UCM Gallery of Art and Design

Monday, November 30, 2015

Senior Exhibitions Fall 2015 in the UCM Gallery of Art & Design

By the end of the semester, students earning a BFA or BSE in Art are required by the Department of Art & Design at the University of Central Missouri to hold a senior exhibition and present their work to a working professional. The UCM Gallery of Art & Design is exhibiting from November 19 to December 5th the Senior Shows of Interior Design, Studio Art, Graphic Design and Illustration.

Show Exhibition Wall Photography by: Christian Cutler

The opening reception for Nina Gann & Zahra Jahanyfard was Saturday, November 21, 12 - 2 pm. Students enjoyed with their families and friends the opening reception and the work of their loved ones. These events allow the students to explain their work on display and answer questions about their art and work during the study of their major.

Nina Gann Exhibition Photography by: Christian Cutler

John Louder & Zarah Jahanyfard Photography by: Christian Cutler

Interior Design students presented their exhibition called ORIGIN on view in Gallery 115. In this exhibition, students presented the sketches and final visual work of different spaces including rooms, offices, exteriors, etc...

Opening Reception Photography: Christian Cutler

Graphic Design & Illustration students presented Etcetera. The work of the students includes a display of the graphic work, presentation cards, portfolios and colorful samples for the visitors.

Opening Reception Photography: Christian Cutler

The following photographs show examples of displays and work done by our students. Some of them allowed students to play with the display and explore their creativity.

Opening Reception Photography: Christian Cutler

This is the last exhibition of the Fall semester 2015. Upcoming exhibitions will be announced soon in out website and social media.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Upcoming Senior Exhibitions Fall 2015

By the end of the semester, students earning a BFA or BSE in Art are required by the Department of Art & Design at the University of Central Missouri to hold a senior exhibition and present their work to a working professional. The Gallery of Art & Design provides the opportunity for students to present a body of work in a formal public setting for professional review. These exhibitions are very fun and interesting because students have the opportunity to present their work to professionals, family and friends.The decoration of this space might line up with the artist style or theme.

Examples of Interior Design Exhibitions

Graphic Design, Illustration, and Interior Design students participate in an industry professional review day. Held during the senior exhibition, the Design Professional Day includes reviews from industry professionals. Prior to the event, the faculty advisor provides interview time and location. Students are required to dress professionally, prepare to discuss their work, future goals, and present themselves in a professional manner. This process of the exhibition is the most important part because many students have the opportunity to explain the design, intentions and other elements to the industry professionals in a proper space.

Examples of Graphic Design and Illustration Exhibitions

Studio Art and Art Education seniors participate in two reviews of their presented work. The first is an outside professional review and the other is a faculty review. The reviews take place during the senior exhibition held in the Gallery. The outside professional review date is announced prior to exhibition and is scheduled by faculty advisors. For the faculty review, it is the student's responsibility to discuss a review time with their faculty advisor and additional participants. A review team includes lead professors in the student's studio area and a second faculty member. Art Education majors should include a faculty member from their area of emphasis and their Art Education advisor. It is suggested to schedule faculty reviews prior to the opening of the exhibition to avoid faculty time constraints. On the day of the review, is suggested to the students to be prepared to discuss their art, progress, and future goals.

Examples of Studio Art Exhibits

This year, the UCM Gallery of Art & Design will exhibit the 2015 Interior Design Senior Exhibition on November 19 through December 5, 2015 in Gallery 115. The reception for the designers will be on November 21, from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. More information about the Graphic Design, Illustration and Studio Art Exhibitions soon.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Visiting the exhibition The Veteran Vision Project by Devin Mitchell

Many students and staff members of the UCM Community, Whiteman Air Force Base, Warrensburg Community and general public visited the Veteran Vision Project Exhibition in the UCM Gallery of Art & Design. Some of them shared their thoughts and feelings about the exhibit. We share in this post some of these comments. We thank all the public that visited the exhibition and hope you visit us again in upcoming events.

Devin Mitchell's photo essay is extended through November 12th, 2015. Did you like the exhibit too? Leave a comment here!

"Amazing exhibit, very inspiring!" - SSgt C.
"I found your pieces to be really powerful."- Dean M.
"The exhibition helps the reality of our 15 + years of combat jumping right out at you." - Lt. Col Gavin T.

"Devin this is very thought, provoking, portraits. It captures pride, pain, confusion and shame of different service men and women. I felt the full range of each of the subjects... and I don't think any book could have done that." - Arnold G.

"Those are absolutely amazing! I lost my best friend of 7 years to suicide due to PTSD from the war... Never an easy thing, these are just a reminder of him and the struggle it can be. They are very powerful and amazing. Thank you so much! God Bless!" - Kayla W.

" I love the cosplayers from RWBY, its neat and inspiring to see veterans using Anime to cope with PTSD." - Anonymous

"Outstanding exhibit which helps truly reflect on the hidden and obvious injuries, associated with military service. It really helps appreciate the sacrifices those in uniform make for our nation." - N.H.

