All through high school, I was the crazy art girl who lived in the art room more than my own house.
When I heard about the faculty art show, my heart perked up.
As I walked into the Cummings Art Gallery, I struggled to find the perfect starting point.
Everywhere I looked were new, exciting and creative takes on the world.
The pieces included media from paintings to photography to porcelain structures.
I was blown away by the work.
When my walk through the room began, I was swept away into beautiful nature scenes in both watercolor and print.
Each scene provided a different take on the world, whether playing on colors or a switch of seasons.
As I moved on to the next section, I was welcomed by a take on Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic cow skull painting.
Having done my own painting of it during my senior year in high school, it was like a jump back in time.
As a Fashion Merchandising major, I have a love of textiles, and the next exhibit pulled at my heartstrings because of that love.
Jodi Staniunas-Hopper, Associate Professor of Art had created two beautiful masks from old wedding dresses that were donated to her.
Each mask had a unique construction to highlight her skills.
This was a collection I had never seen anything like before, and I will never forget it.
After making a turn to the back of the room, I was pulled across the country to the state of South Dakota.
The photos by Heather Denning, Art Therapy Professor, captured a culture in a delicate way and made me want to learn more.
The art of photography is a creative outlet that I have developed a true appreciation for.
It is a media I have always wanted to pick up but could never master, and now I value the masterpieces of other artists.
The last collection of paintings was the section that pulled me in the most.
It was the work of Daniel Burke.
I liked it for the unusual colors and unique use of objects.
Each section flowed in tune with the next, in spite of each section being subtly different.
Each piece, there being four in total, had an exclusive take on textural creativity.
The subtle yet tasteful placement of texture had me wanting to reach out and touch the canvas.
From afar the texture is not visible, but with each step closer you notice more.
Not only was each individual piece stunning, with its own unique construction, but it stuck with me more than most artwork.
As I walked through the room, I could pull out certain techniques I had studied and begun to develop throughout my four years in high school.
This art show was incredible through its display of individuality on canvas, pottery, digital print and more.
The best part of it all was that it reminded me why I love art so much and have kept it a part of my life all these years.