Toy Photography
Tyler Wise
Brytton Bjorngaard (mentor)
Department of Art, Music, and Theatre
Articulate figures and digital photography allow a lot of control in the creative process; exercising that control makes it easier to invoke themes in my art that I have no control over in reality. This body of work is a commentary on the U.S. military and war told through the lens of toy photography. Through the Pop Art genre of toy photography, I hope to draw attention to serious issues in a relatable way. Pop culture characters are loaded with their own messages, but through the staging of toys and the digital manipulation of photos, I create stories of my own. Toys have connotations of play, innocence, imagination, and an inherent detachment from reality. In this sense, utilizing toys to convey heavy themes can bring a more palatable outlook to somber topics. My process is comparable to a child playing with their toys: choosing characters, setting a scene, and framing the story. However, I craft scenes with the intent to create accessible art that catches the eye with the spectacle of its imagery and the mind with its messages.
Borb the Orb
Samantha Wetter
Brytton Bjorngaard (mentor)
Department of Art, Music, and Theatre
Displaying my own character is what I love about transforming portraits. Straddling the line of what defines “good” art and what classifies me as an artist, I make digital animations and merchandise that look professional on a technical scale while remaining whimsical and fun. Although artwork that is highly technical yet simplistic finds success on social media, the same cannot always be said in the fine arts, where it is often dismissed as lowbrow. However, the simplicity of my character design and my overall style allows for individual interpretation and flexibility for placement in a variety of situations, both within animation and merchandising. The simplicity allows my work to use parodies, gags, and lighthearted humor in places where it may not make sense otherwise. Using this combination of straightforward design and comedic freedom, I can create a character who allows me to push the animation. Basic shapes and strong concepts can go a long way within a design to still make clear the motivations, goals, and ideals of the character. My goal is to show that even the most clear-cut of art styles can push the boundaries of animation and art.
Divine Obsession and Liberation
Taylor Parriott
Shane Harris (mentor)
Department of Art, Music, and Theatre
My work reflects the ongoing process of deconstruction: a critical analysis and reevaluation of a held set of beliefs. My installations are made out of recycled material and findings that contain a mix of personal items that hold value to me and various materials that one might consider worthless. I am interested in my current experience of deconstructing as a Christian Evangelical and the similarities I have encountered in abusive relationships. I draw inspiration from my own relationships, the history of Theology, and how at its core, my beliefs were rooted in abuse. My work and I continue to uncover the suppressed emotions that are the result of surviving in these systems of abuse.
Found Object Assemblage
Dustin Robertson
Mike Miller (mentor)
Department of Art, Music, and Theatre
As an artist I am interested in the meaning that everyday objects possess. My works seek to disrupt the normality of these objects and convert them into something seemingly incompatible with their original purpose. I travel to different stores to collect materials that catch my eye or that resemble parts of an object I have selected. Then, I spray paint and assemble them into an altered version of a recognizable object. My works are found object assemblages that incorporate spray paint. I have always had a fascination for how things are assembled and their components. Each individual piece serves a unique purpose and, when assembled, creates something recognizable. Recognizability is important for the objects I recreate. From there, I can replace the individual parts with other objects, so long as the overall object remains recognizable. I create these objects as a sort of irony of what we see in everyday homes. Day-to-day items we often overlook in our own homes become the center of my work in order to make people stop and consider the objects I create as more than what they are: a useless version of something they likely have at home. This creates another sort of irony as the viewer takes time to inspect the works I’ve made, although completely unusable, like viewing an item in a store.
Collaged Identities
Hasani Cannon
Brytton Bjorngaard (mentor)
Department of Art, Music, and Theatre
As an artist, I work in collaged painting to explore my personal identities using mixed media, traditional and pop culture in an Afrocentric lens. This body of work illustrates different perceptions imposed onto me throughout my life, especially in the context of being a black, lower-middle class, college bound, cisgendered man. I depict these perceptions as self-caricatures, exaggerating aspects of myself (my hair, food consumption, etc.). I use found or recycled material to acknowledge the construction of these perceptions and to understand what and why these perceptions are thrusted on to me. By transforming discarded material, I am emphasizing how transformative and interconnected my identity is. My work also serves to illustrate the commodification of my identity through the items/brands I use which are usually in service of others’ agendas rather than my own. I am accepting these perceptions put on me by giving them form, acknowledging their presence, but also infusing spiritual iconography and mechanisms to further analyze their origins and functionalities. I use these spiritual devices to not only acknowledge my ethnicity but also as a means of understanding myself. I choose from a diverse number of spiritual influences including: Vodun masquerades, Maasai shields, lukasa’s (memory boards), renaissance altar pieces, Islamic praying rugs, etc. Through my art practice these traditions are combined in a way that explores and showcases my interconnected personal heritage.
Seasonal Solstice
Hannah Wilson
Mike Miller (mentor)
Department of Art, Music, and Theatre
I develop paintings inspired by the ordinary, daily experiences of my life. In a recent project, I developed paintings in a polaroid format. Photography is not only my profession, but a daily habit which heavily influences my work as a painter. These works explore the materiality of paint as a medium, as well as its relationship to photography. The use of paint invites an acknowledgment of physicality beyond subject matter. I emphasize and capture fleeting moments, something both a photo and impressionistic painting historically pursue. I am interested in the potential simplicity of spirituality that comes through time spent outdoors and at home. I depict the mundane, and seemingly ordinary, moments of motherhood. By spending time in nature, primarily with my son, I reflect on the human connection with the natural world. The works function as a personal, painted diary that reveals otherwise ignored details my daily surroundings. I approach feminism as an individualistic, creative female determined to simultaneously enjoy the roles of an artist and mother. It is a complex and demanding journey that does not drain a woman’s creative ability or energy, but in many cases makes it richer. I feel kinship with other modern female creatives who embrace the notion that both the successful artist and the dedicated mother can coexist in the same mind.
