The piece "Sam" made by Shannon Kelly Hoelscher, Senior In Gallery 210.
Parental Advisory,” the annual BFA Student Art Exhibition, is being showcased at Gallery 210 from April 8—24. Students have come together to share their artistic vision with the University of Missouri-St. Louis community.
“Parental Advisory” displays a variety of artwork from wooden structures to photographs to work’s made of plaster and wire.
When approaching the exhibit, the first piece that stands out is an untitled oil on wood panel created by Stephen Boss. The piece focuses on white flowers that breathe of Japanese inspiration, creating the vision of a kimono loosely draped over a polished wooden table. The smooth and delicate strokes of the paint show the patience of the artist. The use of the color white was a nice contrast to the texture of the wooden panel, therefore making this piece as a whole come off as light and comforting.
Hidden in a corner of the exhibit is a piece made of intaglio/silkscreen titled “Goddess of the Sea,” created by Marla Di Benedetto. This artist used cool tones to create a silhouette of a floating mermaid under the waves of the ocean. Although detail in the facial structure was not highly exaggerated, the piece was able to create a feeling of vulnerability and depression through its shadows,.
Artist Amanda Duggan, with her etchings of “Dark Woods” and “Frozen Lighthouse,” presented a great example of how sometimes less is more. Each etching takes its viewer into its own little story world. Looking at “Dark Woods,” a feeling of danger and insecurity is created. With the trees hovering at an angle, the spectator is turned into that child lost in the woods at night, unable to see the glimmer of the porch light.
“Frozen Lighthouse” displays where nightmare meets dream, giving off a distorted, cold image of a blue shadowed memory. This artist likes to experiment with moods.
Josh Venable and his oil on canvas “Defense” differentiated itself from the rest of the work in the exhibit, which was well appreciated. This artist decided to incorporate a childlike humor into his work with his fascination for “Transformers.” Attention to the dimensions and the shading of the Transformer was well done. The use of red, blue, and green came off as a very playful color selection, which is appropriate for the subject matter. A true Transformer fan, child or adult, would be ecstatic to have this painting on his or her bedroom wall.
Another simple yet playful piece was “Notes from a class” by Matthew Hill. This student created artwork out of student excuses. Clever and smart, this was entertaining. It would be assumed one man’s dragged-out excuse is another man’s treasure.
The use of watercolor and charcoal on canvas was expressed in Valerie Signaigo’s “Behind the Butterfly.” What is appreciated about this painting, besides the excellent use of warm colors, was that it could have a variety of meanings. It could be about a woman hiding behind her beauty, a woman who desires beauty, or a woman who is tired of being seen only for her beauty. The deep strokes of dark purple, to highlight the hidden face, were a delight.
Elizabeth Schaefer’s mixed media on panel piece, “The Tale of Two Tomorrows,” was one of the most attention-grabbing in the exhibit. Separated into four segments, each section displayed a different scenario, with one appearing to be the development of a butterfly and another of a deer overlapped by snake skin. The artwork seems to celebrate life, death and reincarnation.
In addition to these selections, there is something for everybody.
A- Ashley Atkins
