Mississippi University for Women’s Department of Art and Design presents the work of five 2017 graduating seniors April 19-28 in the first of two scheduled Bachelor of Fine Arts spring shows in the Eugenia Summer Gallery. The exhibition is free to the public, as is a reception April 28 from 6-8 p.m.
Normally there is one BFA exhibition for each semester, but with 10 Department of Art and Design graduating seniors, the students chose to divide their work into two shorter shows in order to give the seniors a better opportunity to display their portfolio.
The exhibitions are both name “Refined” — REFINED 1 and REFINED 2. Senior Arlesia Rambus suggested the logo concept of using a Roman numeral I and II in the titles.
Graduating seniors in the first exhibition are Julia Bray of Natchez, Chris Freeman of Baldwyn, Krista Metzger of Bruce, Arlesia Rambus of West Point and Summer Ward of Hernando. All but Bray are studying graphic design; Bray’s studio emphasis is drawing and painting.
Freeman said, “I’m very confident that this will be an extraordinary exhibition because my fellow classmates are great artists, and sharing a gallery with them is a privilege.”
The senior show is a degree requirement and counts as a final grade for the students’ senior seminar class. The students produce and select the work in the exhibition, gaining the experience of preparing and hanging a gallery show. Many of the works will be available for purchase.
The exhibitors
Bray exhibited in the Juried Student shows of 2015 and 2016, earning an award for printmaking and painting. She also displayed her work at the Art in Autumn Auction. Her artwork was accepted into The Collegiate Show.
“I consider myself a non-objective painter,” Bray said. “I embraced the open-ended process in creating my work of art. I dubbed my work as ‘organized chaos’ and love the new discoveries I make while painting. My senior exhibition represents my multiple ‘periods’ I developed over my time spent at The W.”
At The W, Freeman learned fundamentals of drawing and design and developed a special interest in masks. He began graphic design classes as a sophomore and became interested in screen painting as a junior. He did his internship at Half Tone Press. One of his relief prints of an African based mask was accepted into the 2017 Mississippi Collegiate Art Show.
“I am very pleased at the level of education I have received during my years at The W,” he said. “Having teachers that show interest in the different forms of art motivates students to pursue their goals.”
After attending Calhoun County Career and Technical Center for Digital Media for two years and receiving an associate degree from Itawamba Community College, Metzger began at The W in 2014. She has had work in the spring Student Juried Show, receiving an award for a computer imaging piece.
Metzger said, “I’ve always tried to combine my own vector images into my work based on sketches I’ve made in my sketchbook. By going from pencil to computer, I’m able to keep the sketchiness of a design if its needed, rather than trying to recreate it on the screen.”
Rambus, who received a degree from East Mississippi Community College, has produced a diverse body of work. One was selected for the 2016 annual Juried Student Exhibition. She completed an internship at Blufish Design Studios in Starkville. While there, business owner Kenneth Rice selected Rambus’ logo design for his business.
Rambus said, “I believe I have a relatively strong body of work with a variety of pieces. I focus on choosing fonts that contrast each other harmoniously just like artists did during the days of the early printing press. I also remember while designing that the rules in art never change, just the methods of creating.”
Ward has exhibited in several shows including the Juried Student Exhibitions of 2015, where she was awarded a third place in graphics design, and 2016. A member of Kappa Pi Art Honor Society, she exhibited work in the Art in Autumn Auction shows and jointly won first place with a group of two other members in a design work competition for the Magnolia Diesel company.
“The work that I have been developing for the senior show has been a journey for myself and a culmination of past and present interests and discoveries,” Ward said. “I have been designing branding and beyond for my own design company along with illustrations of automotive creations for this company,”
The Eugenia Summer Gallery is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located in the newly-named Summer Hall (formerly the Art and Design Building) on the Southwest corner of the MUW campus, between the Stark Recreation Center and Fant Library.
For more information, call 662-329-7341.
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