Faculty shine in SE mixed-media exhibit

By Jamil Oakford/se news editor

SE Campus faculty members are showing their true colors in Art Corridor II’s Faculty Biennial Art Exhibit.

The corridor located upstairs is now home to several art pieces made by faculty, spanning a wide range of media.

Art assistant professor Sharon Covington explained that range was one of the best aspects of the exhibit.

“We have great diversity of faculty, which can be seen through the work,” she said.

Art adjunct Jessica Battes agreed as well, noting that Painted Rope by adjunct instructor Elizabeth Hurtado was one of her favorites because of the texture.

Battes has a couple of pottery pieces on display, where she explained some of her techniques.

“The colors are glazes that I mixed myself from dry material,” she said. “Texture will dictate what glaze I use.”

And to get the rustic gray color on the bottle she made, Battes said she used soda.

“Putting baking soda and soda ash into the kiln can change the coloring a bit.”

Covington explained a little about her use of maps in two of her pieces.

“I used to be a landscape painter,” she said. “I found a way to depict great land distance through painting.”

She used a couple of media in the artwork displayed.

Art assistant professor Chris Goebel spoke briefly about his inspiration.

To Be Alone In The Silence, Maria Jacoby. Photos by Tara Patton/The Collegian
To Be Alone In The Silence, Maria Jacoby. Photos by Tara Patton/The Collegian

“Deadlines can be one,” he said.

He spoke more openly once he stared at one of the two collages he made. He cited that a lot of his inspiration comes from putting two objects side by side that normally aren’t ever together, thereby changing the context of the object.

“It’s creating visual conversations, creating that visual script,” he said.

Goebel added that these pictures can start to take on their own reality, making the viewer finish the journey.

“If you don’t like it in painting, you can paint it out,” he said. “You can totally paint over the history.
But with collages, you have all these pieces.”

Art student Paige Kurney was impressed with the art on display.

“My favorite is the winged horse. The wood floor is so realistic,” she said.

The exhibit will be open until Nov. 20. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Green Winged Horse, Penelope Bisbee.
Green Winged Horse, Penelope Bisbee.