Taking Your Pain Into Passion

At Valdosta State University, a well commended exhibition is being shown at the Dedo Maranville art gallery. There have been numerous shows, but this show in particular strikes a special type of interest. I say the most because of the theme of the show. All of the works are being shown by the seniors who are art students. There are many pieces that stand out in the art gallery. Violet Ferree stood to bring an amazing showcase to the gallery exhibition.

What made her work much more interesting was the fact that it was not all one medium. There were a variety, and all were developed very well. Walking around to view her work, the work titled “Kindle” by Violet, was what stuck out to be a piece of slight disinterest. I wasn’t a work that stuck me as being visually appealing, even though there were plenty of meanings that went behind it. In her artist statement, she mentions that “her work is a reflection of her emotions and feelings that she continues to work through as a result of traumatic events that she has suffered.”

Violet Ferree, *Kindle*, Oil Painting on Canvas

The work is shown on a canvas, and is done in oil paint. It looked to be 3 holes that were burned through the bottom, but it definitely was intentional. At the bottom of the canvas , there were burnt marks to signify the feeling of being broken. When something is burned, it is damaged, but she is making it into something that was meant to be beautiful. Beautiful in a sense of being torn, and overcoming your situation rather than letting it defeat you.

Looking at the different works of art, my next step was to get the full opinion of the artist, and their perspective directly. I met with Ms. Ferree in the gallery, and we began to discuss her work, and her intentions behind it. Being that “Kindle” was my least favorite, I wasn’t inclined to speak on that particular piece. As we sit down, I ask the first question with a smile. “I’ve looked though a lot of your pieces. What is your favorite medium? I’ve noticed that you’ve used a lot of oil on canvas in comparison to all of your works.” She laughs, and replies with “Yes. I do work mostly with oil. It is my favorite medium to work with.” I can see that it is an interest. My favorite piece of hers was of an oil painting titled “Self Portrait”. What stood out to me was that the shape was recognizable, but the face wasn’t. This spoke volumes of how she was able to get her message across without making any of her features identifiable. “I really liked your piece titled “Self Portrait”. Could you explain a little in depth about your process, and how it was established?” “Sure.”, she replied. “If you look at “Self Portrait” by itself, one might simply think of it as a self-portrait, maybe slightly sad or distant. Without seeing my other work, there might not be any questioning as to why I show this painting. It speaks in a sense of internal pain, and not external. The nakedness of the body is to represent me being completely open and vulnerable.” Taking this into consideration, I did notice that there were no external marks which I could see.

Violet Ferree, *Self Portrait*, Oil Painting on Canvas

We talk a little more about all of her pieces, and my final question comes out to her at the very end of our conversation. “Which is your favorite piece?”, I asked. She responds with, “My current favorite piece is “About Forty: Connected.”. “Why?!”, I quickly respond without realizing it. “It would have to be that this is a milestone for me. This work talks about all of the people that one is connected with. All of the people that are your support when going through challenging times in your life. It is also my favorite because it was challenging for me, and because I feel as if it is the start to something new that I will be pursuing, both in topic and medium.” Hearing this gave me a lot to think about, and opened new doors to a lot of ideas for future works of art. Her work is more relatable and grabs her viewer more in the sense of emotion and meaning rather than aesthetics. With a lot to ponder, I leave the gallery with knowledge of the artist sought after, and a new perspective on what our seniors have to present this year.

From Criminal Justice to Canvas Abstractions: Lisa Taylor’s Exploration Through Art

Lisa Taylor bares her soul in each of her paintings. She creates these scenes of chaos and luster that entice the viewer at first glance. Two of Taylor’s paintings were placed one by one leading up to the big reveal of her series in the main gallery. The first painting was located in the smaller more intimate gallery, where it grabbed my attention immediately. The striking blues and whites combined with the texture encouraged me to get closer and analyze what I was seeing. I loved that all of her work was non-objective. Abstract paintings aren’t shown as often as I would like, so it was a nice change of pace. I wanted to get to know this artist and find out what her paintings meant to her. Continue reading From Criminal Justice to Canvas Abstractions: Lisa Taylor’s Exploration Through Art

The Third Dimension- Pratt Edition

An artist excerpt stemmed from the “Convergence” showing that was exhibited in the Dedo Maranville Gallery at Valdosta State University.

