Rebekah Lucero
The Paw Print
Speculation and debate revolves around art and the phrase “art for art’s sake.”
Art itself brings many different styles and genres to conversations that have potential to cause conflict. Art began as a direct sense of depicting the perfect human form and perspective.
Time has brought forth tenebrism, impressionism, expressionism, cubism, surrealism, non-objective, new age, commercialism, and more recently, computer graphics.
Debate over non-objective verses surrealism and whether or not they even constitute fine art is one of these main topics of discussion. There are arguments over the meaning of art, what constitutes art, and the difference between art and fine art. That being said, it is very important that we recognize artists for what they do and the dedication they have for their work.
This spring Adams State College brings its graduating artists forward for their senior exhibits. The Art Department divides the students based on their degree plans- the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or the Bachelor of Arts (BA). These students have worked diligently for the past four years refining their skill to the best of their ability. This year the exhibits open April 23 and close on May 11. The closing reception is on May 11 from 5 to 7 p.m., with refreshments provided.
The BA Exhibition “Tumultuous Ecstasy” will be shown in the Hatfield Gallery. This group of students shows proof of today’s art and the promise of future artists is evident in the artwork. The artists in this group are Kristen J Brown(painting), Amanda Fitton (Ceramics and Fibers), Kimberly Garcia (Design and Art History), Stevan Lara (Design and Drawing), Daleth McCoy (Painting and Graphic Design), Caleb McKenzie (graphic design), Rebekah Lucero (Painting, Drawing, Art History), and Toni Ortivez (Design and Photography).
The BFA Exhibition “Salsa” will be held in the Clyde Snook Gallery. The emphasis of each artist is explicit, as well as most of the artists from this program have accomplished much already. The artists in this group are Henry L Blout (Painting), James R Crane III (ceramics), Omar D Gonzales (Painting), Tasha Martinez (Drawing, Painting, Printmaking), Kendell J McNeilsmith (Painting), Dustin J Smalley (metalsmithing), and Barbi Taylor-Bundesmann (Painting).
While the work is yet to be seen, some of these artists have brief statements describing what their art presents. Caleb McKenzie is a Graphic Design student who believes that “design can be personal and can be reflected in artwork; my artwork is personal and thus is reflective to my own designs.” James R Crane III is a dedicated ceramics student. His progression through ceramics has resulted in “vases with faces, a series of ceramic vessels that seek visual containment of emotions.” Digital photography is represented by Toni Ortivez and Stevan Lara. Ortivez’s work is “macro-photography that brings out the finer details in everyday life.” Lara’s digital photography is combined with graphic illustrations “to showcase adapting life and the fantasy of possible evolution.”
Amanda Fitton is a unique individual whose art is very much her own, she brings this uniqueness through mixed media, and her art is to “explore and question social goals of our society and the emotions that are evoked from those goals. Painting has had a large impact on these students, as nearly half the seniors are a painting emphasis. Barbi Taylor Bundesmann does oil painting on masonite, and she does abstracted figures in non-scenic places. Kristen J Brown does acrylic on canvas and masonite, her work ethic is a “focus on the analytical nature of the figure in space with emphases on line and rhythm,” Daleth McCoy is an oil painter who is “looking to capture and expose the essence of people and places caught in positive moments.”
Tasha Martinez is an oil painter that does extraordinary work in a very distinctive style; she enjoys “painting cars in a stylized way to represent the style and character of the owners.” Kim Garcia does a mix of art; she represents herself through the means of painting and graphic design. She best finds herself expressed through a message of Amy Lowell, “Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in.”
Overall, the art shown and the artists themselves exemplify the diversity of this year’s students. The artists’ statements above see this. Each is different from the rest, yet all share a passion that is seen through the individual styles presented in the art. All artists are proud and are eager to show the world what they have to offer.
What’s Been Said…