2024 SAU Student Art Show

Elizabeth Beck

Golden Goddess Portrait
7x10
The golden goddess was inspired by ink October's theme golden. The first word that I thought of for the theme golden was golden goddess. I was inspired to draw what I thought would be the meaning of beauty and the rays of sunlight by sketching a golden goddess. The golden goddess has a halo crown to mimic the sun and the stripes in the crown represent the sun rays. I used graphite pencils to free style sketch what I wanted my drawing to look like. Then, I used black ink pens to draw the line art of the portrait. I shaded the portrait in cross hatching in black ink on her hair, neck, eyes, chest, and eyebrows to bring detail into the portrait to make it look more alive and intricate. I then colored the portrait in yellow highlighter, but lightly colored it in to make the yellow seem duller.

Papaw, 11x10
“Papaw” is a cherished portrait that I took and sketched of my Papaw on his 91st birthday as we were singing Happy Birthday to him, little did we know this would be his last birthday we celebrated with him. I sketched it with charcoal pencil, and lightly shaded areas of his face and the background with light pressure using charcoal pencils. I then applied more pressure to make the shadows darker on his jacket and applied medium pressure to the table and his shirt. I hold this portrait I drew of him so dearly because it shows his tired smile but happy expressions when we celebrated his birthday and sang him happy birthday at his favorite restaurant. This is the one drawing I have done that I love most because it holds sentimental value as Papaw was the one to inspire me to draw and develop my art skills. He started drawing and painting with me at the early age of 5 and helped me develop more of my artistic skills and practice drawing throughout the years. Now that he has passed, I will continue to draw in his honor and hopefully continue to keep his legacy alive like he did with his highly awarded oil paintings, acrylic paintings, and woodwork.

Adam Blazek

Burns Harsh 3D Model - (W) 21in x (H) 11in
This piece is a model of Burns-Harsh, a dorm room on campus. This is a digital piece done in Maya with textures made in Photoshop. My process involved taking photos of the building as well as real textures, modeling the building, laying out the UVs for textures, creating the textures in Photoshop, and rendering the piece to get a final image. This piece shows my knowledge of the 3D modeling pipeline conception all the way to a finished rendering.

Diablo Retro Poster (W) 11in x (H) 17 in
For this project I took a piece of media and created a retro poster of it. I chose the Diablo Game franchise and in order to achieve that retro aesthetic I opted for a old school cartoon style. This piece was concepted traditionally and digitally illustrated and edited in Photoshop. It was a unique challenge to take a relatively modern series and give it a retro twist.

Monet Coppersmith

Spilled Fruits Spilled Roots, Acrylic on canvas 18x24
Feathered, Acrylic on canvas 18x24
The Betrayal, reduction linocut, 8x10

Artist Statement:
In the past, Monet's work has focused on themes of mental health and how it can make you feel isolated from society and reality. She's also done work with ceramics, zines, and upcycling, using everyday items or "trash" to create wearable works of art. Most recently, her work has explored the processes of printmaking, themes of nature and betrayal, and honing her work with acrylic painting by studying color theory and different application processes.

Brittany Hatter

Series Titled - Self Care Posters
Sit Pretty 10 x 13
Go with the Flow 10 x 13

This series of Self Care Posters are digital artworks that combine both hand drawn elements and graphic design/typography. I created these as visually appealing reminders to always prioritize self-love and care. As an artist I am interested in abstract, bright colors and aesthetics. I love to encourage women and incorporate spiritual symbolism in all of my work.

McKenzie Horton

Disposable Ocean 18x24
Natural Decay 9x12
Swimming Thoughts 18x24

Artist Statement:

McKenzie Horton was born and raised in Russellville, Arkansas. Currently, she calls Magnolia, Arkansas home as she is diligently pursuing two Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees, specializing in Graphic Design and Pre-Art Therapy.
From a young age, McKenzie was always lining the margins of her notebooks with doodles and sketches. However, it was not until junior high school that art took a true foothold in her life. It was during this me that she was blessed to have an art teacher who not only encouraged her but also inspired her to explore all the possibilities of the creative world. This was the springboard for her to go into the creative field and pursue an art career.
Throughout her creative journey, McKenzie has drawn great inspiration from a variety of sources. She has found direction from fine artists such as Wayne Thiebaud and Kehinde Wiley and graphic designers like Paul Rand and Jessica Hische. These individuals have been the main impact on McKenzie’s path to finding her artistic process. From these inspirations, she has developed her style of bold colors and clean lines. A unique aspect of her art is the incorporation of fine art skills in her graphic design work.