Even from a young age, Sara Pratt was influenced by the natural surroundings where she grew up. The iron-rich clay in the Appalachians was just something that appeared in her daily life. Coming from a large family, creativity, and art was also something that was constantly surrounding her. When her mother was finishing up her Art Education degree at Valdosta State University, one of the classes she took was Ceramics, which was taught by Professor Michael Schmidt. She and her twin sister would go to class with their mother sometimes, which led her to feel so curious and fascinated that a material she grew up playing with could be transfigured into fine art.

Image of Sara Pratt- the artist — Portrait of Sara Pratt

Pratt and her twin sister were born in Ocala, Florida. They moved around quite a lot with their mother. Despite all of the moves, living in north Georgia with their maternal grandparents is where Pratt considers her home to be. She said that traveling back and forth between families in Georgia and Florida caused a hectic upbringing for them, but it created who she is today. Her mother is the youngest of ten, so she says that “there was a plethora of artists, good memories, and love to go around”. Continue reading The Third Dimension- Pratt Edition

Senior Show Exhibition

At the Dedo Art Gallery in Valdosta, the Senior Exhibition for the Valdosta State Seniors of the Fine Arts Bachelor Program had there Grand Finale. The Coup De Gras, the seniors held their exhibition, for the faculty of the Fine Arts program to show the accomplishments of their journey during the time spent as a student at Valdosta State. The show was to represent the skills developed and how they have grown as artist, but moreover as people. The students showed a variety of skills ranging from drawing to sculpture. The show was nothing short of fascinating to the viewer’s eye, as the viewers were able to witness a broad range of skill and artworks. The gallery was structured well, along with easy access to the artists in the show to ask questions, and the overall gallery had many successful artworks.

Throughout the gallery, there were many artist with a multitude of artworks by each person. The gallery was set up very well, allowing for the viewer to go based on size and subject matter. The artist do not have all of the works they presented together, but are spread out, but the spacing helps to give balance for the eyes. The works hung from the walls and stood on pedestals, allowing to viers to be able to walk around and be entertained at every corner. It is almost like the gallery had significant form, allowing the gallery to appeal to the eyes, not giving way to boredom.

A strength of the gallery was the ability to be able meet with the artist, and converse over the works to be able to gain understanding of their works and contributions within the gallery. During this meeting, I met with Caitlin Sanders, and conversed over her works. She predominantly worked with encaustic paintings and sculpture, as she works from emotions and from a repeated shapes, drawing on her experiences from being younger. She states, “Patterns repeated shapes, textures and exciting colors play a majority role throughout my designs”, which backs that she constantly looks for the design aspects such as the ones stated above.Encaustic Painting is done by using beeswax with pigment added to create color then applied to the prepared surface. Sanders had Encaustic Paintings, all three labeled Encaustic 1, 2 or, 3, were based on the the flow of paint, over the organic like shapes. Caitlin stated, “It is not about the shapes, but the flow of the paint, which showed the emotion, and conveyed the thoughts”. It is to allow the emotion to escape and be free. The color choices were ones such as blues and greens. The blues representing the sadness that she feels that all artist deal with. The blues being her favorite colors to work with. She also used a green which is the least ideal color to her to work with. She does not like colors of green and how green aesthetically looks.

In her sculptures, the pieces were about being functional and having the repeating patterns. She worked from, as she stated- “geometric, repeating shapes, in which some inspiration can be drawn from other cultures that use repetition in the artworks, like the islamic mosaics.” One of her known shapes is the triangle, in which she works with on her Table piece, which on the top used triangular shapes.

Overall the Dedo Gallery Senior Show was full of wonderful artist, and in respect showed a even greater journey through the Fine Arts Program of Valdosta State. Caitlin is an artist that works from emotions and patterns to produce her works, which had strong compositions and great color choices. The sculptures had significant form, which kept the viewer’s eyes busy as the sculptures were observed from all sides. The encaustics were engaging, using monochromatic schemes, but were strong in the manners of how the colors worked together to convey emotions. The colors worked together, and helped to bring the composition together, as the pattern that the colors were place helped move the eyes up and down the piece, along with the dripping technique. The Gallery was presented well, with a easy to observe set up, allowing for the eyes to move freely, and the artist were easy to access, and gain knowledge on the processes and why they made their art. Lastly, the gallery was not shy in the pieces used and it allowed for a great display.

Andrew Pack is a Art Education Major in the Fine Arts Department of Valdosta State University. He was born in Savannah, Georgia and lives in Macon, Georgia. His artwork revolves around faith and struggle. Human strife is a major part of life, and having dealt with depression; he uses it as the fuel for his artwork. He draws from personal experiences such as sports that he played such as football and track, along with the enjoyment of the outdoors. The last inspiration is from faith.

