Digital Commons Network^™

Remnants & Recollections, Ashley Reagan

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

Within my work, I explore a relationship between nature and memory. In both nature and the mind’s processes of cataloguing previous experiences, forms can become pervasive, overgrown, untamed, be lost, or be found, perhaps changed by their surroundings. Each piece explores not only the easily forgettable side of latent recollection, but also the recurring and insistent nature of traumatic memories.

In each ceramic memory-scape, photographs transferred onto forms lost and buried in the foliage both represent memories and express the ways our minds catalog experiences. These memories become lost over time, details blurring, deteriorating and often deforming until only remnants …

The Pursuit Of Happiness, Delaney Rogers

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

Perfection, it is the expectation perpetuated by mass media. We are spoon-fed the propaganda of the American Dream through sex-filled advertisements of beer and food our entire lives. Anything less than a god-fearing nuclear family eating three square name-brand meals a day and wearing the newest clothes is seen as a moral failing. We willingly participate in the capitalist game of conformity, it doesn’t have to be policed, only continually advertised. How far can this go until it becomes a cult mindset? And does any of this actually equate to happiness?

I am depicting a “fictional” world where social conformity …

Kiley Cox Art 399 Digital Commons, Kiley Cox

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My artwork uses the organic forms found in nature as metaphors to express human emotions. The incorporation of nature is used as a tool to evoke a sense of community as it is something that we all appreciate collectively. My drawings are made to be relatable in that way so that different viewers can have different interpretations. For some people, they can evoke a sense of happiness or nostalgia, while for others it can create a feeling of sadness or being overwhelmed.

My drawing process is improvisational in nature. I discover the emotion that I want to explore through the …

James Inmon Art399 Portfolio, James Inmon

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My work has its roots in structures; the regularity of structural components feel right to me and serves as a counterpoint to the visual noise of the natural world. My most recent work has focused on houses and home structures. Most contemporary houses are only a slight variation on one another, and there doesn’t seem to be too many models to choose from. The suburbs are full of sameness which can become pattern. This observation sparked my interest, so with my latest pieces I’ve been exploring this idea of multiplicity in a suburban setting, whether it be with a watercolor …

Utariusart399portfolio, Murray State University

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My art is a visual representation of my emotions and the things I cannot say through the use of portraits and flowers. When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, this flower will have a different meaning to every person who holds it. The living beings and things I am painting are my outward expression of my experiences and the people in my life, but they can be understood in infinite ways by viewers. Art to me is a free space; a place with no rules, no restrictions, and no wrong way of doing anything, …

Fife, Malcolm Art 399 Portfolio, Malcolm Fife, Malcolm Fife

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My life would make a perfect decadent novel. Nothing happens, but it happens with style. The time we live in now is an exceedingly decadent one, and I am interested in making connections and comparisons to periods of historical decadence. Aesthetically and thematically I am interested in the art and literature of the 1890s and 1920s, especially the Aesthetic, Decadent, and Art Nouveau movements. Art that is ornate and intricate attracts me. Superfluous ornament is something that makes life more bearable. One way this shows up is a consistent use of historical settings in my work. The people in my …

Archie Hardesty Art 399 Portfolio, Archie Hardesty

Professional Practices (ART 399)

The queer lifestyle fascinates me because of all the different facets that the queer community has within it. The ideas of love, intimacy, safety, feelings, confusion, pride, sex etc. are so pervasive within this community that all of it swirls into one big melting pot. My work reflects the confusion that is seen with the two juxtaposing sides of the queer community but also the stereotypes and lifestyle choices the straight community throws at me.

When thinking of my work the first word that comes to mind should be “gender binary.” Where do I fall into this binary as a …

Autumn Brown Art399 Portfolio, Autumn Brown

Professional Practices (ART 399)

It is easier to approach a difficult topic if it isn’t immediately posed as threatening or sacred. The viewer’s ability to enjoy my pieces, regardless of their prior experience with the subject matter, is my priority. My primary means of creating my work is through drawing, with the end products taking the form of animations and zines. Sequential art provides a unique opportunity to form a relationship with the viewer during the short time they interact with the piece, which many drawings can’t accomplish in the same way. Zines and animations are highly shareable and exist as an experience as …

Conner Murt Art399 Portfolio, Conner Murt

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Conner Murt

Artist/Design Statement

These photographs capture raw moments of people’s lives, without artistic fabrication, communicating a sense of candor and ingenuity in each photograph.There is an absence of a figure, yet obvious fingerprints have been left on the space due to its unique nature. Most easily explained, taking pictures of things that stand out mentally in a personal sense, have unique characteristics, and can illustrate only portions of a destination, without giving away all of the specifics of that said place are what is photographed within this work. The search that is involved in finding the spaces for the …