Maggie Mason

acrylic paintings
Hercules Beetle 5x7in
False Potato Beetle 5x5in

Artist Statement
The focus of my pieces are insects. Beatles from the order Coleoptera. The order consists of beetles, weevils and bores. The inspiration for these pieces come from a project I had to complete in an entomology course where we made an insect collection of around 100 different insects. This project took over a whole semester and it was one of my favorite projects I got to work on and beetles were by far my favorite insects to work with. I often find myself skating or painting insects from this order just enjoying the variety of shapes and colors that they have to offer. This project has been something I enjoyed making and sharing, I wanted to just bring light fun pieces to the art show. The circles in the background are a recurring shape that shows up in quite a bit of my art, and I hoped to help keep the pieces more cohesive. The colors I picked just wanting to keep them light, fun, playful and make the insects pop. The mediums I used were flat canvases and acrylic paint. I think insects are neat and I'm absolutely delighted to share these funky little bugs with all of you. Thank you for your time

Mercy McGee

Titles of the works: "Absolutely Dental", "Family Still Life", "Imaginative Transition"
Dimensions (unframed size in inches): 14"x17" (all are this size)
Artist statement: Most often my goal is not to say something grandiose and groundbreaking, but rather to simply create something that’s fun to look at. I am primarily influenced by my own experiences and the world around me; I've had some amazing art teachers who have ingrained in me seeing art in everyday life. My primary medium is graphite and colored pencil as I enjoy the control they give me and the way I can build up color/value slowly. I attempt to engage the viewer (oftentimes myself) with a conscious use of negative space and compositional flow (where is the eye moving?). Some examples of this include the flow of the hair in “Absolutely Dental,” the negative space in “Imaginative Transition,” and the flow of the cloth in “Family Still Life.”

Autumn McKenzie

A Childs Needs, 12 in x 12 in
Hush, 14in x 17in
Reaching, 7.5in x 10.5in

Artist statement:
In my life, I have faced many challenges struggling with my mental health and poor self-esteem. Growing up without a proper support system, I have turned to art to help me deal with my big emotions and lack of support. Painting and drawing has helped me escape the trauma I’ve endured, and it has also helped me understand the emotions I am feeling.

My work often depicts my own self and the things I struggle with whether it be anxieties regarding how others perceive me, how I view myself, or feelings of being stuck or lost. Since I’ve used my imagination to escape these hard feelings in the past, I am now attempting to face them head-on by visualizing these feelings with my art. I have been most interested in painting, starting with acrylics and watercolor until I discovered gouache paint. I enjoy the opacity of the colors that it has despite being a water-based paint.

I was inspired to create self-portraits when I studied Frida Kahlo and her paintings depicting themes of the human body, death, and identity. One of my paintings is inspired by Kahlo’s “Las Dos Fridas”, where she portrays her two different personalities. In my painting, I am portraying my childhood self and a more current version of myself. More recently, I have been inspired by contemporary artist Camilla Salinas, 19, who paints realistic self-portraits exploring experiences in her life. She became popular on social media during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic since she depicted teenage life during the pandemic. I enjoy her painting process and I have learned a lot by following her and watching her create.
Art has been a very pivotal part of my life as I use it to help me learn more about myself and connect with who I am. It has been very therapeutic for me to keep in touch with my emotions and help myself handle whatever comes my way. I hope to share with others the benefits of doing art to help with any challenges that may be faced in life. I can’t thank the aspects of art enough for how much it has helped me understand myself and the world around me.