A Look At The Man Behind The Canvas: Mitch Ogletree

By Sara Williams

The Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery is once again decorated to the max with tangible expressions, emotions, thoughts, and statements. Sixteen artists, all seniors who are about to graduate from Valdosta State University, are showing off their best artwork at “Convergence Senior Art Exhibition Spring 2019”; and, I get to discuss the brilliant, thought-provoking artwork of Mitch Ogletree. “How old are you, Mitch?”, I blatantly ask. Mitch sweetly smiles in my direction and says, “I’m thirty-three years old”. Mitch Ogletree, born and raised in Tifton, Georgia, is about to graduate from Valdosta State University as part of the class of 2019 with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. With a practical expression and experienced tone, he states, “It’s something I started a while ago, when I was younger.” Acknowledging the fact that he is a non-traditional student is no big deal. Life experiences and cultural observations have helped shape who he is as an artist, and a gentleman.

In our discussion of his use of skulls, hearts, and faces, I mention the idea of those things being thought of clichés in the minds of many critics. He tells me that he prefers to utilize those symbols in a unique way to connect to people on a very basic level. Indeed, the basic ideas of “death, love, and desire” drew me into the abstract symbols to contemplate the meaning behind the artworks. When I stood before Ogletree’s Self Portrait, I had that unique experience that fine art should have on a body. The faces in the oil painting directed me to look and feel and see as if they were taking over my own innate reaction to the painting. Brilliant, cool colors shift to warm colors and dark values provide dramatic contrast which further convinces me that this is a deeply emotional piece for Ogletree.

Self Portrait By Mitch Ogletree

Ogletree confesses that his life experiences and influence from the Surrealist movement have certainly been driving forces in his development as an artist. In his artist statement he uses the term, “non sequitur”, which alludes to some of the emotive juxtapositions of his work. The uncanny parallel of emotional growth and art are evident in Ogletree’s work that show the personal journey from personal lows to highs. Ogletree’s artwork indicates that he has a unique voice which may otherwise never be heard if one does not simply listen. The artwork of Mitch Ogletree is certainly an outlet for his creative overflow, but that is not the only way he chooses to release the beast. A musically inclined individual, Ogletree strums his guitar with coherent tunes to further drive home his artistic happenings. Quite a fitting addendum to this artist’s resume, Ogletree mingles one art style into another. According to Ogletree, “Music is intensely emotional, and every chord has a color and conveys a specific feeling. I enjoy the spontaneity of playing music and a feeling of progression. I would like to incorporate this into my art, by making moving images, artwork paired with music, or sequential storytelling.”

What is next for Mitch Ogletree? As with most people, the goal after graduation is to utilize that coveted degree. While a steady income is important to Ogletree, he plans to obtain employment that will fit around his artistic endeavors. Currently in the process of designing a children’s book, Ogletree’s dream of becoming a professional illustrator is becoming a reality. In addition, Ogletree is currently marketing himself and his artistry through professional websites and marketplaces which certainly add to his pursuit for success. I expect to see and hear a lot more from this artist as he is certainly a valuable asset to the collection of Valdosta State University Alumni.

Sara Williams is a Bachelor of Fine Arts student at Valdosta State University majoring in Art Education. While focusing on art education, Williams discovered valuable research in the field of art therapy. Graduate school and a career in art education or art therapy is on the horizon.

Armani Bibbs the Artist

Armani Bibbs considers himself a self-taught artist. Not taking art classes until his tenth grade year in high school, he found a love and passion for art at an early age. Born in Riverdale, Georgia, Armani spent most of his time growing up in Warner Robins, Georgia. At a young age he found a liking for art. “I remember I was in the first grade we were drawing stick figures, and I just remember mines being different from everybody else’s. Like everybody had the stick with the arms and head, but I stepped outside the box. I was the kid trying draw shirts and shoes on the stick figure, and I guess in that moment I knew I was good.” (Armani Bibbs).

Art is something that came natural to Armani. Coming to college really opened up Armani’s perspective about art. Growing up he thought of art as just being graphic design and painting and drawing. Coming to college and taking all the different classes, learning different skills boosted him as an artist.

When it comes to a specific style in art, he feels as though his art cannot be placed in a certain category because he is so diverse. The themes of most of his work deals with the African American community. He likes to create art that his culture can understand and relate to. “Say for instance like if I were to paint a painting of kids playing in the street, in a neighborhood. I would put a big street light in the center with the light out. Growing up if you were black, you knew to be at home before the street lights go off.” (Armani Bibbs).

