The Campus Chronicle

Volume 3, No. 21
April 25, 2003

Graduate illustration major Megan Kimber’s mixed/acrylic “Broken” is evidence of the wide variety of techniques on display in “Diaries 11x14.”

Diaries exposed

A Review
By Hannah Pittard

Graduate illustration majors Melanie Andrews, Nadyne Ikbal, Megan Kimber and undergraduate illustration junior Andrea Olson have joined forces to bring “Diaries 11x14” to the walls of Oglethorpe Row Gallery. Though the exhibition’s premise may be simple — to make available to the public four artists’ individual interpretation of a diary — the images are anything but.

“I decided to interpret this ‘Diary’ as a personal exploration of technique and freedom from confinement,” said Ikbal. “Until now, I have felt slightly limited by guidelines and restrictions placed upon me, but these five illustrations were created free from a watchful and critical eye. This freedom resulted in my most productive work as an illustrator, while still allowing me to explore alternative media, such as scratchboard with digital enhancement.”

Melanie Andrews is also a fan of scratchboard and digital manipulation, which she uses to portray the inter-connectedness of nature and geometry. “In my own work, I have created an overall image comprised of smaller images. Each smaller image is in its own way an entry into the completed diary of relationships between math, art and nature,” said Andrews. “I want there to be an initial effect of the main image, and a full story when you look closer to see what it is comprised of.”

Kimber is another whose work reflects her interest in nature: “I am constantly intrigued by the patterns and textures of life in nature, namely animals, plants and forces of nature,” she said. “To me, their intricacies serve as endless analogies to human response and emotion. This concept of merging nature and human is a huge influence on how I go about creating my illustrations. The attempt to grasp the intangible is expressed through the many layers of paint, paper and cloth that I use.”

From Olson’s use of acrylics and watercolors to Ikbal and Andrew’s use of scratchboard, this show demonstrates the myriad differences of style and technique coming out of the illustration department. But this show is perhaps most unique in that the images of these four women are so personal when much of the work produced by illustrators is commissioned and therefore necessarily commercial.

“Diaries 11x14” is on display at Oglethorpe Row Gallery, 406 E. Oglethorpe Ave., through May 1.

Not your everyday trunk show
The Fibers Club will hold its second trunk show of the year, “Necessary Objects,” April 26, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at the Sentient Bean.

For those whose everyday lingo does not incorporate fibers phrases, a “trunk show” is an opportunity for designers to showcase their work to the public. “They provide publicity for sales, as well as a chance to introduce new designs to customers,” said Claire Sanchez, Fibers Club undergraduate representative. “In the fibers department, we have trunk shows to showcase student work to give students a chance to sell their products in a real life situation, and also to familiarize the public with what we do in the fibers department.”

Though this is only the third trunk show of the fibers department, already the tradition has earned a following and a reputation for quality goods. This quarter’s show will feature handbags, stationary, throws, pillows and other handmade accessories for sale to the public.

“We’ve learned so much about design and sale,” said Sanchez, who work with faculty advisor Cayewah Easley and graduate representative Sari Gunderson to coordinate the details of the show.

“We chose the title, ‘Necessary Objects,’ because many of the products we create are things like hand-printed silk pillows or handbags; they are beautiful details that are almost like the punctuation in design necessary to complete it,” said Sanchez. “There is just something appealing about handmade objects that draws people to them.”

“Necessary Objects” will be on display April 26, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at the Sentient Bean, 13 E. Park Ave.