2010 Senior Art Exhibition “Seven” Scheduled to Open April 17 in the Barton Art Galleries

WILSON, N.C. – “Seven,” the 2010 Barton College Senior Art Exhibition, opens on Saturday evening, April 17, with a reception from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. in the Barton Art Galleries. This event is open to the public at no charge, and the community is invited to attend.  The exhibition will run until Monday, May 10.

On view will be the work of seven talented seniors: Christopher Allen, Kristin Flowers, Pamela Hickson, Stacy McGinty, Natalie Phipps, David Pineiro, and Ben Yansom. With a focus on photography, graphic design, and painting, the exhibition will showcase  the burgeoning talent of these young artists as they are ushered into the professional art arena.

Christopher Allen

Chris AllenA native of Rocky Mount, Allen plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design with an emphasis on Graphic Design. His focus for the exhibition has been to create the company “Black Sheep Design” complete with branding and identity, as well as marketing samples.  As a result, Allen has incorporated both traditional and digital media utilizing mixed media on paper, acrylic on board, and Adobe Design software (including Adobe Flash) to produce work for the exhibition.

“Graphic design is my way of communicating to the world; I use typography and design principles to evoke responses from the audience,” shared Allen. “I use high contrast and high drama in my work to add energy, so that viewers are automatically involved with the visuals.  I’ve always found graphic design to be an interesting art form, along with the medium’s ability to grab people’s attention from the street or office, using the power of persuasion to sell a product or idea.”

Susan Fecho, professor and chair of the Department of Art, said, “Chris Allen’s senior exhibition work revolves around the need to develop a professional design identity for his own company – Black Sheep Design. Allen’s work demonstrates a passion for design, solid research, and the ability to work in various mediums and formats to best convey an idea.”

Following graduation, Allen hopes to secure a position with a large graphic design firm, creating professional level work for both large and small businesses.

Kristin Flowers

Kristin FlowersFlowers, a native of Wilson, plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design with a emphasis on Painting. Her works in the exhibition will include paintings in oil and acrylics as well as graphite drawings.

“My mixed media paintings and drawings emphasize a sensitivity to color and an approach to composition that poses psychological questions to the viewer,” said Flowers.  “The experimentation with simultaneous imagery, coupled with a feminine point of view, has led to a body of work that has a narrative communication within each painting.” In her work, Flowers includes images relating to the female form such as dresses and pears, along with images of herself. “I pose these portraits with the feminine forms in a compositional structure that often provokes a psychological reaction from the viewer,” continued Flowers. “I am trying to create a relationship between the images that are presented, which becomes the goal.”

“Kristin Flowers’ paintings and drawings are energized with line and form in a way that is visually exciting,” shared J. Chris Wilson, professor of art.  “Flowers uses strokes to define form and tone to define shape in a way that creates a dialogue between the media and the ground that compels the viewer to engage with the work of art. The overall high value contrast that she typically uses balanced by a controlled color range brings to the work a hierarchy that invites the viewer to reverie.”

After graduating in May, Flowers plans to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting/Drawing.

Pamela Hickson

Pamela HicksonHickson also hails from Wilson, and she plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis on Photography.  Her work, titled “Past h Present,” will represent a collection of photographs of utilitarian objects such as old locks, hinges, wooden doors, and barns to show that the past is still part of the present through the continued use of these items.

“My goal is to bring awareness that, when something is old, it does not mean it has to be replaced,” said Hickson. “Locks, hinges, and wooden doors are still being used and will be used for many years to come…The texture and shape of the metal and wood shows how time has worn into, but not given up on them.  These things are not objects or old buildings left to stand alone, they are possessions needing to be used and are calling out, ‘I’m still here.'”

Gerard Lange, assistant professor of art at Barton, shared, “Pamela’s work invokes a sense of preservation and perseverance in the timeless quality of the utilitarian objects depicted in her photographs. She is immortalizing the commonly overlooked items people engage themselves with on a daily basis.”

Following graduation, Hickson plans to continue her education, and to begin exploring the incorporating of a variety of other mediums into her artwork.

Stacy McGinty

Stacy McGintyMcGinty, a native of Greenville, plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design with an emphasis on Visual Design.

Using the computer design programs Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, along with hand applied silk-screening techniques, McGinty has created minimalist, abstract designs depicting animals and other subjects simplified for an adolescent audience. Through creative use of typography and flat shapes, she offers a unique approach to design and marketing for children. Her levels of exploration differ with the variety of prototypes that she creates.

