Department of Art : The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center

2021 Senior Studio Arts Portfolio

Anna Boers

Anna Boers

Artist Statement 

I create art that allows others to see the world through my eyes. I tend to work with dark or muted tones because they bring significance to any selective use of vibrant color. My single-subject pieces always carry an implied greater context. Though my lens as the creator remains consistent, I welcome each person that views them to make their assumptions for their significance or backstory. The still-lives from 2021 specifically represent a time or place that was significant to my story of the past year. This year was full of introspection, and adjustment. Many of the pieces I originally conceived have not made it into this collection, but their absence stands as a reminder that I am continuing to develop as an artist. I see this collection as a reflection of my progress and acquired skills, and as another steppingstone in my continuous career as an artist. 

Instagram: @anna.boers

Facebook: @annaboers

Philicia Matturie

Philicia Matturie

Artist Statement

Growing up in Sierra Leone, I craved to express myself in an artistic form but never had the means. This was not because I didn't have the necessary tools, but because artistic expression was frowned upon. As a kid you're given a choice- be great or be a pooper. Greatness only comes when one became a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or banker. Anyone who ventures outside of these structures was called foolish and a waste to society, which I never understood the logic to. Every country that is great outside of our structure relies heavily on the artistic development of its society. The censorship of artistic development is the downfall of Sierra Leone’s developmental structure. Unlike my homeland, I have come to observe how other countries believe that the success of their society relies heavily on the artistic development of its people.  

When I had the opportunity to come to America, I was terrified and depressed because I knew regardless, I was still expected to be only these few things. Then four years ago, I decided to change my career into what I've always dreamed of doingto be an artist. I had zero experience with drawing, painting, or sculptingbut knew I had to enroll in these courses. My inspiration is God. Every day I see the world and the beauty in it, I fall in love with the world around me, the trees, animals, people, the structure of cells and organs, and the most magnificent sky and colors of the world How could this be wrong? Because the way I see it, God is an artist.  

I have come to be unapologetic for who I am- a black African woman. This collection of paintings represents women in their element. With or without the view of an audience, women will still exist. Sexiness is something that is mere nature, desirability as one's central element, wanting as simply instinctive. No dictation can reform the purpose of our naturalistic design. 

 

Ava Westervelt

Artist Statement

I create esoteric paintings that reflect a long line of magical, spiritual, and esoteric belief; revealing the veil that separates the mundane and astral realms of understanding. This stems from being brought up as a hereditary painter whose first love was antiquity. My work reflects this internal struggle of wanting to pursue a path as a historian but growing up in an environment full of artists, and my resolution to this subconscious conflict is pursuing a career in museum studies whilst integrating artifacts and mythology into my personal works. Although, I do not choose important dates or people from those times to depict in my artwork, rather, I aim to emphasize the cultural and everyday practices of those who came before us. These animalistic and paganistic societies have not only inspired me to open my mind to spiritual possibilities but also drive me to create paintings that can be dedicated to theologies modern society is no longer acquainted with. This manifests as landscapes that one could possibly see in the unseen landscapes beyond our human existence and portraits of mystics, seers, or deities lost in time. This creative process is reflective and allows me to find understanding in myself and my own spiritual path. 

Emily Mansi

Emily Mansi

Artist Statement

Through the love of nature, I have made a series of water paintings that focus on the abstract shapes and lines of reflections in the ripples. Being able to physically see energy reacting in the element of water is an incredible phenomenon that is so simple and easily attainable, yet not many people seem to pay attention to it. My goal through this series is to put emphasis on that beauty that people usually look past. These paintings are all in reference to up-close photographs of water ripples that I have taken throughout the years, in various settings. Taking the photographs up close and focusing on the details abstracts the water so that sometimes you would not even know what it is. I have used different mediums for each painting to try and portray the water in every way I can. 

Instagram: @daytripperart

Julia Sterc

Julia Sterc

Artist Statement

My love for oil painting has grown over the past two years. I camouflage my canvas into the still life and seek to capture the look of realism. When creating my still life I focus on shapes, colors, angles, and lighting. When painting I pretend I can see through my canvas like it is  piece of glass. 

Instagram: @juliasterc_art

 

Ava Westervelt