Strange Fruit, Tia Whitaker

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

As a young child, I was always interested in history. I found it fascinating how big or small events, directly or indirectly, affected the life that I am now living in today. Although my hometown was small, the history of it was enormous. Trips to the city museum fueled my love for history and the desire to learn even more about myself, my town, and my country. Being a person of color, I was aware of the adversity that my people have faced. Knowing the turbulent history that African Americans have faced in this country has always inspired me to …

Changed Trauma, Jessica Free

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

Changed Trauma

In this collection, I am exploring my past trauma that I have obtained as a result of the abuse I experienced years ago. Although my experiences from the 5 years of abuse were bad, the good now overrides the bad. Through these experiences, I have grown into a strong independent person as I have gotten over them through forgiveness and time. Often associated with place, I have never forgotten the memories but I continue to grow from them. Time is a heavy component in this collection. To emphasize this, I used black and white photography to make the …

Black Mass, Courtney Bowman

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

The Black Mass is beginning soon. It is a safe space for women and queer folk alike. Joining the journey that is the Black Mass will take you on an adventure you never thought would become reality and will make you constantly question if it is so. The Black Mass is like rain on a sunny day. It is comfort — It is a sense of togetherness you never knew you needed.

Through multi-media I retell stories and ideas based in the occult while unapologetically situating them within the queer and female communities to which they have historically belonged. Letting …

Unprecedented, Emma Mitchell

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

The broad concept behind my work is that of acceptance for one’s true form. As someone who struggles with self-acceptance, building ceramic sculptures bearing flaws and strange features has been a sort of therapy. When looking at my work, the viewer should feel empowered and safe in their own skin. They should see a reflection of their own flaws and insecurities in my sculptures, and feel a sense of belonging.

Out of the five senses, the one I resonate with most is touch. In all ceramic work, touch is utilized in the making; whether the finished product is meant to …

Unprecedented, Drey Reed, Drey Reed

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

My goal as a designer is to draw the audience’s eye, making it clear what information is most important. I make my designs visually pleasing through the overall layout and use of color combinations. Recently I have discovered an interest in character design. I aim to improve diversity seen in tv, comics, and video games. Which is why I have decided to focus on designing a more diverse character, in this case one that is based off myself, half white and half black. I designed this character with the intent of him being in an animated tv show, which is …

The Whole Shabang, Allison Pitt

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

My art is a combination of my two favorite things; painting and food. I use my paintings to communicate my relationship with food. Over time, my love for food has transformed into a disgusting obsession. This is shown in my work, as I display all of my favorite foods and drinks, in a manner that is unsettling. This reflects my feelings after a binge of food or my ever changing relationship with the foods that I love. I also discuss the image of my own body, and how I see myself in my own head. Like in my head, the …

Unprecedented: Ba/Bs Senior Exhibition Fall 2020, Samantha Tudor

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

Cryptids are heavily based on oral legends and strange occurrences. Some of these legends are based on good versus evil like the Wendigo, an evil spirit that possesses someone who commits cannibalism, and some are based on happenings that cannot be explained like the Chupacabra.

I have been fascinated by the appearance and lore of cryptids and how these stories are created. That fascination has begun to seep into my work. I am also interested in the evidence, real or fabricated, that is provided for these creatures as I create my own cryptids and compile relatable evidence to support my …

Desires Of Heart, Hsuan Hsiu Cheng

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

Desires of Heart

When I touch clay, it gives me a feeling of meditative focus and potential, but also vulnerability and surrender. I am reminded that I am His clay. “And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand” (Isaiah 64:8). Clay’s malleability allows me to put my feeling or emotion into my work. Many of my art pieces are inspired by my personal experiences and faith.

Some of my work addresses emotional feelings, like depression, struggles, peace, and joy. In my sculpture called Healing, …

Syke, Aurora Zwyghuizen

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

“Colour is, on the evidence of language alone, very bound up with feelings.” -Marion Milner

The psychology behind color has intrigued me greatly. I’ve wondered how exactly it affects people and their mood. There are many similar meanings to every color. I have been researching a set of colors and what psychologists have to respond with. With this research, I am creating an article about color and fashion; and how it can affect the wearer. I created this product using my photography and asking people how a certain color makes them feel. Every person was photographed in a public place …

Art 399 Portfolio, Christopher Gill

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Moving to Kentucky from a small Central American country has definitely shaken a lot about what I thought I knew of the world and painting is a sort of way to express what things are ‘shaking’ currently for me and how it continuously shakes me. My artwork reveals certain key points in a childhood experience unique to Belize. Imagery used and settings are strongly influenced by local art styles from the country. Strong themes of discrimination, marginalization, inner and outer dialogues about interpersonal ideas and society’s violently inflicted and delicately or sloppily treated wounds, all these ideas are set in …

Jasmine Groves Art 399 Portfolio, Jasmine Groves

Professional Practices (ART 399)

For most of us, the first space we identify ourselves with is the domestic sphere. This is where the objects and people that we have chosen (or had chosen for us) live, grow, and move about. We interact with everything differently in our domestic spaces, especially in private.

