Senior Spotlight: Jen Stephenson

Jen Stephenson (LaGrange, KY) worked with linwood, ebony pencil, wood, mulch, paper and platform fabrication -- a bit of departure from her intense and overt use of cicada or snake shells. Her aim was just the same, to remind us of the importance of the nature's many lessons. But with an attempt at listening "her" in deft and more patient ways. Two six-foot sections of log standing upright are the main subjects of the installation, and viewers are invited to step up onto the tree's supporting bases to experience the work in a more personal way. 

*The image below is a detailed view of other smaller podium pieces also included in the installation.  

As a child, I spent my days outdoors; exploring, climbing, and playing in the woods that were my backyard. As the years progressed I left that woods behind, but my fascination with nature stayed with me and grew stronger, nurtured by constant study and experience. This passion began to be reflected in my art early on, and has been a favorite theme of mine that has guided my art making and process. I prefer working with natural materials and imagery, as I feel that it imparts a sense of the spirit of the world into my projects. -- Jen Stephenson

Jen Stephenson,  Lend Me Your Ear, and I Will Lend You My Spirit (detail of the installation) 

Jen is one of the five BA candidates in why is this happening? (2013 Senior Thesis, ART455). Please revisit the last week's expos on Daniel, Lauren and Elizabeth, and look for Kayleigh in the coming days. 

why is this happening?

Senior Art Exhibition 2013 

March 22 - April 5, 2013

reception, lecture and screening: Friday, March 22, 5 – 7 PM

For more information please follow Anne Wright Wilson Fine Arts Gallery, Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/galleries/ or https://www.facebook.com/whyisthishappening2013

Jeanette Tesmer, Director of Art Galleries and Curator of Collections
E-mail: jeanette_tesmer@georgetowncollege.edu
Phone: 502-863-8399

Boris Zakic, Professor of Art

E-mail: boris_zakic@georgetowncollege.edu
Phone: 502-863-8107

Black History Month and other links

The largest art theft in U.S. history occurred in Boston on March 18, 1990, when 12 paintings collectively worth $100 million were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum by two thieves posing as police officers. (via)

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The Huffington Post closed out Black History Month but highlighting 30 Contemporary Art Makers Under 40 You Should Know 

"As Black History Month comes to a close, we've picked 30 young black artists who are contributing to the ongoing conversation of race and representation in contemporary art. Whether through sculpture, photography, video or performance, each artist illuminates the complexity of the self with a unique and bold vision." (All photos from The Huffington Post article) 

Look at these awesome photographs of kids portraying prominent black figures in honor of Black History Month by Eunique Jones Gibson. You can go to the website here.

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Guest Post by Catherine Shelburne

Drawing Exhibition Comes to Georgetown College: Experts’ Theories on Drawings, Methods, and Artist Selection

By: Catherine Shelburne, freshman, intended art major

All that attended Tuesday’s “State of Drawing” found the gallery show to be impressive. The Anne Wright Wilson Fine Arts Gallery currently holds drawing samples that represent art faculty from almost every college in Kentucky. Many of the artists whose work is shown said they enjoyed the range of pieces, and one artist, Russel Weedman of the University of the Cumberlands, described the show as “beautiful and diverse.” It goes without saying that everyone enjoyed themselves and the artwork, but I found myself enraptured not just by the breathtaking artwork but also by the round table panel discussion. Moderated by our own Professor Boris Zakic, the panel consisted of gallery directors Andrea Fisher of Transylvania University, Ester Randall of Eastern Kentucky University, Kristina Arnold of Western Kentucky University, and Jason Franz director of Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center in Cincinnati.

The panel generally agreed upon the resurgence in drawing due to economic and technological changes in the past century, and the shift in the hierarchy of artistic media. They also all generally believed that a drawing needed energy and je ne sais quoi to please them, but what made the discussion so interesting was not the agreement, but the disagreement. The contrasting views gave everybody something to think about. Is that not the best part of academic discussion?

Most exciting were the varied teaching methods. While Fisher declared a more liberating drawing class with mixed media and less attention to technical skill best, Franz found that the rules imposed upon students while learning the foundational skills of drawing encouraged creativity within a structured setting and fostered free expression in more advanced levels of studio classes. Arnold looked for a happy balance because she often starts drawing classes traditionally but grows tired of what seems to her that repetitive teaching style. Abandoning the structure mid semester, she branches out into other media forms. These teachers, all from different schools and backgrounds, have such different ideas about the best methods of instruction. I look forward to the crop of new artists Kentucky will soon have under the tutelage of these fine people.

The panel also discussed the selection of works. Fisher once again wanted to see more popular modern drawing styles such as anime and cartooning. She found this exhibition traditional in its selection, and assumed the cause was the generation of the artists selected to contribute. She suggested a gallery show filled with the drawings of the students instead of the professors. This statement most likely got almost every student artist in the room thinking about what they would like to see or present to the public. Franz disagreed about the generational gap, and Randall found it interesting that the works selected by the artists did possess some traditional thinking. It gave rise to many other unanswered questions about the cause of the traditionalism, the affects of the age gap between professor and student, and how they played a role in the works selected.

So many questions, so many ideas, so much to think about! I could not imagine a better way to spend my Tuesday evening, and if you haven’t seen the show yet you should definitely look, observe, see what I am talking about for yourself. The exhibition “State of Drawing” is on view until December 15^th. The works will only make you think about all the wonderful possibilities the art world has in Kentucky.