiles. Above the mosaic is the title of the exhibit, “Brilliance.” Below the mosaic, text reads: remembering the mosaic work of Melissa Skyer.]

Dyer Arts Center at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf will showcase Rubbena Aurangzeb-Tariq’s exhibition “Matchlight: Illuminating Deaf Identity, Mental Health and the Therapeutic Process of Art,” which opens January 19 and runs through May 17, 2024, in the Dyer Arts Center’s William Gallery in LBJ Hall on the RIT campus.

Aurangzeb-Tariq is a London-based artist and art therapist whose body of work interweaves her artistic practice with her therapeutic approach, exploring the intersections of deaf identity, immigration, and womanhood. Her artwork serves as a reflection of her personal experience, challenging societal norms and conceptions while offering a unique lens through which to view the complexities of deafness and mental health.

The list of scheduled events includes:

• Friday, January 19, 2024, 4-6 p.m. ET: Opening Reception
• Saturday, January 20, 2023, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET: Art Therapy Workshop for Professionals: “Illuminating Deaf Identity, Mental Health and the Therapeutic Process of Art”
• Monday, January 22, 2024, 4-6 p.m. ET: Art Therapy Workshop for Students: “Creativity: My Therapy”

The reception is free and open to the public, but registration is required to attend a workshop: https://forms.gle/LrbMrUqbFMMRcrES7.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu. Visit the website to learn more about upcoming events.

[ID: Poster of a square oil painting with a scarlet red background containing a pattern of text arranged in a non-linear manner. It includes words and phrases like "EXPRESS THE,” "OF WORD," "TRANSLATING THE DEAF-SELF”, and “BSL BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE.”  On the bottom right hand corner of the painting is a self portrait of the artist covering her face. It is rendered in blue. Overlaying the poster at the top are words in white: MATCHLIGHT: Illuminating Deaf Identity, Mental Health and the Healing Process of Art. January 19 - May 17 2024. Across the bottom of the poster is a photo of the artist a young woman with dark hair and dark shirt holding out a cube. To the right of that is a red background the words in black: Matchlight Events at Dyer: 01.19.2024 4PM-6PM, Artist Talk and Opening Reception: 01.20.2024 11AM-4PM, Art Therapy Workshop for Professionals: 01.22.2024 TBD, Creativity: My Therapy.]