Gallery exhibition highlights work of senior art majors
April 17, 2009
Jewelry design, encaustic painting, sculpture and film: These are just a few of the media to be showcased at the senior studio art majors' exhibition, Framed, on view from April 22 to May 8 in Wheaton's Beard and Weil Galleries.
Advised by Professor of Art Tim Cunard, the show will open with a reception at 7 p.m. on April 22.
The student artists will be on hand for the campus-wide opening, and at 1 p.m. on April 28, they will convene in the gallery for oral presentations summarizing their experience and their expectations for the future. The Miriam F. Carpenter Prize in Art will be awarded for the "best body of work," a tradition dating back to 1944 and honoring Carpenter, who served as dean of the college from 1929 to 1944.
"It's an honorable tradition to have the senior artists' work in a final show at the gallery," says Cunard. "It makes the goal of having art in a gallery an attainable one, and it formalizes the creation process of the artwork itself. The show serves as a culminating experience for the students as they reflect on their progression as artists during their time at Wheaton."
Cunard, who has taught art at Wheaton since fall 1986, notes that the exhibition serves as a significant milestone in the evolution of these young artists. "It's not a one-on-one exchange between a teacher and a student any longer--in the gallery, their art is seen by peers, parents, alumni, and the community as a whole."
The exhibiting artists are Tracey Babin, Andrea Bravo, Elyse Fortes, Paloma Gerber, Jessica Landau, Ben Marlowe, Adam Thime, Simone Weisz (painting), Sarah Ball, Ross Culliton, Lena Isenberg, and Kait Saaf (photography), Elizabeth Cogburn and Briana White (watercolor), Bailey Edwards, Galen Kerrick, George Kunhardt, and Kaylie Thompson (film), Mell Scalzi (drawing), Kendra Lawrence (jewelry making), Evan Morse (sculpture), and Ashley Pillsbury (printmaking).
While some students first delved into art at Wheaton, others have been interested in it from an early age.
"My mom has an art studio at home, and that inspired me to look into art," says Jessica Landau, a painter. "Once at Wheaton, I really had the freedom to explore art classes in the way that I wanted to."
Mell Scalzi, who is passionate about contemporary art, hopes to pursue a career as a museum educator or curator. "Art has always been something that I've loved," she says, "and being at Wheaton and taking all the art history classes here has helped me learn about inspirational artists and their process of creating."
Each of the student artists specializes in a particular medium and technique. Scalzi uses a repetitive basket-weave method to create a three-dimensional effect in her drawings. Sculptor Evan Morse creates figural pieces in clay, plaster and stone. And Kendra Lawrence begins with flat sheets of silver that she develops into unusual pieces of jewelry, ranging from earrings to belt buckles.
Film artist George Kunhardt spent hours filming and editing his documentary on the African American photographer and film maker Gordon Parks.
"It's been a very long and difficult process getting to the point that I'm at now in my artistic career," says Kunhardt. "Especially for film, there are many obstacles and tons of competition. I believe that showing my film in the Beard and Weil Galleries will help give me the confidence I need to pursue this field."
The gallery exhibition offers a unique window into the perspectives of young artists, says Cunard: "The Framed show will allow people to see what 21- and 22-year-olds are thinking about, and what their skills and interests are. I encourage everyone to come to the show!"
The gallery hours are Monday-Saturday 12:30-4:30 p.m. For more information, contact: Betsy Cronin (508-286-3644)