Mtende Moyo

Beautiful Misery, 7.5 X 9.5
Psyche, 11 X 14
Timekeeper, 16 X 16
To me, creating pieces feels like a never-ending time capsule for thought. Using vibrant, harmonious colors in unconventional environments, I enjoy taking elements from dreams or passing thoughts and expanding on them to further realize my emotions or ideas. Though it's impossible to see into another's mind, I aim to translate brief glimpses to a page.

Macaira Patterson

Title: Giraffe Blocks Firework,16x20 inches

Artist Statement: Nature is the primary focus of the works I produce. I enjoy capturing the patterns and details in wildlife. Realistic portrayals of perspective and lighting appeal the most to me in other art works, so I strive to reflect that in my work. I have experimented with a few different media, but my preferred tools are colored pencils. For this work, I tried using acrylic paint to capture the lighting, texture, and shadow of the animal. Giraffes are my favorite animal, and I wanted to highlight how such an odd creature can also be majestic. I chose an abstract background to contrast both the style and the colors of the giraffe.

Valerie Peterman

Gloomy Skies
Dimensions
5048x3456px or 16.8x11.5in but will be printed as 16x12in

In my grayscale photograph, I delve into the form of line through the eerie beauty of decay. The gnarled and twisted silhouette of the dying walnut tree stands as a stark sentinel, its branches reaching out like desperate fingers against the backdrop of a field anticipating the coming rain.
As storm clouds loom overhead, like a scene from a retro suspense movie, casting an unsettling atmosphere that hangs heavy in the air. The interplay between light and shadow heightens the sense of foreboding, as if nature itself is holding its breath in anticipation of the impending tempest.
I invite the viewer to walk the lines of the jagged twigs into the storm ahead. Rain can bring life to things thought dead.

Lake
Dimensions
4980x3320px or 16.6x11.1in but will be printed as 16x12in
Sometimes the best art is caught on hap and stance, like for this piece, which was taken by slowing down after a rushed, long day. It is important to stop and enjoy the view sometimes, and let your eye explore contrast of line and space against the sky as it changed to warm for a brief moment in the evening.
I invite the viewers to walk the stepping-stone-like lily pads toward the setting sky at warm things in the future, despite the dark and cold of the day. Reflecting on what’s above and below, I hope that lines between will be clear.

Blooming
Dimensions
14x14 inches
In the exploration of line in organic form, this linoleum print seeks to walk the line between the dark and light of space. Each stroke of the carving tool is deliberate, echoing the organic, soft, yet structured essence of cherry blossoms that are in bloom.
As the audience engages with the print, they are invited to think on the balance between jagged form and the soft impermanence of blossoms, now laid forever in print. I hope that they will branch out to seeing the lines of nature that repeat in our world.

Isabella Tucker

Green Day: American Idiot
For Christmas, I received a bunch of paints and canvases. I dallied in them, but never really did anything. About 6 years ago, I was in my room, listening to Green Day on YouTube and this album cover popped up. I thought to myself with confidence, “I can paint that.” I grabbed my 5x7 canvas, my acrylic paint set, and my paintbrush. I sketched out the design on the canvas first, so I have some sort of reference. Then I dug right in! I cannot explain the great satisfaction I got when the paint-covered paintbrush glided across the canvas. It was something so smooth and calming. This was the first ever canvas I painted, and I had never felt so proud of myself until that day. I was struggling with my mental health, too, so because of this piece, I never put down the paintbrush. I even graduated to many other things, such as door hangers, signs, and more. I also painted other album covers. I never realized how much painting can help ease and soothe the mind. It was me and my acrylics against the world!

Parts of the Razorback Door Hanger
One day, about two years ago, my mom and I were walking through Hobby Lobby. She discovered this wooden, four-circle hanger. She grabbed it and said, “You can do something great with this.” She bought many other things and said the same thing, but I doubted her and myself. The years 2021 and 2022 were extremely hard for me. Within this year, a lot has happened. I felt like I did not have a purpose. But my mom reassured me that I could do something great. She wanted me to do something that would keep me and my mind busy. So, while sitting at the kitchen table, it was football season, and we are Razorback fans. Due to this, I painted the parts of the Hog. My mom was so amazed by what I did; she told me I could sell them. I posted it on my Facebook page and listed my price. I could not believe all the requests I received! Many wanted the Razorbacks, Buffalos, LSU Tigers, Cowboys, and even a few colleges. I used chalk paint and acrylics. I will have to admit, I missed the feeling of my paintbrush gliding across a smooth surface. And seeing all the smiles on everyone's face as they received their hanger, brought so

