Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

Photos by Eric Zitz

Senior art students display their work

By Christian PeÑa

capena@vwc.edu

Even though the books are gone from the library, students can still enjoy the fruits of creativity.

The Senior Art Exhibit, on display through May, shows the works of many Virginia Wesleyan artists.

The first paintings in the gallery were done by Pierette Swan and there are eight total. Two self portraits begin the course and both were completed using grays and blacks. A sculpture of a man’s head with a long tongue is afterwards, followed by edited photos as mediums. The one that sticks out is titled “I Can’t Compete with All Your Damn Ideas” that shows a large photo of an overwhelmed Swan at the center with 30 to 40 wallet sized pictures surrounding her. The smaller pictures represent the voices and ideas that sometimes drive people crazy. It is like having too many things to deal with at one time.

Making a left, there are several works by Taylor Boyd and several partners. The first set, collectively called “Collaborations,” are done with acrylic paints and acrylic markers, with the help of Scott Roberts. “Collaboration #2” depicts a crashing wave in purple and blue hues with dynamic action. Utilizing various shades of orange, red and black, the two created a beautiful sunset where the leaves of silhouetted trees glow in the fading light in “Collaboration #5”. There was another ensemble piece, called “The Melting Pot,” where Boyd “worked with five other artists to create something unique.”

“I got the idea from a previous work I had done and just let the ideas flow,” Boyd said, “I really like how it turned out.”

Going up a ramp, there was a collection titled “The Ocean’s Cathedral” by Ellen Bryant. The series focused on the ocean from different angles.

“I really have a passion for the ocean and waves,” Bryant said. This was shown in the paintings, where waves crash on rocky shores and a lone surfer floats in the morning sets. All are done soft shades of blue and black, creating a tranquil feeling as one views the collection.

In contrast to the soothing images of water, Katie Hellenday’s “Welcome to Suburbia” provides dark, creepy settings. To view the collected works, one must step into a covered area that has little illumination. Inside, there are model houses that are dimly lit and transform normally bright neighborhoods into ominous locales.

“Other artists, such as Edwin Hopper, had used the lack of [human] interaction and lighting before,” Hellenday explained, “I wanted to explore the theme farther.”

“Home?” is a simple hallway with a door ajar at the end, with no light behind the door. Looking straight at it, the piece could be a set from a horror movie. “Playground” has no children, but does have a solitary man standing by the edge of the fence. It seems he is looking for children as well, but for what purpose?

Another worth noting, called “Neighbor,” at first looks as though it is a simple house with no lights on. But after one’s eyes adjust to the low light, one finds a man wrapped in a blanket staring out the window at the viewer. This makes for an uneasy feeling because this situation can happen in any suburb.

“Suburbia at Dusk,” was very simple, just a small bench and a low lit lamp, with a painted backdrop of house silhouettes. This piece is effective due to its universal nature. Imagine walking back home during twilight and seeing a deserted bench and the only hard illumination is a solitary lamp. It makes for a sinister place that no one wants to stay in.

The gallery is a great place to simply relax and enjoy the works of talented artists.