Seventy pieces of carefully selected undergraduate students’ artwork are currently on display in the John B. Davis Gallery in the Fine Arts Building. The annual Undergraduate Art Exhibition’s opening reception was Monday, April 8.
“It was a great turnout, there were students, family, parents and friends,” said Amy Jo Popa, director of the John B. Davis Gallery.
“This is an opportunity for students to share what they make,” said Wayne Turner, whose work was chosen for this year’s show. “Some of the artwork in there is absolutely amazing.”
Turner appreciates this exhibition because it is open to all undergraduate students. He said the importance of art exists for students of all majors, not just those in the fine arts.
“The more technology that we get in life, the more left-brained thinking that we do, the more we need to balance it out with the right-brained perspective. That’s why art is important,” said Turner.
Students found out that morning if their work was selected for display in the Undergraduate Art Exhibition. The artwork includes sculpture, ceramics, painting, drawing, jewelry, papermaking and printmaking according to Popa.
“It is the coolest thing for the students,” she said.
Along with having their work selected as part of the show, some students were given scholarships or awards for their work. Tracy Eastman, Bobbi Teckmeyer and Elizabeth Powers-McCoy were the three students awarded scholarships for their artwork this year.
The students spend countless hours preparing the work they submit for the show. Popa said some of the jewelry pieces took over 50 hours to make.
Turner said he spent multiple hours over the course of many days creating his paper making pieces. His piece, “That Family is All Screwy in the Head,” was chosen for the art exhibition this year.
Turner made a large sheet of paper, which he molded into four heads that fade from white to purple. Turner said once he made the paper, he then used a mannequin head to mold the wet paper.
Papermaking appealed to Turner for many reasons.
“You get your hands wet, that’s what I like about it,” he said. “It’s really just a matter of seeing how creative you can get.”
Popa said 46 students submitted a total of 160 pieces of artwork. Of that, 70 pieces were selected for the show.
Turner was surprised his work was chosen for the show.
“I’ve never really thought of myself as an artist,” he said.
Turner said some of his favorite work featured is Tracy Eastman’s, who was one of the scholarship winners.
The exhibition will be on display in the John B. Davis Gallery on the first floor of the Fine Arts building until Friday, May 3.