“Implied” 18 x 24″ watercolor paint on canvas.

His most recent works has a similar theme, he focuses on the identity of a black man. In his the senior show his piece entitled “Implied”, is an 18×24 inch water color painting featuring a famous artist/actor Childish Gambino. This peace to Armani signified being black at all the wrong times. In the background of the painting he painted certain phrases like “when I walk, when I talk, when I sleep, when I breath” referencing that even doing those simple things as a black man sometimes is wrong in the view of the oppressors eyes. The main subject in the foreground has his arms stretched out with his hands making a gun symbol. Knowing your history on current issues with police and African American culture, you would know that a simple playful gesture as such could cause a black man to lose his life. Continue reading Armani Bibbs the Artist

Anything but Death

by Joseph Mays

Ashley Smith is a senior Art major at Valdosta State University, and plans to graduate in May of this year with a BFA. She is originally from Atlanta, but lived in Saint Simes Island for the majority of her life. When it comes to her creative process, Smith says that she usually starts off with a base concept. Next, she chooses her media based off what would work best with the specific idea. From there, she makes sketches that will guide her in the actual creation of her piece. Sometimes, however, for certain works, it may be in her favor to choose her media beforehand. Smith also notes that if the work is graphic design related, there may be times where the sketching process is digital rather that the old-fashioned pencil and paper. There also may be instances where the work is for a client, meaning it will be less personal to you, causing you to have to remove yourself from the work itself to an extent. In situations like this, Smith says that she still tries to incorporate themes that are a part of her style. Ashley Smith is greatly influenced by Hosanna Rubio, a metalsmith, whom Smith says incorporates moths and bone structures into much of her work, something that she often does herself. Along with concept, Smith is also fond of the way Rubio approaches her work in general.

Smith sees death as a “timely conclusion rather than an abrupt end.” She feels that death is seen as a taboo topic nowadays so she uses symbols of death, mostly from nature, to ease into the conversation. “If you’re going to talk about death, it is essential to talk about life first,” Smith says when explaining her reasoning behind much of her work. “To speak about the end (death) before we actually get there would be incomplete” she says, which is why life itself is also a focal point in some of her work. Often times, Smith uses her work to either describe and/or accentuate her own personal experiences.

The Days That Followed is a silkscreen piece that shows an older male sitting alone at a table, specifically in a dining room. The man shown is actually Smith’s grandfather and if you look closely you can see a faint outline of a person sitting across from the table. This faintness is Smith’s nana. The concept around this piece is the grief that is carried by her grandfather after the passing of his wife, Smith’s nana. Memento Mori is a digital animation that also focuses on the concept of death. In the short clip we see a moth sitting on an insect zapper, and as it flies off another insect comes and lands on the object. Upon making contact with it, the insect is zapped and falls to the ground. The moth shown is the death’s-head hawkmoth which is known for having a skull-like image on its back. This specific insect is used a lot in pop culture to represent death and Smith says that in order to live, we must remember that life will end. The fly getting zapped at the end adds comic relief and represents a way for people to ease into the topic of death.

Come Undone is a woodcut piece that is personal to Smith because it conceptually portrays a medical condition known as cleft lip, a condition in which an opening or split in the upper lip occurs during the facial development of an unborn baby. Smith was born with cleft lip and has had multiple surgeries to correct it. She once had a dream that those surgeries were undone, which inspired this elevated piece that is supposed to show the many transformations that take part within our lives. About 1-in-700 people are born with cleft lip, making it rather common, yet not many people talk about it. Smith hopes this piece can spark conversation surrounding the condition.

Lastly, Protect Me From The Past is a mixed media piece done with copper, enamel, and textiles. It is said that birthmarks represent how you died in the past life. This piece is done in the shape of a shoulder pad that can sit on one’s shoulder, the place of Smith’s birthmark. This formed metal has the life cycle of a beetle across it, an insect that represents rebirth, which should in turn help one to live. On the inside there are embroideries that make the metal comfortable to sit upon one’s shoulder. Psychopomps, creatures that can move between life and death, are another important part of this piece.

In today’s society, discussions revolving around death are often frowned upon. Ashley Smith understands this and, through her work, creates pieces that can be used as activators to open up the discussion about an such an inevitable topic.

Joseph Mays is a Bachelor of Art Student at Valdosta State University. With a focus in graphic design, Joseph’s passion for art and design has grown over the years and plans to graduate and pursue a career in the art field.

