Inspired by everything from the birth of new nieces and nephews to God and real life stories, three Northwestern seniors have utilized paint, graphite, film, ink, ceramics, photography and more to create a collaborative senior art exhibit.
The exhibit, which was created by art majors Moriah Maquin Anderson, Elizabeth Myers and Stephanie Parnell, is available for viewing in the Te Paske Gallery through April 2.
The three seniors not only encourage students to enjoy the viewing but also “to pick up a pencil or paint brush and feel free to create and tell their own stories,” Myers said.
Anderson believes that through sharing her own experiences with her audiences through art, “maybe they can discover something new within themselves.”
One obvious aspect of the show is the variety of mediums on display. Parnell will be displaying acrylic and ink paintings, hand-built and thrown ceramics, photography, linoleum plate prints, graphic designs and a plastic sculpture.
“I have found all of these mediums to have something special about them,” Parnell said. “I’ve been experimenting with all of the materials throughout my years here at NW.”
Some of the artists’ favorites include Anderson’s “Essex Series,” Myers’ “Bubbles” and Parnell’s “Which Way.” Inspired by the story that drove Herman Melville to write Moby Dick, Anderson’s drawing comes from a true story about a whaling ship called “The Essex” that is destroyed by a whale. “I wanted to explore why this happened, the consequences of our actions, and what we can learn from this situation,” Anderson said.
The seniors’ art exhibit, which is a partial fulfillment of a requirement for a bachelor’s degree in art, is another résumé- builder as graduation approaches. Previously from Bismarck, N. D., Anderson plans to pursue a career in graphic design. Parnell, a Fairmont, Minn. native, looks to find a job in logo design and magazine layout.
Hailing from Sibley, Iowa, Myers will be attending Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Enrolling for illustration of children’s literature, Myers’ regrets her past struggles to enjoy reading.
“If I can draw a child’s attention to reading through visual stories, maybe they will learn to love reading,” Myers said.
Anderson, Myers and Parnell share the sentiment that creating is an instinctive reaction to life “My inspiration comes from things that I love or enjoying doing,” Parnell stated, and thus, they feel connected to God through it. As Myers said, “I can praise him as I create my art, which ultimately is his art.”
