4 CAMPUS LIFE
May 25, 2011
Annual student art show exhibits a variety of styles, mediums
The Cannon Gallery of Art displays its final showcase of the year, honoring many seniors Caet Padgett | Freelancer
The Western art department is currently hosting a juried art exhibit featuring the work of student artists. The exhibit is being held on the ground floor of Campbell Hall in the Cannon Gallery. It features a variety of artwork and mediums, including paintings, drawings, sculpture, graphic design pieces and mixed media. Koye Brown, a junior at Western and a featured artist, described her art, stating, “One of the pieces I have in the show is a self portrait. An important thing that I wanted to do with that painting was to make something that was not just a depiction of my face, but that also expressed my personality through the use of color and the style of brushwork. “I amped up the colors in the hair and skin tones to express the way I see the world — exciting and full of vivid color. The brushwork is pretty smooth and detailed around the main features of the face. Then, as I got to the hair
and neck, the strokes loosen up and seem to kind of fall apart. I like to describe it as a flaky pastry for your eyes.” Brown also shared information about her creative background. “Art has been a part of my life since childhood,” she stated. “Several of my family members are artists and my parents encouraged me to be creative as a kid. Throughout my school years I was always taking art classes and drawing in my spare time. Today, just about everything I do connects to my art in some way.” Sophomore Emily Dieter explained that she felt the most important part of the exhibit was the opportunity for students to display their work for their peers to see, as well as to have the art observed by a wider audience. “All the pieces in the show are really amazing and I feel very fortunate to be able to be a part of it,” said Dieter. “The best part is just the idea of the show itself,”
Brown agreed. “It is such a great opportunity for art students to be recognized for a year of hard work. I also think it’s cool that WOU and the city of Monmouth support the students by purchasing artwork. It’s refreshing to see people actually supporting the arts in that way. I came from a town where people would say how much they loved the artwork but no one put their money where their mouths were.” “My piece in the show is a charcoal drawing of a deer head — kind of morbid, I know. It was an in-class project we did in Jessica Burke’s class,” Dieter said, discussing what went into creating her featured piece. “My process is pretty simple, [I] draw what I see. For observation based classes, that is a handy mind-set to have.” Dieter said she has been involved with art from a very young age, explaining, “I have drawn as long as I could hold a crayon. Growing up my
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grandmother gave my brother and I art lessons once a week, but I drew and made things out of clay for as long as I can remember. From when I entered public school in the sixth grade to now, I always look for ways to grow as an artist, painting, ceramics, now graphic design. It’s important to be able to grow and change,
especially in the art field.” Both artists are not completely sure of their career plans, but they are both intent on achieving their dreams of becoming professional artists. “I think every artist dreams of just having a studio, making art all day and selling enough to make a comfortable living,” said Brown.
“I am no exception. Sadly, there are very few artists who enjoy that luxury, so I hope to get a job in art that still allows me some time to do my own work on the side. I would like to teach at the college level or maybe work in a gallery or museum.” Dieter hopes to pursue a career in graphic design or illustration.
Photos by | Scott Takase
(Left) A piece created by art student Reiko Harano. (Top Right) A painting by Britni Davis. (Bottom Right) Mary Harden views a sculpture by Jules Vogel.
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