Senior art show creates waves of change

High heels and the smell of leather shoes crowded the gallery entrance as visitors stood busily holding plates of brightly colored fruit. Artists paced back and forth nervously making conversation as the gentlemen adjusted their ties; ladies pressed the wrinkles from their skirts and dresses. Smiles and congratulations were passed around, creating an art in and of itself.

Posters and graphics hung in praise of Earth Week as creations rested on display tables.  When a viewer made their way around the gallery they were greeted by photographs and animations all budding with inspiration for a better tomorrow.  Creativity reached perfection as simple ideas came together with image.  

One project had stickers laid on a display table under instructional posters.  They were vivid in color and each sticker had clever sayings like "hang me dry" or "turn me off." They were meant to slip right over electrical outlets and to display on a box of dryer sheets to serve as a reminder to conserve energy.  

Photographs of Dunkirk hung on the walls displaying a new beauty; one that had been suppressed by modern creation. Old signs and decrepit buildings were modeled in black and white and sepia to show the unseen beauty. Bright words like "preserve" and "vintage" gave the photographs a positive image. A neighboring poster said, "Make something beautiful, save something beautiful," giving preservation a voice.

Along with Earth Week, artists and designers felt the need to expose another change needed to be seen in the world, the right to vote.  The exchange of bright colors with dark grays and blacks symbolized perhaps, the move from stuck in the mud thinking to new ideas that would better the world. Pushing the importance of voting displayed encouragement to use a right we all share. In an act of limiting wastefulness, artists and designers put forth the need to have a voice.

Clever designs followed as posters on "Design Methodology" hugged the wall; the process a designer can follow to achieve great work. Promotional images were accompanied by business cards and animation designs were accompanied by a DVD of moving images.

Ideas of "growth" and "perception" were expressed through a variety of mediums.  Watercolor, portrait painting and photograph doubling were popular in demonstrating main ideas and influences. Portraits were symbolic of qualities the artist hoped to possess in the future. Aspiration developed into a need for growth as the paintings came alive with color and texture.

Stephanie Aldrick said she hopes to move to a big city after a summer of working, perhaps somewhere like "New York or California would be nice." Aldrick stood proudly next to her series of photographs, exposing doubles of herself in very common situations and places.  Although there were two images of her in every photograph, only one face was shown in each, the other remained behind something or turned. This particular feature to her work was symbolic of another side of herself not yet known.  

Each piece had an artist statement neighboring the work of the designer or artist.  Artists like Cassie Johnson said that their work explores common human ties and the act of storytelling. Michael Hernandez said that his work creates worlds and narratives through images while Jordan Reading wrote, "my designs define me."

Each thanked a particular person and most thanked mom and dad for being their inspiration for excelling in their work.