On Sunday, the Good Library hosted a reception to celebrate the works of Chad Friesen, a member of the Southside Fellowship in South Bend who died in 2013. Though Friesen faced a lifelong physical disability with no diagnosis, he left behind a legacy of over one thousand paintings.
The presenter on the day was Elizabeth Miller, assistant professor of history. She opened the reception by saying, “The energy coming into the room this afternoon feels like a reunion.” The feeling was shared by friends and family of Chad Friesen, as well as Goshen alumni who were present.Speaking at the reception were Friesen’s mother, Carol Nickel, and his longtime friend, Dean Preheim Bartel, who founded the God’s Eye Art company alongside Friesen. Nickel told the audience that “if you love and enjoy color, you are in the right place.” The audience, who gathered in the gallery of the Good Library, learned that “he knew the names of the colors, and he knew what he wanted to put on the paintings.” This love for color could be seen throughout his artwork.
It was evident that Friesen’s paintings had a profound effect on their viewers. Faye Peterson, who has organized Goshen’s art exhibitions for the last 30 years, described Friesen’s work as psychological. Peterson said, “In Chad’s self-portrait, there are three faces, one is happy, one is serious.”
Mary Gilbert ‘70, in attendence at the reception, said that her favorite piece in Friesen’s collection was “a picture with the angels and the dolphins and the story that went with it.
Gilbert said, “Chad was unaware at the time when he was painting it that this resembled refugees fleeing Vietnam.” The display showcased the desire Friesen had for justice within the world.
The main takeaway of the exhibition was summed up by Gwen Preheim Bartel, who believes that “all of us have something that is wrong in our world and if we can make the best of it, we can live life to the fullest extent.”
