Blackbridge Hall to house senior shows
At the end of each semester, the gallery in Blackbridge Hall fills with student works. These pieces are the culmination of an art degree; students host senior shows where their work is on display for a week at a time.
“My show is three large photo collages,” Nichols said. “It breaks up stereotypes and shows that we’re made up of lots of different parts.”
Nichols will present her senior art show Nov. 16 in the Blackbridge Hall Gallery, finalizing a yearlong process of brainstorming, researching artists and gallery space and producing artwork.
The senior art show is the big show that all studio art majors must present during their last semester at GCSU. From start to finish, the show takes a full year to prepare.
“The first semester reviews are very vague,” Cynthia Brinich-Langlois, visiting senior thesis exhibition professor, said. “It’s like brainstorming. Students put all their ideas out their and get feedback.”
By the end of first semester, students generally have a clearer vision of their final idea. Over summer or winter break, students work on their art, and at the start of their second semester, they start planning the show space.
Ideas are apt to change as the seniors work on their projects and research other artists. Nichols changed her concept over summer break.
“You have to do what you feel strongest about and confident you can follow through with,” Nichols said. “Even though painting is my main concentration, I’m a photographer and a musician. It’s hard to choose which medium to go with.”
The art department offers two different studio tracks: fine art and general art, both of which require a senior art show. Fine art students present in Blackbridge Hall or another place of their choice, and general art students must make their own arrangements for space.
While Nichols took the fine art track, senior Laurene Greene chose to take the general route with her paintings.
“So far, I have four paintings completed that I want to incorporate in my show next semester,” Greene said. “Right now, I’m just trying to produce as many quality eligible pieces as I can.”
With a general art studio concentration, seniors meet with their advisor weekly to discuss ideas, research and progress. The fine art studio seniors meet with their advisors weekly, and they present their plans in the form of reviews.
At informal reviews, seniors set up tables in a studio class and share their ideas with the art department faculty and various art students. During the formal reviews, seniors show their outlined plan for the show.
“It’s scary to be in front of faculty,” Nichols said. “They are helping you, but they are also challenging you.”
For most students, the senior art show is their first big artist presentation. Giving an artist talk and facing the question and answer time can be nerve wracking.
“It’s really a year long process. I don’t think you realize that till the end,” Nichols said. “This is my idea, my creation, what my whole college career has been leading up to.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Nov 13 2009. Filed under Features.
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