Art converges on OWU’s Ross

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DELAWARE, Ohio – Each has drawn, painted, sculpted, photographed, forged, and designed a unique path at Ohio Wesleyan University, and the 2019 fine arts graduates will join together April 13 through May 11 for “Converge” – a free exhibit of juried works at OWU’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum.

The annual senior show will open with an artist reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 13 at the museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. It will showcase the works of 10 graduating seniors selected for the retrospective by their Ohio Wesleyan fine arts professors.

A versatile, multimedia display, “Converge” will include book arts, ceramics, computer imaging, drawing, figure drawing, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Ohio Wesleyan students participating in the senior exhibition include:

Zoe Baumgartner-Brown of Columbus, Ohio, a Bachelor of Arts candidate. “Although I am still growing as an artist and experimenting with what I enjoy making, my tendency is towards minimalist compositions at the moment. My hope is to connect to an audience through a shared feeling and experience and to, perhaps, give some sense of understanding and empathy – that they would feel heard and understood, and maybe not quite as alone.”

Olivia Baylor of Ellicott City, Maryland, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in graphic design and painting. “I enjoy the challenge of creating an engaging composition from mundane subjects such as a messy closet, a staircase, or a line of buildings. I hope my art encourages viewers to see these everyday items in a new light. … As I continue developing my artwork, I will find new ways to combine traditional and digital media rather than solely working with them separately.”

Rachel Bush of Radnor, Ohio, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in ceramics and photography. “My work is inspired by nature and the process of observation. … In my artwork, I use a variety of plants that I grow in my garden. I enjoy caring for the seedlings and helping them mature. Growing the plants from seed inspires me to create artwork that shows progress and process. After all, Monet had to plant his gardens before he painted them.”

Andrew Farina of North Canton, Ohio, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in computer imaging and graphic design. “I seek to produce content with a feeling and harmony. To achieve unity in my compositions, I employ a precise process of problem-solving. Using typography, photography, or illustration, each arrangement visually communicates my conceptual motives through the scope of typography, symbols, images, and text. Recently I have incorporated photography into several handmade books bound with various, elaborate bindings.”

Leannah Frances of Ravenna, Ohio, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in ceramics, metals, and photography. “The commonality of my work is that there is no one direction. While intending to concentrate solely on photography, I ended up discovering a passion for ceramics and later found an interest in metals. … I believe my best work then comes from my experiments with these mediums, allowing the materials to guide my hands, developing the design as I work.”

Alexis Graffice of Delaware, Ohio, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in ceramics and drawing. “Over the course of my college career, the subject matter of my artwork has mainly been abandoned houses. I am in love with the possibility of finding nuances in every house that remain consistent house to house, yet still uniquely their own. These works capture the transitional, in-between moments in which nature takes back the man-made. … I am excited by the capabilities of unplanned flaws that show up in the processes of creating.”

Sam Kaiser of Plain City, Ohio, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in computer imaging, drawing, and graphic design. “My art explores the relationships humans have to one another, and the relationship they have with themselves. … How does who I am change the way I experience life? How do my intersecting perspectives change the way I experience the world? How do your past experiences affect your current relationships? How does everything I experience or have experienced relate to who I am today?”

Alex Molnar of Garfield Heights, Ohio, a Bachelor of Arts candidate with a concentration in photography. “My work is personal and fragmented moments of my life. Objects, drawings, paintings, and photos are thoughts I’ve once had or reflections of a fleeting moment that I wish to not let go. Every thought I try to reproduce as some physical form, almost like an attempt to make some emotion tangible. My work is very much like a visual diary.”

Harrison Nickles of Westerville, Ohio, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in ceramics and figure drawing. “The human form and figure are the root of my fixation in art. I find myself often focusing on the minute qualities that define ourselves for what we are, and figuring out how to communicate these very defining qualities with those that are in contact with my art. I hope to challenge the way that one views the human figure, both in its aesthetic qualities and in its functional abilities.”

Will Steele of Saint Louis, Missouri, a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with concentrations in computer imaging, graphic design, and sculpture. “I make books that transform everyday experiences and observations into art. … The process to capture another view of everyday life is to close your mind to things you see all the time and focus on the changes that have occurred such as new homes butted up to a field of wheat. Presenting information that is familiar like driving a car or reading a newspaper through a book creates an intimate feeling.”

During the academic year, the Ross Art Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Monday and Saturday, with the exception of the upcoming April 13 “Converge” artist reception. The facility is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call 740-368-3606 or visit www.owu.edu/ross for more information.

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and competes in 25 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through Ohio Wesleyan’s signature OWU Connection program, students integrate knowledge across disciplines, build a diverse and global perspective, and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives” and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.

The Ohio Wesleyan graduating senior art show, ‘Converge,’ opens with a free community reception April 13 and runs through May 11.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2019/03/web1_Converge_portrait.jpgThe Ohio Wesleyan graduating senior art show, ‘Converge,’ opens with a free community reception April 13 and runs through May 11.
APRIL 13-MAY 11

Special to The Delaware Gazette

Created in 1864, Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Fine Arts was one of America’s first college art departments. Today, it offers both Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degrees. Learn more about the department, its majors and minors, and its faculty at www.owu.edu/finearts.

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