By Emma Zaremba
Features Editor
It may be impossible to predict the future, but it’s entirely possible to draw out a plan that leads you there.
Around this time of year, college seniors are either planning what needs to be done before moving on to their next big adventure or planning out what steps to take to find it. At St. Bonaventure, a couple of students are drawing it out and sharing it with the public at the art exhibition “A Kiss of Color.”
For four years, senior art majors Hannah Walker and Tianne Parker have worked on a variety of art pieces. A selection of these pieces will be displayed in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Friday, April 11 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Walker described what type of artwork she will contribute to the exhibit.
“It’s basically an accumulation of all the work I’ve done since freshman year,” Walker said. “It’s primarily focused on portraits. I have some landscapes and a few paintings of my dogs.”
Walker explained what pieces she’s focusing on before show time next week.
“Right now, I’m working on a series of portraits of family and friends, and afterwards, I will give them to the people that request them,” Walker said.
Parker also spoke about what she will display at the show.
“I like flowers, so most of my pieces are going to have flowers in it with light, pale colors,” Parker said. “‘A Kiss of Color’ is perfect for the name of the show. Flowers and pale spring colors are perfect for this time.”
Unlike Walker, Parker has been working to create an entirely new collection for the show.
“I started fresh,” Parker said. “Spring has begun, and it’s new beginnings, so I decided to start fresh.”
Parker’s selection at the show will be watercolor-based pieces, because that’s what she loves most.
“I’m best at watercolors,” Parker said. “Paintings and acrylics I don’t like too much, but watercolors are easy, and drawing I can do pretty well.”
When asked what type of art she enjoys creating most, Walker expanded on her appreciation for portraits and why she finds these creations powerful.
“Basically, I like just drawing faces, especially the mood you can get in eyes,” Walker said. “The eyes are just everything. Pretty much, if you get those, it all (comes together).”
For Walker, it only made sense to follow her passion for art when selecting a major before college.
“I’ve actually been interested in that type of art since I could pick up a pencil, and it would have felt weird to go into a different major, so I just stuck with what I knew and went into art,” Walker said.
Parker also shared how she ended up as an art major.
“I was interested (in art) since I was a little kid, but I never wanted to pursue it,” Parker said. “I loved art class, and then when I got here I was an art major at first and thought ‘maybe I’ll switch to undecided.’ Then I just ended up doing it because it’s something I like.”
Over the past four years, the number of art majors has fluctuated, but the program remains one of Bonaventure’s smallest. According to Walker, the program’s size brings negatives and positives for its members.
“It kind of goes up and down each year,” she said. “Two years ago, there were a bunch of us, and now it’s just the two seniors and there’s a bunch younger than us. We’re kind of isolated over in Francis Hall most of the time, but in a way, it’s kind of good because you can concentrate, and it’s still only a short drive over to (campus).”
Parker talked about the positive side of being one of two senior art majors.
“It’s good because you get a lot of one-on-one attention, and you don’t really have to compete for anything, so in that aspect it’s good,” Parker said.
Despite the art major’s small size, Walker was able to find direction with her artwork.
“I came in pretty open, because coming from a smaller school, you don’t really have a huge art program, and I’ve narrowed it down to charcoal and oil painting,” Walker said.
After graduation, Walker hopes to find a job in illustration to get started and make a name for herself.
“That’s a vast area where I’m more likely to get a career afterwards,” Walker said. “After that, it’s about building your reputation and then you can just do portraits and landscapes.”
Walker explained her inspiration comes from things she has been through. One event in particular has driven her success for the past two years.
“One of the things that separates me and that drives me is that I actually lost part of my vision my sophomore year here,” Walker said. “I kind of find it as inspiration. If I can conquer that, I can make it in the art world.”
Although Walker leaves most of her pieces untitled so that people can find their own name and meaning for it, she described one named piece that will be on display.
“There is one that I have named,” Walker said. “It’s a series of four panels and they have wolves on them. I named it ‘Ice, Fire, Sun, Moon,’ and it’s the four wolves from different perspectives. They have an earthy feel, an icy feel and so on.”
Next Friday, these pieces will be up for display for all to see. Walker conveyed how important this event is to her and what she hopes guests take away from it.
“I hope they get that you can still be an artist in today’s world, because with cameras you can just say ‘oh, why not just take a selfie’ instead of just drawing yourself,” Walker said. “It takes a lot of time and patience to do it.”
Parker found it difficult to pinpoint one thing viewers should take away.
“It’s hard for artists to say ‘this is what the viewers should take from it’ because everyone sees something different,” Parker said. “I feel like when I view art, I see things different than other people would, so as long as they enjoy it, that’s good.”
zarembed11@bonaventure.edu
