Student work on exhibition

By: Michelle Anstett
Editor-in-chief

 A large selection of student-created artwork is on display in the Len G. Everett Gallery of the Hewes Library from Nov. 6 to Dec. 1. Monday afternoon, Nov. 6, there was a reception during which the winners of each category, as well as two larger awards, were announced.

Students could enter their original works in any of six categories: ceramics, design, drawing, painting, photography and sculpture. Works were judged by Katie Kahn, associate professor of painting at Northern Illinois University. Kahn received her B.F.A. with special distinction in painting and printmaking from the California College of Arts and Crafts her M.F.A. from the Yale University School of Art.

Desiree Swanson, winner of first place in the painting category for her work “Still Life (Untitled),” was “very happy” with Kahn being chosen to judge this year’s show. “She was very articulate and precise in describing her decisions without discrediting those who did not receive awards. She explained, before calling off the winners, what she based her judgment on and executed her decisions accordingly,” Swanson stated.

Her painting features a brown elephant with a lifted trunk, a cracked, yellowing animal skull and two colored bottles against a background of blue cloth and a yellow wall. Swanson said her piece was inspired by the work of Philip Pearlstein, “one of my all-time favorite artists.”

Another painting, massive in size and chosen Best of Show, was painted by William Michael Schmidt and entitled “Walker Texas Ranger and Me.” This piece features a portrait of the artist foregrounded against a dark background of open-mouthed skeletons. It stands approximately seven feet high.

Lindsay Andrews, whose print “Plum Blossom Branch Logo” won first place in the design category, says she created her entire piece in Adobe Illustrator. “My piece was a logo designed for the Monmouth College Anime club… I started from scratch and chose to use the plum blossom tree as the focal point for the new logo because the plum blossom blooms in winter and is a symbol of endurance and perseverance,” she said.

Andrews did not know at first that she had won first place: “I wasn’t at the gallery opening, but my friend Megan Morgan came into the computer lab the day after and told me that I had won first place. I was so excited I rushed over to the library to see for myself.”

Perhaps the most interesting piece in the show is the winner of the Waltershausen Sculpture Award, “The Penitence of Wicked Men” by Lee Gabbert. This piece features six male figures sculpted from either driftwood or tree bark, tied with twine and attached to rocks with iron poles. Their twisted, sad faces exhibit different expressions from each angle and looks eerily foreboding through the gallery windows.

Other winners include “Cereal Bowl” by Sheridan Ray, first place in ceramics; “Fabric Draped Around Chair” by Lindsay Johnson, first place in drawing; “Scrapyard” by Catie Bartunek, first place in photography and “Get a Grip” by Nick Carlson, first place in sculpture.

Swanson counts herself lucky to be amongst such a talented group of artists: “The art that was selected, in my opinion, was very deserving and, in general, the show looked fantastic this year. I am proud that I was in this particular show and honored to be in the gallery with the other artists who entered work.”