Annual painting and overseas study exhibition drew crowd at School of Fine Arts Gallery

Paintings, photos and drawings with subjects ranging from nude women to an original take on the famous painting “American Gothic” spanned the walls at the Bachelor of Fine Arts Painting and Overseas Study Exhibition.

The exhibition was held from Tuesday through Saturday at the School of Fine Arts Gallery.

The exhibition displayed artwork created by students involved in either the School of Fine Arts Abroad: International Program or the painting department through the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts.

The BFA program is an intense painting study, graduate Amber Zaragoza said.
Troy Mottard, currently enrolled in the program, said that as a declared art major he was recommended to participate in the program.

“It’s the most intense degree for an art student,” Mottard said.

One of the three rooms included in the exhibition was dedicated to works produced by students who attended the

summer overseas program in Europe. The School of Fine Arts, in partnership with the Office of Overseas Study, puts on the program each year.

The three study abroad programs included printing and bookmaking in Venice, taught by professor Althea Murphy-Price; drawing in Florence, taught by professor Martha MacLeish; and photography in Paris, taught by professor Jeffrey Wolin.

The other two rooms in the exhibit were dedicated to paintings created by students in the School of Fine Arts painting department.

Mottard entered five pieces in place of his thesis for the program. Each of Mottard’s five paintings was untitled and used the same mediums of oil, acrylic and marker. Mottard entered those specific pieces because they were what he was working on at the time.

“They felt fresh, not overworked,” Mottard said of the paintings he displayed. “They were based off drawings I did this summer.”

Many viewers at the exhibit were friends with the artists who had work on display.
Sophomore Abby Purcell said Colleen Egan’s book of photos titled “L’oiseau Mort” was her favorite work.

“The photos are all of the same model,” Purcell said. “You can’t see her face, but you can see what she’s doing. It’s interesting because you can imagine what you would be doing in the same situations.”