Senior Caitlyn Van Es recently presented her senior art show on the second floor of the Old Factory coffee shop. The show, titled “me & trees,” contained several pieces bringing to life Caitlyn’s fascination of nature. The show’s opening reception was on Monday, March 21, and it ran through the middle of this week.
“Obviously there are a lot of people on campus that don’t know me well and others that I do not know well, but I hope that through this show I am able to display a piece of who I am,” Van Es said. “And I am completely honored and blessed in the way I am able to do that as an art student.”
The show focuses on many of Van Es’ life experiences and many of her memories of the outdoors as a child. In her bio, Van Es said, “through the stretching and growing of my life and experiences, I am learning of the expanse of what I call home. I have learned through my love of nature and the comfort of my Creator in the peace of the woods, that maybe my home is just me & trees.”
Van Es’ favorite piece in the show also happens to be her hardest piece.
“The most time consuming piece was the work entitled ‘Pieces’,” Van Es said. “The finished product looks like a woven pillow, which is true. But the fabric I used was my grandparent’s old clothing, flannels and T-shirts that I cut, braided, wove and sew to form the pillow. It was a sculpture that I made for a Sculpture class assignment freshman year, but is definitely one of my favorite, time consuming and heartfelt pieces.”
An art/graphic design and business marketing double major, Van Es likes to make her art very personal.
“Art for me is more of a way to look back on memories and make a piece with a story,” Van Es said. “If you walk through my show you can see all of the reasons I have made certain pieces and the stories behind them, and that is the way I like to use art. I really just make art for myself, and if other people enjoy it, that is a bonus,” Van Es said.
Van Es chose the Old Factory second floor loft as the art show’s venue because it offers her a feeling of home.
“The main reason why I chose the Old Factory was for the ‘home’ factor,” Van Es said. “I think it is hard to argue with the comfort and hospitality that the Old Factory offers, and I just wanted to join in on that feeling and invite others into my ‘home’ as well.”
In June after graduating, Van Es will begin a full time job as the Communications Coordinator at First Reformed Church in Sioux Center.