"This is such an amazing exhibition reflecting on the soldiers that have fought for our freedom. I am happy to know I am safe because of the men and women like in these photographs that have fought for our country. In honor of my brother who is in the Navy doing the very same thing, I am one proud American and citizen. Thank you!" - Anonymous

" What a wonderful way to capture the lives of our military heroes. I will be bringing my family to this exhibit." - Melissa W.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Toposcom by Matthew Mann

Background landscapes, birds and geometric patters are some of the elements of Mann's paintings. The UCM Gallery of Art & Design will exhibit in 2016, Toposcom by Matthew Mann. This exhibition includes a series of paintings with different layers. The viewer is left to speculate between the foreground and background to convey meanings.

Matthew Mann obtained his degree in Fine Arts at the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Mo in 1999 and his M.F.A. at the American University, Washington, DC. in 2002. Currently he is working as an adjunct professional lecturer of painting in the American University.

Toposcom by Matthew Mann

According to Taylor Champneys, Mann's process to construct art work, starts with what he might call his memory of one or more other works he has seen before. Mann's paintings include flat colors, solid shapes creating a classic graphic effect. "The spaces in Mann's paintings consist of a hand-ful of planes, each clearly defined from others, stacked to create the illusion of depth." Champneys said.

Matthew Mann Studio
Photo by: The Studio Visit

In Matthew Mann's artist statement he describes the references that his paintings take. His paintings are based on fiction, myth and contradictions within the history of images and image making. His paintings explore the illogical, shifting meanings and contexts of art history in an effort to delay their linearity. He uses visual perception, pictorial strategies and the logic of images from different media, to let the viewers create unique interpretations of the painting.

Matthew Mann Studio
Photo by: The Studio Visit

What is your opinion about his work? Leave a comment!

If you want to learn more about Matthew Mann, click on the links below:

Matthew Mann Blog: http://mattstudioapparatus.blogspot.com/

Matthew Mann by Taylor Champneys http://thestudiovisit.com/matthew-mann/

Official website Matthew Mann http://matthewjmann.com/

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The art of Cory Imig

Objects change through time. Documenting those changes can lead to patterns expressing a sense of beauty and calm when they are displayed. Some of them represent life and time metaphors. This is the art work of Cory Imig.

The UCM Gallery of Art & Design will exhibit the artwork of Cory Imig in Spring 2016. Her work takes the form of large- scale installations that document time and patterns. These installations are made using common everyday objects like wood, string, masking tape, and balloons.

Buoyant Loss, 2014

Slow Release, 2014

Imig is an artist, curator and educator. She studied fiber and sculpture at the Savannah College of Art & Design in 2008 and currently, she is a Lecturer in the Fiber Department at the Kansas City Art Institute. During this summer, Imig participated in a project called Art - Omi. These are some pictures of her experience:

Orange Stick, 2015

Sloucher in Front of Red Striped Wallpaper, 2015

Her work has been exhibited in humorous exhibitions across the United States, in spaces such as Charlotte Street Foundation Project Space, Hardesty Art Center, ACRE Projects, and the H & R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institute. In 2013, Imig was awarded the “Odom/Weber” Echo Scholarship from ACRE as well as a Professional Development Grant from the Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Install shot

1600 Liberty, 64102

Cory Imig will transform UCM's Main Gallery for her latest exhibition. More information coming soon.

Click on this link to learn more about Cory Imig or watch the video of KC Art News.

What do you think of her work? Leave comments below!

By Katherine Urquijo

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Fantasy Art by Dan Scott

The Contemporary Fantasy Art illustrator Dan Scott, visited the UCM Gallery of Art & Design yesterday to talk about his art and his experience as a freelance illustrator in the Kansas City area. Many students came to his lecture to learn more about this type of illustration that today is very common in trading cards like Magic: The Gathering, in role play games like Dungeons and Dragons, and in comics.

Dan Scott

Dan Scott mentioned the experience he had when working as an amateur illustrator and how he became a professional illustrator. He said that he had to be very persistent and determined to reach his dreams. The constant work lead him to work for companies like Blizzard, Wizards of the Coast, and Magic: The Gathering. Now, he works as a freelance illustrator from home.

Magazine cover
by Dan Scott

To create an illustration that will be produced as a trading card, Scott takes about three weeks to sketch a design and about one month to create the final image. Scott mentioned that the process to create a final product starts with a description from the company, he does then research about the elements he wants to incorporate in the image by looking at other images online. He then starts to sketch.

Trading card Preview

After the final sketch is approved, he starts to add color and details. Finally the image is placed on the cards. Scott mentioned that the details on the trading cards are minimal because they are small prints. For the background, the detail is also minimal but it has to be related to the character.

Sketch process creation
and final image

On comic book covers, the process requires some changes. The process is the same as the trading cards, but the details on the characters have to be more noticeable due to the larger format in which comic book covers are printed.

Characters and Movement
by Dan Scott

Dan Scott showed some of his work on magazine covers and book covers. He also talked about the new challenges that digital illustrators face today. "There is a large competition out here… companies will look for your artistic skills first in your portfolio," he said. Finally; he mentioned that it is all about inspiration and constant work that makes you an excellent illustrator.

If you attended this lecture or you are interested in Contemporary Fantasy Art, leave a comment!

By Christian Cutler and Katherine Urquijo