KRISTEN ENGLERT
Staff Writer
Walking by the Weisman Museum, one might not understand the beauty that it holds, or that it has 3,000 square feet of exhibition space and temporarily hosts 8 to 10 exhibitions each season.
By stepping into a world unknown to many, the artists allow Pepperdine students and Los Angeles and Malibu locals the chance to slip away and discover a new perspective.
“Ransomed,” the Senior Exhibition, opens today with a reception from 6-8 p.m. to meet and greet the artists. The reception is a wonderful time to get to know the artists, read their profiles and take in the beauty that is their art. As per the exhibit, it is not only a time for the seniors to show off their masterpieces, but also a time to be recognized by their peers. Currently filled with work ranging in media from painting and sculpture to sculpture installations and projected images, one could never guess that all these amazing pieces were done by students all under the age of 25.
“My passion is people, changing lives and relationships, and art is that,” said senior Chelsea Akins.
For many of the seniors, art is a way of embracing a period in their life and reflecting it in their art. On behalf of Akins, it was in her senior debut of her piece, “Good Day Bad Day,” that she let her passion bleed through. After experiencing what she says to be “an emotional, growing year,” her love for art is revealed in her pieces.
Preparing for the exhibition is a long and strenuous assignment. Although it consists of long nights and lots of emotions, the redeeming qualities at the end make it worthwhile.
“Ransomed” is the equivalent of a senior thesis and the culmination of four years as an art student. This year there are 13 seniors in the show, which is a considerable increase from previous years. In order to be featured in the showcase, one must be a fine art major graduating from Pepperdine in April.
The students start working on their projects in the fall and spend all eight months focused entirely on their end goal. The objective of the showcase is for the seniors to show what they’ve learned and ultimately produce a unique masterpiece to highlight their success.
“The students are required to come up with original, fresh pieces that reflect a perspective of who they are,” said Michael Zakian, director of the Weisman Museum since 1995.
For senior Joseph Mullins, his art is about music.
“Guitars can be likened to people in their shapes and parts because they like to sing music,” Mullins said.
His piece is an abstract piece of broken guitars hung by a noose. They are hung to show the symbolism in destroying and taking life away.
For every student, art becomes a simple piece of reflection – a reflection of their personality, beliefs and lifestyles. Whether it be shown through sculptures, oil paintings or lightened sculptures, art ultimately shows emotions behind the artist.
Senior Kelly Voyles broke the typical stereotype of an art show with her unique sculptural art. Her technique is in found object art, for which she has collected pieces for over two and a half years. By collecting what seems like useless objects, Kelly creates her masterpieces. She describes her art as a transformation from one state of being to another.
“There’s life from decay and (the sculptures) are supposed to reflect and show the human soul and spirit,” Voyles said.
The featured students are Chelsea Akins, Jaeae An, Anne Catchings, Caroline Coffee, April Felchner, Stephanie Griffin, Kristin John, Joseph Mullins, Emily Rath, Briana Scammehorn, William Sykes, Kelly Voyles and John Welde.
04-10-2008
