By Aubree Denton
Electricity was in the air this fall at the Valdosta State University Art and Design Faculty Exhibition opening reception in the Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery. Upon entering one would notice the dim lights casting a slight shadow on each piece while soft music from the VSU Jazz Band floated in the background. Not only were the refreshments satisfying, but also the seemingly random arrangement of the show instead each work being lumped together in groups by similar medium. Many of the featured professors were floating among the crowd conversing with spectators about their work, which created an overall ambiance that was warm and inviting. The exhibit was in honor of the late alumni Martha G. Smart and featured various faculty as well as two lucky students. Later in the evening Dean Blake Pierce of the College of Arts presented these two students with scholarships also in Martha’s name.
As a student it is always eye opening to see those that you revere as masters at their craft’s abilities and technical skills, especially when it reflects the current curriculum at VSU. Although many of the pieces shown were well executed, there were however some that made me as a viewer question the artist’s inspirational motives. For example, Jim Hornsby’s digital print Al E. Gator in Two Parts was a tough one to find appealing. Hornsby’s composition consisted of a gator in faded focus swimming among lily pads with large green circles in the background. The bright lime green and pink color scheme he used was mildly obnoxious, and the overall flow seemed off. However, there were many pieces that had a counter effect and left a generally positive impression.
That brings us to Sean Hurley who did a series of pencil drawings that captured every day places and items. One of his stronger pieces was Dirty Laundry where Hurley used diverse shading and line values to produce a semi-realistic composition. He manages to make the seemingly mundane image of dirty laundry one the viewer does not want to take their eyes off of. Hurley artfully uses ink to portray depth by having some piles of crumpled clothing in sharp perspective, while others are less detailed rendering them as part of the background. As a whole his works were technically some of the strongest two-dimensional pieces in the exhibition.
The overall highlights of the exhibition came from the numerous three-dimensional and sculptural pieces. Not only were Abigail Heuss’ dainty metal Untitled Bowls masterfully crafted with seamless edges and eye catching floral designs, but they were also exquisitely sanded down so that they shimmered in the gallery lighting. Out of the entire faculty exhibition Hollis Barnett’s sculptures The Fall of Icarus and Fat Vase with Hidden Lady took my breath away. The Fall of Icarus is a surreal mixed media composition which consists of a human form with delicate wings cast in bronze emerging from behind the figures shoulders. As for his second piece titled Fat Vase with Hidden Lady, it first appears to be a round natural wood container supported by metal legs with a cloudy pink and white stone set into the lid. But what one does not know is that on the inside surface of the cap lies a carved female figure that can only be seen if you open the vase and look at the bottom of the cap. This particular addition forces the viewer to interact with the piece itself making it a fun discovery. Much like Heuss’s metal bowls, Barnett also exquisitely sanded and polished the wooden surface until it glimmered. All in all, the pure craftsmanship in all of the three-dimensional pieces featured were arguably the most captivating elements of the show.
Aubree Denton is a South Georgia native from nearby Thomasville and is majoring in art with a focus in ceramic sculpture. After graduation Denton plans to earn a masters degree.