Art Professor Displays Artwork
Linna Jones
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Art professor Tom Richard held a
reception for his exhibit in the Fred J. Taylor Library and Technology
Center gallery Wednesday, March 5.
 |
| Photo by Eric Bell |
| Points of Views - Mark Spencer, dean of Arts
and Humanities, and Gary Marshall, professor of speech communication, look at the art displayed in the Fred J. Taylor Library
and Technology Center gallery. Tom Richard, professor of art, painted
several of the works for two solo exhibitions. |
Members of the student body, faculty and staff attended the reception
to examine the artwork created in the fall of 2007. The reception also gave viewers a chance to discuss the pieces with others and the artist.
“I am just amazed that anyone can produce something so
interesting,” said Crystal Ratliff, director of Academic Advising.
He created some of the mixed-media pieces last fall in
preparation for two solo exhibitions. The exhibits will take place in
May at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock and the Laredo
Center for the Arts in Laredo, Texas.
The larger works exhibited come from a series of works
called “The Chapter Series.” Richard received inspiration from
his current series of works for the book, “From Modernism to
Postmodernism” edited by Lawrence Cahoone.
“(I) always love his show, because it is fun, whimsical and thought
provoking,” Provost David Ray said.
He based his artwork from chapters of the book filled
mainly with essays written by modernist and postmodernist philosophers and
theorist. He removed phrases from an essay and manipulated the phrases
to retain the “inherent essence of the philosophical idea.” He then
used quotes and contemporary pop culture such as a television show,
movie or song.
"Postmodernism means an art, architecture or literature that reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes."
Richard shares one way he draws the viewer into his artist
statement:
“Manipulating the process with the scale of images and text in a
colorful presentation, I strive to attract the viewer to come closer
and meddle with the often isolated, socially relevant, evolving subject
of contemporary theory.”
Kent Skinner, director of choral activities and Music Theater
and voice, said he found the artwork interesting, colorful and
amusing.
Richard created the medium and smaller images as a study
of images, images and text, or image and design. He then used them in
the larger pieces. He used several forms of media to create his artwork, including ink, water colors, acrylic, color pencil, magic marker and pencil.
Richard used a figure of the Pillsbury Dough Boy, provided
by Scott Lykens, assistant professor of art, in one of his pieces. He
also used the “Thing” from the “Fantastic Four,” “The Incredible Hulk,”
“Godzilla,” “Olive Oil,” and other mass media themes in the works.
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