Welcome to the String Room Gallery

The String Room Gallery is Wells College's premier venue for art exhibitions.

A serene, sunlit space located on the first floor of the College's Main Building, the room is complemented by a beautiful wood parquet floor, subtle track and natural lighting, and a large hearth with an ornate wood-and-ceramic mantle.

The 1600 sf gallery regularly hosts exhibitions by a wide range of artists that have included the painter James Pappas, Canadian sculptors Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky, photographer Joni Sternbach, ornithological artist Karen Allaben-Confer, painter and printmaker Mary Ann Strandell, and Wells College faculty and students.

Receptions are held on opening nights from 6 - 8 pm and attendees have an opportunity to meet and interact with the artists. Please see the gallery website for dates and details.

Twice a year, student artwork is displayed in special exhibitions: the Spring show features student work from the Fall, and the senior thesis art exhibition is organized, installed, and presented each May by graduating studio art majors.

The String Room Gallery also provides gracious space for intimate receptions and gatherings. 

Gallery Hours

When classes are in session, the gallery is open during the times listed below and by appointment. Please call 315.364.3465 or email stringroomgallery@wells.edu. All exhibitions and opening receptions are free and open to the public.
Tuesday - Friday 12 - 5 pm
Saturday and Sunday 1 - 4 pm.

String Room staff

The gallery's director is Assistant Professor of Art History William V. Ganis who specializes in contemporary art. Professor Ganis is an active scholar and critic, writing exhibition reviews and articles for Border Crossings, Contemporary, Sculpture and Afterimage among other publications. He is a contributing editor to GlassQuarterly. In addition, he teaches introductory art surveys, modern, and contemporary art. Professor Ganis, earned his PhD from Stony Brook University and his BA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Associate Professor of Art Theodore Lossowski is responsible for teaching all phases of ceramics, three-dimensional design and sculpture. He resurrected the Wells photography program, which had been dormant for eight years prior to his arrival. His own work is involved with the creation of abstract multi-media sculpture that is constructed in a minimalist tradition. Lossowski earned his MFA in Ceramic Sculpture in 1977 from the School For American Crafts at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Gallery History

When the current Main Building was erected in 1890, the room was initially used as the College's library, with space for 2,500 volumes. After Cleveland Hall was built in 1911 to accommodate the library's expanding collection, the room became known as the Association Room and was a popular gathering spot for dancing and singing.

Because live guitar music was often played there, the space was renamed the String Room in 1963; it continued to serve as a student lounge until 1980, when it was converted into an art gallery during inaugural celebrations for former Wells president Patti McGill Peterson.

Upcoming Exhibits

For information on current and upcoming exhibitions, please see our gallery website.

Special thanks to Jane Marsh Dieckmann '55, whose book, Wells College: A History, provided the historical details for this webpage.