Senior Show Spotlight: Jasmine Allen

Photo of Jasmine Allen taken by Jasmine Frazier ©

Jasmine Allen lives a double life. By day she’s an art student. To class she sported a simple Black turtleneck and a pair of blue jeans- a look reminiscent of Steve Jobs. Except this Steve Jobs donned a pair of Nike Air Max 95s. It’s been a full week since the Seniors had their Opening Exhibition Convergence. Even though the seniors have had their show, the school work continues to flow for Allen. We talk about all the projects she still has due while she grabs a snack from the vending machine. Like all seniors, she’s so ready to be done with school, one facet of her double life. By night, Allen is the CEO and Creative Director for Ugly Urban, a Georgia-based street-wear brand. Ugly Urban or UURBN prides itself on transmitting a message of love, power, and overcoming barriers through different media such as printmaking, fashion, and even furniture. When you ask Allen why the brand is called that, she’d quickly respond, “It’s the ugly struggle to defy urban stereotypes.” Personally, I connect with that meaning. In a world where urban can be easily pinned as another word for black, there are plenty of stereotypes in need of defying. Urban culture is often alienated in higher-class circles, but Ugly Urban is meant to serve as the warm embrace for the alienated. Through street-wear silhouettes and witty Instagram captions, Allen has captured an audience of fellow culture enthusiasts, and outcasts.

“It was a feeling of accomplishment,” She stated when asked how she felt about being a graduating senior showing art in the senior show. “Because, nobody really thought I was going to finish my work, so me finishing it, and feeling as if I did a good job, it makes me feel accomplished. I still get compliments about some of the pieces. Somebody told me this morning that they were dope.”

Image of Jasmine Allen's artwork — D.U.S Series (Red)

VSU’s Dedo Maranville Gallery houses 16 seniors’ pieces, and Allen has 3 pieces in the show. The three pieces include: D.U.S. (Series), UURBN Throne, and UURBN Wardrobe. “Which is your favorite?” I asked. She took a long pause and said the UURBN Wardrobe. The piece she’s referring to is a slim yet tall wardrobe. Standing at 6ft, the Wardrobe towers over Allen’s small person. The wardrobe is made of wood that has been stained black, and is fashioned with glass on the doors and lights included inside to illuminate the clothes, all easily identified as UURBN by their similar logo bearing the Defy Urban Stereotypes motif. I immediately asked, “Why is this one your favorite?” It didn’t take long for her to reply, “Because it was the piece I did outside of school. I literally had to watch a You-tube video and prove to myself I could do it. I had to figure out how to figure it out.” I can’t help but be impressed about how this small woman managed to build such a tall structure. The clothes inside are just as important as the wardrobe encapsulating them. Hanging within the wardrobe are hoodies, tee-shirts, and jerseys, all coveted street-wear essentials. The fashion of UURBN takes inspiration from a hip-hop influenced 90s era. Hip-Hop enthusiasts can clearly recall a time when sporting your favorite brand’s jersey was a huge trend in parties and music videos. Wearing the jersey of a champion made you feel like you were one too, like you’re part of the team. Taking a look at the clothes, it’s clear to see that Allen seeks to bring that same feeling of camaraderie back with her ‘UURBN’ jerseys.

I found it appropriate to inform Allen that the UURBN Throne is my personal favorite piece of hers. The Throne is a chair built of the letters U-U-R-B-N. One could clearly tell that repetition is clearly important to Allen. Allen uses these letters to create a visual language based off of urbanism and self-pride. The Chair, similar to the wardrobe, is made of black stained wood. This piece of furniture is also ornamented with a series of small interlocking ‘UU’ logos. Thematically it pairs well with the Wardrobe because they are so similar in aesthetic. Although the pieces aren’t directly next to each other, they still converse as harmonious pieces of artistic furniture crafted in the same family. “I painted it black because black is my favorite color. Black can be a symbol of power and royalty, which is why it’s a throne, but really black is my favorite color.” Allen shared with me that the throne is meant to empower whoever is sitting on it. Since the piece acts as an accessory of luxury, the user of the piece assumes the role of royalty. “What would sitting in this chair make me the king of?” “The chair is a symbol of royalty within the community. It’s a symbol of Kingship and Queenship. I didn’t want to limit it to just one gender. Whoever chooses to sit in it is considered royalty regardless of gender and skin color. I speak on urban from the perspective of a Black Woman because that’s all I know, but UURBN doesn’t exclude anyone.”

