Near the conclusion of every semester, senior art majors craft a senior exhibition to present and display in the Fine Arts Center (FAC). On Tuesday, April 2, Krista Allen, Ashley Burton, Vanessa Haberkorn and Kimberly Keith presented their Senior Exhibition collectively entitled “Stepping In It” on the opening night at 6 p.m. in the FAC.
Vanessa Haberkorn, a visual communication-design major presented her senior show on a novel she wrote named “Faraway.” Haberkorn said she wanted her senior show to be publicity for her work.
“I tried to capture the emotion and feel for the book I wrote in my show,” Haberkorn said. “With the book spreads, I was trying to capture the seasons of each chapter and how the moods are changing.”
Haberkorn wants to continue to use her senior presentation as promotion for her book.
Visual communication- painting major Ashley Burton created a multi-painting spread on the theme of Psychedelic Expressionism. Some of her pieces have medicinal pills incorporated into her work, which is not uncommon for psychedelic inspired art. Burton says it was the work of another artist that inspired her senior show.
“We were asked to find an artist that we wanted to have our pictures inspired by and that’s where it all started,” Burton said. “I picked Fred Tomaselli. He is a psychedelic artist as well.”
In recent years, Burton became interested in psychedelic music, specifically the rock group The Flaming Lips. Burton said she feels their music was “the missing link between art and music.”
To accompany her art, Burton created a CD which featured produced songs. Burton said she wants for people to listen to the songs before or as they view her art to fully understand her process.
“I really want people to listen to the music and then come see my art so they can see where I’m coming from,” Burton said.
Kimberly Keith, a visual communication-design major chose a theme on the evolution of art. Her show displayed pieces of everyday items that could be remade into something else. One of her pieces was a side table with the base made out of hollow shelves and the top crafted out of books.
The idea, Keith said, is that the items can be reworked into a table that can be used for storage inside and on top. She also displayed a cake box that can be reworked into a utensil holder. Keith said that the idea of repurposing inspired her show.
“[My show] is on the brink of conceptual appeal,” Keith said. “Things can be seen one way and then seen as another too.”