Western Carolina University’s Fine Art Museum is hosting the “Faculty Biennial” exhibition through Sept. 23. Sculptures, drawings, ceramics, paintings and animations are some of what you can see in the Bardo Arts Center.
The exhibition opened on Aug. 25 with reception works of WCU’s art department faculty, including Mary LaFratta, Greg McPherson, Erin Adams, Matt Liddle, Leigh Parrish, Heather Erickson, Erin Tapley, Susan Martin, and Ron Laboray.
Every three years, in preparation for the upcoming exhibit, a new prompt is introduced as a theme. This exhibit’s theme is “Flow”. Flow is a psychological concept created by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi describing a highly focused mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.
“It gives me goosebumps just to think about it,” commented WCU Provost, Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, during her opening speech for the exhibition. “It really shows the passion of our faculty here at Western.”
Piece by Susan Martin, Photo by Alec Simkiss
The artists embraced the theme, some depicting pictures and concepts they’ve contemplated bringing to life in the past now here in the present. Whether it was the process of the flow in differing pigments of dyed green in a tapestry, or pictures painstakingly sewn together to create a photorealistic yet absurd ruin as a commentary on environmental destruction, or even a photograph taken at a precise and perfect moment on a crowded street with a dear friend, perhaps these faculty artists found their work to be both challenging and rewarding.
“The Perfect Imperfect Collection has been flowing around in my head for the past few years,” wrote Heather Ericsson about her piece. “I made a few random pieces that were totally different than the collection I was focused on. It is a regular habit of mine to…take risks, and make mistakes…I took a huge risk with these pieces by tossing them into a wood firing…when we unloaded the work, I knew I had made the right decision.”
Some students took a liking to Erickson’s piece.
The Perfect Imperfect Collection by Heather Erickson, photo by Alec Simkiss
“Honestly, it reminds me of the art style of the video game, Little Big Planet,” stated Morgan Waterbury, a WCU junior. “The style was immaculate and yet had this adorable cartoonish realism. It’s very pretty.”
“I really liked The Perfect Imperfect Collection. Everything was placed out for specific people who weren’t there. I don’t know why, but I liked it,” said Adam King, a WCU sophomore.
Painting by Ron Laboray, photo by Alec Simkiss
Not every artist flows quite the same. Ron Laboray borrows from real events in history to scientific methods, charts and graphs to influence his work.
“Our human timeline is rich with facts associated with historical events, common beliefs, myths, legends, heroes…” wrote Ron Laboray about his latest painting. ”I appropriate this human information to guide the making of my drawings and paintings…I enjoy the flexibility in my practice.”
The painting itself showcases swirls of colors and far away blurry landscapes.
Drawing by Ron Laboray, photo by Alec Simkiss
Patterns emerge, but it is difficult to see what is showcasing itself in the unfocused rifts between different times and places. Laboray’s drawing, on the other hand, is more detailed but equally as abstract.
“Faculty Biennial” will be featured in WCU’s Fine Art Museum through Sept. 23. The gallery is free and open to the public. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, and closed on weekends.
