Echo Times

Issue date: 5/16/05 Section: A&E

Media Credit: Nick Haughton "The Piano Man" (left) a portrait of Billy Joel is part of the Annual Student Art Show on display in the Fine Arts Gallery

The annual student art exhibit was unveiled to the public on April 22 and will run through May 20. An artist reception was held April 28 where enthused patrons and proud parents were lead to the exhibit by a promenade of crushed rose petals, to enhance aesthetic appeal. Inside groups gabbed around cider and cheese, analyzing and criticizing the work posted. The College of Marin Chamber Music Ensemble sang sweet walking melodies while the ever-expressive artists were attempting to explain to each passerby what their sculpture or paintings meant. Theories of artistic influence ran wild among the guests, but the artists would later explain that the piece was a reflection on their semester in art class.
The exhibit ranges from art pieces arranged during class time to work from the artist's personal time to reproductions of fellow art students work. "The assignment was putting ourselves in 16th century clothes," said Gus Abright about his self-portrait, posed as a Gregorian monk, painted on a door. Although not all of the art in the gallery is a homework assignment, portraits are the main theme in the gallery. "The Piano Man," Billy Joel, makes an appearance on a huge oil painting. Art student Chinatsu Sugihashi's self-portrait, donned the poster highlighting the show.
Each artist formed his or her work around the examination of the ego. From the critical perspective of the expert to the free-flow hand of the novice, these painters and sculptors delved deep into their own subconscious to find exactly what they would splatter on the canvas. Hannah Hudnall's "Break the Mirror," created in her first year of art at College of Marin, described her piece as "the breaking down of the ego, Zin." Her portrayal of an airbrushed woman, piece by piece, shattered into chaos, hangs at the back wall of the fine arts department. A pelvic-like design, "Bowl of Angles," was described by its creator, Laura Lee, as "a new approach to obstacles in life. Stress has an output in art."
Some pieces to check out when in the student gallery are "Inner Strength" by Frances Bram and "Untitled" by Megan Ortiz. These two pieces play with the human form in dreamlike precision. The first, "Inner Strength," is a painting of a couple in crowns surrounded by thorns, and is reminiscent of a scene from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Nights Dream."
Megan Ortiz's second "Untitled" work is a life-size woman in plaster whose body is on the verge of perfection, with her angelic face and slender, idealistic figure. There were even a few political statements made at the show. Brandon Wisecarver laid out an untitled collage reminiscent of old Dead Kennedy's record sleeves. Stating that art is a place for action as much as it is expression.
The gallery is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many paintings are for sale so they won't be around to view forever. And maybe there's a 5-foot black metal humanoid statue that would look great next to your keg bucket.

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