Lastly, the piece that Allen and I could both agree to have a special connection with is D.U.S. Series. The piece is a portrait of a man, whose face is covered by a butterfly. The figure of man and butterfly sits carefully placed on top of a colorful circle and the phrase “Defy Urban Stereotypes” is repeated behind. The series is able to be differentiated piece by piece with the circle that sits behind the man’s head. The circle varies in color; blue, red, yellow. The meaning to this piece was shared as a caption posted to Ugly Urban’s Instagram page just days before the show. The special meaning read, “Celebration of the black man. Often times black men don’t get the necessary praise they deserve, so with this piece I took a friend of mine and covered his face to take away the identity because sometimes we only treat people a certain way due to their affiliation with us when in actuality everyone deserve the same respect you give to the people you love. I used Red to represent power, love, and determination. Yellow to represent joy, happiness, and intellect. Blues represents trust, loyalty, and confidence. These words are used to combat the negativity that is formed against the black male. Love your brother and mate and uplift him so that he can be the leader he’s destined to be. Defy urban stereotypes.”

Rasheem Callender is a Fine Arts student from Atlanta, GA. While in undergrad, Callender is focusing on graphic design and printmaking. After graduating, Callender will attend grad school with the expectation of becoming an art director or a curator.

2019 Convergence Senior Exhibition: Zaadia Flores

VSU Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery, *Convergence: Senior Art Exhibition Spring 2019*, 2 May 2019, flyer

Zaadia Flores is a Senior Bachelor of Fine Arts major at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. She was born in Belize City, Belize. But, she transferred to Valdosta State University in 2017 to complete her last two years of college. During her art career, Flores has created and conveyed visual and tactile finishes in media such as ceramics, printmaking, photography, and metalsmithing. Flores presented a total of four artworks for the “Valdosta State University Dedo Maranville 2019 Senior Exhibition.” The three abstract color photography artworks and one fabric and metal artwork consisted of visual and tactile textures. Oneirodynia was made from fibers and metal. The other three artworks were digital photography: Granmamare, Volneniye, and Creation of Adam.

Continue reading 2019 Convergence Senior Exhibition: Zaadia Flores

Senior show: Allyson Doyal

By Daniel Carter

Allyson Doyal is an artist whose main inspiration for her work lies in her love for nature and mythology. Doyal’s artwork consists of instillation pieces, all combining her love for nature and mythology within each piece. From her wine bottles instillation’s Dionysus, to her Aristaeus glass bottles, Doyal’s fascination with the ancient mythology and nature is a truly marvelous sight to see.

When speaking with Doyal, one of her main reasons for her wine bottle instillation, Dionysus, was because of her grandparents and home. The piece is a representation of the Greek god of the same name. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine and one that interested her for to create a design that could wrap around the wine bottles. Her preference for choosing the simplistic design for the bottles and all of her works is based on her idea of sleek, minimalistic designs. Doyal said that her “product design incorporates aspects of Greek mythology and nature in different ways.” She mixed in her ideas of making Greek mythology modern.

Allyson Doyal, Dionysus, glass, paper, wax

One of her other works is her honey bee jars titled Aristaeus, named after the Greek god of beekeeping. Once again, this instillation shows her preference for minimalism as the design is simplistic in the design itself. When asked about why she chose this particular, Doyal spoke of having strong points in her design, but needing things to work on. She incorporates the use of nature along with Greek mythology to merge two of her interest into one single work. The bottles are simply hexagon shaped while the design used to make the logo and label uses hexagonal shapes to give a true sense of a bee hive. The colors themselves are associated with honey in order for her idea of the Greek god along with the nature that is honey for this particular work.

Allyson Doyal, Aristaeus, glass, paper

Doyal’s love of nature also drives her works. She spoke of nature being a calming space for her, and a place she can go to when in the need of time alone. While she expresses her love for nature with her art, Doyal has spoken of being someone with good ideas, but has trouble flushing them out. Doyal may say that, but her final work in the exhibition says otherwise. Her last work is the Dryad Confections, a package piece, is named after the tree spirit or tree nymph’s in Greek mythology. This is another example of Doyal’s use of graphics design, as she uses it to her advantage in order to give the work a stronger presence in its place.

Allyson Doyal, Dryad Confections, paper

Allyson Doyal uses her love for nature and Greek mythology in order to express her own style of art. She uses her skills as an artist and her knowledge of mythology to create pieces that shows her personality and work ethic. Doyal shows that her passion for nature and mythology help her show a new range of artistic diversity within the exhibition.