From March 25 to April 27, ULM is highlighting the creative talents of its student artists in the 28th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition in Bry Hall’s art gallery. From oil paintings to ceramics, the exhibit features a range of mediums and artistic expressions. It offers an exciting opportunity for each viewer to immerse themselves in pieces created by the passionate and talented artists of tomorrow.
Open to all ULM artists, anyone on campus can participate in the art exhibit. With no specific theme for this exhibition, students submitted pieces with various meanings. However, students could only enter four original pieces. Senior art major Xili Swan-Flanders concentrates in ceramics. She shared her reason for participating in the exhibit.
“I chose to submit work because, as an artist, it is a way to put myself out there and present my hard work,” Swan-Flanders said. “I chose those pieces because they were the most recent ones that I was the most proud of because they all showcased the detail I put into my work.”
At the exhibit: paintings and photographs lined the walls while vases and sculptures decorated the floor.
The most eye-catching piece when entering the room was the giant ceramic statue of three macarons near the doorway, each a drastically distinct color. Hannah Eason’s sculpture, “A Sweet Treat,” displays each macaron stacked on top of the edge of another cookie at a 45-degree angle.
“Gloomy Days” by Faith Hensley is an oil on canvas painting of a bright and colorful apartment with a dark Snoopy toy as its center focus. Senior biology major Agnes Ugokwe explained that Hensley’s painting was her favorite work of the entire exhibit.
“I like this one because my eyes immediately went to Snoopy,” Ugokwe said. “The color contrast between his coat and the couch is eye-catching.”
Snoopy, dressed in a yellow hat and baby blue jacket, is the only thing in the entire painting that could be considered dark. The walls are pink, and the cabinets are blue, but Snoopy is sitting on a lemon-colored couch, staring directly at the viewer.
Comparing the title of this piece to the actual painted image is confusing, but that makes this painting even more relatable to the human persona. People suffering from mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, can hide their true emotions behind a fake happy exterior to not draw concern from those around them.
Another dessert-themed piece, “Divine Confection,” by Michelle Newton, was completely made of chocolate. The sculpture is of a man’s head with teeth marks as part of the design. Senior pre-pharmacy major Katelyn Smith loved the sight.
“At first, I thought it was just a lumpy clay statue,” Smith said. “After closer inspection, I noticed it was made out of chocolate. I have never seen anything like that before, so I thought it was very cool.”
As a juried art exhibit, judges selected certain students and their artworks to be presented with cash rewards, ranging from $50 to $250.
Attend the reception on April 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Bry Hall to see the winners. For further details and other Bry Art Gallery exhibitions, visit their website: ulm.edu/art/exhibits.html.
