McNamee Gallery unveils diverse talents
Art galleries are places of solitude and reflection. The McNamee Gallery, located on SLU’s campus, however, provides an additional dimension to the exhibit, with the knowledge that the creations are by fellow students. It is a pleasure to view the work of peers. Open until April 24, the annual student art exhibit in the McNamee Gallery offers an example of the exemplary talents of SLU’s fine arts students.
SLU art students’ talents fill the room with both quiet profundity- found in a canvas painting titled “Pictures of People Named Patrick,” by Cara Grace Kissell, and vibrant expression found in a painting titled “An Actress of Chinese Opera,” by Jingnan Zhang. There are some self-portraits, some fantasy-themed scenes, a few landscapes and religious-themed work, such as the striking painting “Crucifixion,” by Lacy Shreves, which provides an intimate perspective of Jesus on the cross.
The oil paintings on canvas, spaced throughout the gallery, are the most eye-catching due to their size and colors. The art is arranged to complement nearby works. Arguably, the piece titled “Silver Linings,” by Emily Drenovsky, is the focal point of the gallery. Upon walking inside, it is impossible not to notice the piece’s landscape of trees with sunshine breaking through the clouds to reveal the bright, blue sky. The effect of the colors is both piercing and calming; it effectively portrays optimism and hope- like the title suggests.
The diversity of mediums and subjects in the gallery enhances the exhibit. The assortment continually introduces new approaches to admire, as the viewer takes a turn around the room. Techniques such as monoprint, ghost monotype, India ink, dry point, and linotype printmaking are present in the exhibit; while paintings and drawings utilize mediums in graphite, pencil, charcoal, watercolor, oil paint and more. Sculptural artwork, created from clay stoneware, foam and even cardboard, enriches the display of students’ artwork. Further originality in the gallery draws together the worlds of literature and art, with famous poems manipulated by an artist. Without a doubt, in the McNamee Gallery, SLU’s fine-arts students have created an array of works, which can be appreciated by a vast audience.
Overall, the annual student art exhibit is worth taking a step inside. One graphic design piece full of color, like a kaleidoscope, changes with a step back or forward — the shapes and lines of the design are actually letters of the alphabet creating the fascinating pattern. Herein lies the allure of art; take a step back, and everything changes. Try a different perspective, and what was thought to be absolute becomes a multitude of possibilities.