Both directly and indirectly, I have thought about this in my artwork, especially in my sculptural pieces. I am attracted to furniture, clothes, and jewelry that have been used or made to look used. I like to arrange these objects in a way that seems natural, or in a way that creates …

Suited, Twinkle Bhojwani

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

Jennifer Morla, a contemporary designer, once said, “asking questions generates more ideas.” I am an external processor, I tend to think out loud in order to generate innovative ideas. When I create work, I do not only think about solving the problem, I also think about influencing the visual world around me, because being a designer gives me power. Design helps others to see the world through my vibrant lens.

Suited is about the confidence, character, and style that comes with the decision to be bold in both attitude and appearance. I want women who see the magazine to be …

Ian Gresham Art 399 Portfolio, Ian Gresham

Professional Practices (ART 399)

I am an artist who primarily, medium-wise, works digitally in Photoshop, using a Wacom Cintiq 16 so that I may draw directly on the screen - allowing me to be especially precise when creating my work. Working digitally is mess-free, and allows me more flexibility than traditional oils and acrylics - so that I can either get rid of mistakes hassle free, or experiment without having to worry about the paint drying or the experiment turning out to not work in the end. I also just find it plain fun to use, the software is always changing and being updated, …

Emma Mitchell, Emma Mitchell

Professional Practices (ART 399)

The purest form of pleasure is found in simplicity; holding something meant to be held, touching a surface meant to be touched. My sculptural ceramic work focuses on embracing the childlike desire to reach out and touch. The textures visible on the sculptures heighten the viewer’s inclination to feel what they are seeing. Just as mugs are created to meet the lips of the drinker, my sculptures are built to meet the contours of the holder’s hands. This mirrors the effect of holding a child or caressing a loved one.

Many of my sculptures begin as a flat surface, created …

Through My Eyes, Tia Whitaker

Professional Practices (ART 399)

As a young artist growing up, I was very influenced by my small dominantly African American town in Southern Illinois. My family has always made sure that I was aware of where I came from and what I represent. This would include not only my family, but also my culture and the way that society has historically viewed people of my skin color. My community, my family, and my culture were the first things that I had to look to for inspiration and remains my biggest inspiration in my work to this day.

When considering different ideas for a piece …

Ashley Reagan Portfolio Art399, Ashley Reagan

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Nature is filled with delicate yet very resilient organisms capable of withstanding immense adversity. I utilize imagery of particular plants that flourish after natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, drought, etc., as a means of representing themes of growth and progress of the self within an environment that is inherently detrimental. Through the adornment of handbuilt ceramic boxes with imagery of these plants I am to allude to the notion that one is able to grow through even the most devastating of circumstance. I allow this metaphor to speak to not only my own personal narrative of struggle, but also …

Final Portfolio (Tudor), Samantha Tudor

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My desire to teach has been apparent since elementary school when I used to dress up as a teacher for career day. As I grew, my desire to teach art specifically became clear, and I enrolled at Murray State in order to get my Art Education Degree and Teaching Certification.

As an artist, my greatest motivation is the exploration and discovery of the processes related to different media. I am most satisfied when I am learning a new skill or material that will become part of my teaching tool kit. I feel lucky that this fits with my goal of …

Whole Shabang, Aman Madan

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

Aman Madan

Spring 2020

Artist Statement

My work usually has something to do with balance. Being a Hindu, I have always believed in Karma, which is the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. The law of Karma ties along with balance in life. Therefore, I’ve been a firm believer in balance. I believe it exists everywhere and is essential for any sort of growth. The key to life is balance. Some of my recent sculptures were completely exploring the term balance in different ways.

As a …

The Whole Shabang, Yiyang Xie

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

I always want my works can deliver a positive and relax feeling to my audiences. I usually use the computer as my work tool. The form of my works is graphic design. I like using computer work and create my work. Using a computer, I can try different positions and combinations for my work also it is easy to change.

Our Rainbow And Butterfly World In Progress, Emma Wilson

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

I have always been an artist ever since I was a child. My mom was one of my influences to become an artist because she always made arts and crafts with me. My aunt, Janet Wilson, is a very skilled self-taught painter and was also a large influence on my artistic life. I thoroughly enjoy the art of photography. I often capture photographs in black and white. “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls.” -Ted Grant

Tara Chisholm once quoted, “Photography is the beauty …

Legends Between The Lakes, Colton Colglazier

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

My work explores the ways in which the viewer might use technology to interact with the exhibit around them. The exhibition space consists of 5 travel posters united by a common theme and intended to pique the viewer's interest. Through the use of an accompanying mobile website, the audience may further interact and delve deeper into the meaning behind the posters. By utilizing technology in this supplementary manner I intend to add greater depth to the objects that exist in the physical world.

The subject matter of the exhibition is the forgotten remains and stories of the people who once …