KARA CEKUTA
Staff Writer
The first of two VANM Senior Shows will be showcased in the Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery from April 14-20, with a reception on Friday, April 14 at 7 p.m.
The show, titled “Negative Space No. 8,” will feature eight of Fredonia’s Visual Arts and New Media students, with concentrations ranging from graphic design to sculpture.
This show includes works of graphic design by Eusebiu Ardelean, Rebecca Masiker and Richard McKaba, sculptures by Mark Chmiel and Tess Woodruff, photography by Veronica Mehl and Taylor Slavin, and animation/illustration by Ed Gallivan. (Editor’s Note: Masiker and Gallivan are staff members of The Leader.)
The poster for this event, created by Eusebiu Ardelean, features icons representing each of the artists featured in the show.
Barbara Räcker, director of the Marion Art Gallery, has been overseeing the students’ process to this point since last semester. After the students met with their advisors, they continued to work with Räcker to finalize their plans.
Throughout this experience, the students learn to work under the pressure of teamwork and tight deadlines. Räckers’ goal is for the students to “somehow show what they have learned over the four years they have been here.” Because these projects are presented as a group show, the artists have had to work with each other with the layout and showcasing of their work.
Mehl, a BFA ceramics major, started her creative process by taking pictures of botanical subjects over the summer. She states that they were “all taken in my mom’s garden” to represent the relationship between her and her mother.
Mehl plans on incorporating sculpture and photography into this project by incorporating additional ceramic work to the photos. She has enjoyed working with her classmates in setting up this space together for the show.
In addition to dividing up the space amongst each other, these students also have the responsibility of creating and working within a theme. These students are learning valuable and professional skills through these processes, such as writing a thoughtful and cohesive artist statement and learning the foundations in exhibition design.