Magen West

Titles:
False Earthstar
Moss
All are printed at 18x24.
Artist Statement:
Nature is something everyone should see. I wanted to capture the details of nature that most people don’t see. You can see the underside of a mushroom, an earthstar's cracked petals, and individual moss pieces.
The majority of people are busy and constantly moving. We have busy lives with school, jobs, and art show exhibitions. I think, if people would stop and look at nature, any nature, they would be amazed. The small details that you notice can change your entire view of an “ugly” weed. The small, up-close details of a weed or mushroom can surprise you with how beautiful it is. I wanted to show those details through these photos to get people to stop and enjoy nature. It can improve everyone’s mood, productivity, and creativity.

Jayda Young

Have Faith
My name is Jayda Young, and I am from Dierks, Arkansas. I have always had a passion for art as a child, and now that I am older, I do a lot of art and crafting. In this submission, I have four photographs of cow skulls that I have hand painted. This is a growing passion that I have recently picked up.
I am an only child, so I have always been a little on my own. In my art, I am allowed to express those feelings and/or make them appear however I want to. In these works, I have painted designs that I feel passionately toward- the United States, my faith, patterns, and beauty- and put them onto a cow skull. I am able to be myself, paint what I feel like, and express myself in ways that I could never put into words. I am so grateful that I have picked up this talent because not only is it relaxing, but it has really helped my mental health in ways that are too complex for me to explain.
My artwork is a form and expression of who I am, how I feel, and what I love. I love being able to sit down with a paint brush and clear my mind on a canvas so beautiful and unique. Not only has this become a fun habit, but my mental health state is so much better than it used to be, and since that, I have become very passionate about this form of art. I do physically have these skulls, but these are just photographs to turn in to the art show. Once again, I am grateful for this opportunity to enter and the opportunity to show off the work that I am very proud of.

Meet our 2024 Juror

Dr. Hyeyoung Maeng
Bio
Dr. Young (Hyeyoung) Maeng is an artist-researcher in contemporary art and an Assistant
Professor of Art at California State University, Fresno. Her studio practice explores expanded
painting practices, encompassing Western and Korean painting, drawing, digital photography,
and video art. Young’s art practice-based research has been presented in numerous
international galleries, museums, and conferences, including the Seoul Art Center, Sejong
Museum, Gallery The Flex & amp; Flow in South Korea, Peter Scott Gallery, Liverpool FACT in
the UK, Diego Rivera Gallery, and ARC Gallery in San Francisco, as well as the Deleuze and
Guattari Conference in London, Prague, and Rome. Currently, her research project explores
the art-philosophical meaning of EDI (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) in human and AI
companion robot interactions.

6th Annual Juried SAU Student Art Show Winners

Juror's statement
It was an honor to serve as the juror for the SAU Student Art Exhibition 2024. Reviewing the
work of 15 talented students was truly delightful. Their exceptional technical skills,
originality, and engaging concepts left a lasting impression on me. Choosing only three
winners proved challenging due to the uniqueness of each submission. The students presented
a diverse range of highly creative work, providing a glimpse into SAU's artistic landscape.
My evaluation considered well-developed technical skills, original concepts, emotional
engagement, experimental spirit, and well-crafted artist statements. I was excited by the depth
of creativity and dedication shown by the students. Their works not only engaged with
traditional mediums but also pushed artistic boundaries, reflecting a rich tapestry of
perspectives within the university community. I am grateful for the opportunity to witness the
vibrant artistic talent at SAU and eagerly anticipate the continued evolution and inspiration
these promising artists will bring to others on their creative journeys.

1st Place

Mercy McGee "Absolutely Dental"

2nd Place

Valerie Peterman "Gloomy Skies"

3rd Place

McKenzie Horton "Swimming Thoughts"

Honorable Mention

Elizabeth Beck "Papaw"