“As an artist, I have always been interested in abstract and non-representational design,” said McGinty.  “While exploring possibilities for my senior show theme, I began experimenting with designs based on elements of typography.  Using letters of the alphabet, I created animals that are the central theme for the children’s design company I developed.  ‘Imagine That,’ the title for the company, will offer a variety of products for youth, including room décor items, school accessories, and apparel.  The elements I prefer utilizing for my designs include line, shape, and pattern.  The repetition of particular aspects of my theme allows me to create a unified body of work, which is significant considering it is designed for a single company.”

“Stacy’s whimsical artistic voice as seen in her children’s décor series has been strongly influenced by literature and popular culture,” said Fecho. “‘Children should be entertained and inspired by their surroundings,’ and McGinty’s typography-based animals developed for wallpaper, pillows, and book covers aim to encourage and spark the imagination.”

After graduation, McGinty plans to pursue a graduate degree in library science or elementary education.

Natalie Phipps

Natalie PhippsA native of Durham, Phipps plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design with an emphasis on Photography. Her black and white photographic works focus on the shapes and lines formed by the human body.  Cropped views, isolated figures, and delicate folds of the body all provide points of visual interest for the viewer.

“From the time I learned how to use a camera, I knew I wanted to be a photographer,” shared Phipps. “I’ve always loved taking pictures of people, landscapes, flowers, and nature in general. My works express creativity and individuality. The use of the human body is often used in my works. The human body is a very interesting subject with its delicate curves and angles. For the senior show, I chose to use photographs to express the human body in its most natural state, nude.”

“Natalie’s work explores the human body and the emotions of frailty and empowerment through imagery that can be considered serenely nude or in-your-face naked,” said Lange. “As one views the collection of images, they are met with a variety of emotions from quiet empathy to rigid solidarity. The handful of images used in this exhibition are from over 1,000 photographs Natalie took.”

Following graduation, Phipps hopes to pursue a career in commercial photography.

David Pineiro

David PineiroHailing from Charleston, S.C., Pineiro plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design with an emphasis on Graphic Design and a minor in pre-engineering.

Pineiro will showcase soccer-related graphic design created for the commercial industry. In an effort to mirror a company trade show display, his works will incorporate printed posters, banners, and billboard designs as well as athletic apparel for a company named “Cheeky.”  Using a combination of media to create crisp geometric designs, Pineiro has manipulated the high technology of computer graphics to co-exist comfortably alongside the more traditional tools of graphite and paint.

“The main goal of this artwork is to create a design that is unique and clearly communicates its message to the audience,” said Pineiro.  “These designs are the combination of geometric and mathematical as well as psychological thought processes mixed with various subject matter.”

“Within his creative process, David Pineiro approaches the design aesthetics with laboratory style, seeking to forge design, light, color, and technology together into mathematical attractiveness,” said Fecho.  “Pineiro’s new work designed for the lifestyle and adrenaline of soccer involved researching the mainstream trends of the international sporting industry.”

Following graduation, Pineiro plans to begin a Master of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design while also pursuing a professional career in graphic design.

Ben Yansom

Ben YansomYansom, a native of Smithfield, plans to graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design with an emphasis on Graphic Design.

Using a variety of media, Yansom’s work focuses on a variety of themes as he showcases 10 company logo designs and associated marketing pieces for the companies. In this work, Yansom portrays his versatility as a designer, as the pieces range in size, concept, and scale. He has even created a nearly life-sized billboard that appears to be freestanding in the gallery. Yansom’s reason for exploring a variety of companies and products is because his family owns and operates a successful sign company in Smithfield.

“Graphic design has been a family affair for years and has been part of my life since I was a small child,” shared Yansom. “Since 2000, I have worked part time in my family’s sign shop and, in that time, I’ve seen graphic design change and evolve. Now, as I complete my college degree, I look forward to being a part of that evolution.”

“Ben Yansom’s visual communication skills represent up-to-date market trends for designing unique identities,” shared Fecho. “The essence of his art is about translating a business’s expertise and product into imagery that comes together as a whole and portrays an added value for the product.”

After graduation, Yansom plans to work full time for his family’s company, Smithfield Sign Design in Smithfield.

For additional information about the 2010 Senior Art Exhibition, please contact Gerard Lange, senior advisor, at 252-399-6475 or glange@barton.edu.

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Questions? Contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or kdaughety@barton.edu.