Senior Art Students Hold Exhibition in University Gallery

Staff Writer

   Everyone dabbles in the world of art at sometime or another - painting, drawing, sculpting, or just coloring and trying to stay inside the lines. The entire world can lend itself as a media to create wonderful masterpieces or even just refrigerator art. 

   The challenge seems to lie in the fact that a person must find their niche; they must figure out what tools work for them to bring their imaginations into reality. 

Courtesy of Media Services

Sarah Echlin

   Sarah Echlin, art major with emphasis in painting, and Brandy Mallett, art major with emphasis in ceramics, successfully figured out what works for them and presented their senior exhibition April 9 in the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s Art Gallery. Both students produced artwork for their Spring 2011 exhibition as their final project and will graduate in May as the end result. 

   Treated with delicious refreshments, the guests grew into a rather large and overall happy, energetic crowd. Most gazed and studied the artwork in amazement. They seemed to enjoy every piece, discussing amongst each other their favorites, likes and dislikes and taking pictures. Echlin and Mallett mingled with the crowd answering questions and explaining their pieces to inquiring people. 

   Tiffany Stringfellow, a modern language major, said, “This is my first art exhibition I’ve attended, and it has exceeded my expectations.” Her favorite pieces consisted of “Staunch,” an earthenware tea pot by Mallett, and “Bubba,” an acrylic on canvas by Echlin. 

Sarah Echlin

   Echlin, originally from Paragould, finished her last two years at UAM. She previously attended the University of Central Arkansas. When asked how she got involved in artwork, Echlin responded that she painted and drew as a younger girl recreationally, but left it behind in college to focus on journalism. 

   When she transferred to UAM, she became burnt out on journalism and switched back to art. Regarding the art program at UAM compared to UCA, Echlin said, “It is more personal with more one-on-one time.” She said it provided a more close-knit environment, which allowed for development of friendship and camaraderie. 

   Her part of the exhibition displayed many acrylic on canvas pieces, which holds the position of Echlin’s preferred media.  In her exhibition “Fragments" Echlin took images and ideas from places that everyone gets exposed to, but when filtered through her, a new creation comes out as her artwork. She takes the shapes and objects that she finds or thinks of and draws them over and over again until she’s “figured them out.” 

   Her favorite of her pieces, “Rainbow Resort,” “encompasses everything I’ve set out to do with art, while including things I’ve learned this semester,” Echlin said. Echlin plans to continue making art but decided to go to graduate school for public administration. She hopes to work for a non-profit organization in the end. 

Brandy Mallett

Courtesy of Media Services

Brandy Mallett

   Mallett, whose from Cherry Valley, said she didn’t see art as a talent until her first spring semester in college when she took her first ceramic class and couldn’t quit. She also took some art classes prior to college but nothing serious.

   She made it to UAM after attending a college fair at Wynne High School, where she applied for UAM and got offered a scholarship which sealed the deal for her. Regarding the art program, she said it helped shape her a lot. 

   Mallett said, “I feel they [the UAM art professors] give plenty of corrective criticism, and that the students here also help each other develop.” 

   Mallett’s portion of the exhibition portrayed many ceramic pieces that embodied her theme and title “A Different Color of Function.” The ceramic pieces display her preferred media very well. She said the idea of functionality in artwork helps bring more appreciation to the field when the art contains use in everyday life. Mallett plans to teach either math or art after graduation but plans to go back to school for her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Fine Arts.

   Regarding functional art, Mallett said, “People have to think it is pleasing to the eye and that it is going to be able to be used.” She said she wanted her pieces to be put to use by whoever purchased them. 

Reflecting

   Both students said they learned a lot from this semester, since their exhibition pieces all came together in this Spring. Mallett said she learned more this semester than the past couple of years due to the time that they must spend on developing a theme, creating the artwork and putting together the exhibtion. 

   Professor of Art Tom Richard said the exhibitions, required by senior art students, “make them focus on a body of work.” Rather than producing single pieces at a time, these students must create an entire exhibit that forms a cohesive collection of art that follows an idea of the students. People who would like to view these students' exhibition can go by the Art Gallery located in the Fred J. Taylor Library and Technology Center through April 16.

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