From left: Ross, Graber and Brown present their work to family and friends at an Open House Exhibit Feb. 28, 2016. Photo by Meg Short
By Meg Short
Bluffton seniors Beth [R]oss, Abby [G]raber, and Jenny [B]rown presented their artwork Sunday, Feb. 28 to a crowd of around 150 at the Grace Albrecht Art Gallery inside Sauder Visual Art Center.
“The attendance to this particular exhibit was larger than normal,” said Phil Sugden, assistant professor of art. “These are some of our best students, and this show brought in quite a few more admirers of the student’s works.”
The show, named ‘RGB’, was a nod to the first initials in the student’s last names, and the acronym for the additive color system that uses red, green and blue to make other colors.
All three students are graphic design majors. Ross, from Paulding, Ohio, has a minor in photography. Graber, from Goshen, Ind., has an art minor. Brown, from St. Mary’s, Ohio, also has a photography minor.
Brown’s favorite class taken at Bluffton is Alternative Digital Print, but she has dabbled in ceramics and other fine art mediums during her time as a student. Her inspiration for the pieces she chose to showcase in the show was the insecurities people have, and how they deal with them.
Graber chose Digital Imaging as her favorite course. While her major dealt with digital work, the art minor allowed her to explore her theme, functionality and transformation of art pieces, through drawing, oil painting and ceramics.
Ross’s favorite memory while at Bluffton was when one of the art professors sent her a text message praising her work, and saying the art department was proud of her. Her work at the show, mainly series of photographs, explored the things within herself that make her feel comforted.
The senior’s work set up in the Grace Albrecht Gallery. Photo courtesy of Bluffton University Art Department.
Positive feedback on the show from friends and family members was given freely, and the response did not go unnoticed by the exhibitors. “I know I really appreciated that so many friends and family came out to support Beth, Jenny and I, and celebrate the past 4 years of artwork we’ve spent so many hours creating,” said Graber.
The university added graphic design to its list of majors in 2012 with the completion of the Mac lab and lecture area that make up the Hester Graphic Arts Studio inside the building.
Though the senior shows are always one of the highest-attended exhibits, due to families coming from out of town, Sugden thought that the particularly large attendance of this show was due in part to the professional quality of work from the three students.
“This was definitely one of the strongest senior shows we have had in years,” he said.
The exhibit opened Feb. 22 and ran through March 4.
