William Jewell College is often praised for the beauty of its campus buildings. However, not much has been said (at least not in an official capacity) about the campus’ particular artistic features. Sure, the facades of the buildings are impressive, but what of the paintings, vases and other artistic interior decor within those buildings? This article will attempt to undertake a review of some of the iconic art on campus.

Abstract Painting on the Quad Level Floor of Pryor Learning Commons

To preface my discussion with something of a disclaimer: I’m not exactly a fanatic of abstract art. When I do enjoy abstract art, it’s because the piece is accompanied by some additional information, like an essay, that transforms my experience of the art. No longer is that art piece mere irreverent or chaotic brushstrokes, but brushstrokes and chaos harnessed for some specific purpose (however vague).

A good example of this is the Danish art and literature magazine Helhesten, published during the German occupation of Denmark in World War II. Its nonsensical, whimsical and child-like pieces — often accompanied by the artists’ political essays — were a form of protest against Hitler’s concept of ‘Aryan’ art.

In contrast, the abstract painting in the quad level of the PLC is highly decontextualized abstract art. There appears to be no discernible artist signature, though this is difficult to verify because it is placed so high up. Without context or a means of obtaining context by researching the artist, the piece is just random – and random in a highly illogical spot. Why place it so high up? Why choose such a decontextualized, abstract piece?

Both the placement of the piece and inscrutability of its content suggests that the choice of the painting was arbitrary – no more deliberated than the placement of art at a cheap hotel. The painting doesn’t even really complement the red vases which frame it. 

For the record, the vases themselves are a perplexing decoration choice. Lipstick red vases atop an extremely high chimney? They look heavy. Who put them up there, and when?

Abstract Painting in the Second Floor of Jewell Hall

This one is a little better. For one thing, you can actually examine it without craning your neck. Secondly, the faux orange flowers on the table complement the orange tones of the painting (as an aside, I love the faux cattails. I love to see strange hot dog plants). The strategically placed light illuminates a portion of the painting dominated by a half-circle, which creates an interesting ‘halo’ effect.

However, as with the abstract painting on the PLC, there really is no way to obtain more information on the painting – there’s no discernible artist signature. I wonder whether the paintings would attract more of an audience if some kind of signage was created. 

In either case, the painting is a good size and has some amount of visual interest. I’m not entirely convinced I like its strangely ‘dry’ texture, presumably created by applying a small amount of paint on a dry canvas and spreading it thinly. The resulting effect on the color is something that I would call desabrido in Spanish: blanched and without much character. The painting evokes drywall, or perhaps plaster.

Large Art Prints in the Union 

I like these art pieces because they have a lot of life to them – it’s fun to try and track exactly what each of the depicted subjects is doing, and then compare their activity to the other depicted activities. The usage of a faux frame to divide the spheres of activities within the paintings creates some fun confusion about the interrelationships which complicates the activity of frivolous discernment. 

However, I am a little disappointed that closer inspection reveals that the pieces are not originals, but in fact a kind of glossy print of the original artwork. It would be cool to feature some original artworks, and not the prints, given that I think an analysis of art benefits significantly from an examination of the textural properties of the pieces – something which is difficult to analyze in a print of the original work. 

Venus Fly Trap Painting in Brown Hall

Awesome! I love mixed media paintings that recall a pop-up book. This is probably my favorite painting on campus. I wonder if the inside of the Venus Fly Trap is painted as well? Hard to tell, given that the painting is so high up. I think it should be displayed in a more public spot on campus – it’s lonely in that Brown Hall side-staircase.

Photos by Agatha Echenqiue.

(from left to right) “Colors of Fall” by Kate McFerren, “I Am Three Oceans Away From My Soul” by Laina Gunsallus, “The Bernard Shaw (Home)” by Laina Gunsallus, “Geometric Self” by Kate McFerren

On Sunday Apr. 12, Laina Gunsallus and Kate McFerren presented their Senior Showcase Art Show in the Stocksdale Gallery in Brown Hall. Both women presented their works with artists’ statements and a brief talk-back, allowing attendees to understand each piece to the fullest. Each woman had a distinctly different style, but both put together a great showcase that brought out their strengths and drew from deep connections with their craft.

“Stories from the Emerald Isle,” Laina Gunsallus

Gunsallus’ work is an eclectic mix of mediums with a strong central theme and color palette. The “Emerald Isle” in her title is a reference to her semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland during the 2014 spring semester. It has been a full year since her experience abroad, but Gunsallus artwork recalls deeply rooted memories. According to her artist’s statement, she fell in love with “the ocean, hot black tea, grace, [her]self, 6AM and the boy from Percy Lane (in that order).” Elements of these loves are clearly seen in each piece.

The exhibit is set up like an impeccably designed art blog. The color palette consisted of a cool mix of pastels, light blues, cool greys, soft yellows, sandy tans, that made one think of the beaches and muted colors of Ireland’s coast. Highlights of the exhibit include a gorgeous oil painting entitled “6:48AM in Port Rush” and “Letters to the Ocean and the Man on Percy Lane.” The latter piece is my particular favorite because of its nine frame structure consisting of postcard-esque snapshots of a life full of love. The use of different mediums, including watercolor, collage, pen and ink and typography, is symbolic to the different experiences of her journey rolled into one perfectly organized set.

Gunsallas is both artist and storyteller, communicating with the audience a full narrative told only through pictures. It may seem like an arduous task, but when one has an epic tale to tell, one finds a way to make it heard. As she says in her statement, “art is the pursuit of story; the artist [is] the storyteller.” It certainly pays off for Gunsallus, who manages to capture an entire journey’s worth of tales in roughly 12 works.

“Stories from the Emerald Isle” takes each visitor on a journey to Ireland as they observe Gunsallus transformation from a traveler into a pseudo-native. You can observe some of Gunsallus’ other works online (http://gunsallusl.wix.com/laina).

“Evolution of Mediums,” Kate McFerren

In contrast, but not in conflict with Gunsallus’ works is Kate McFerren’s “Evolution of Mediums,” a 12 piece collection of various types of photography and painting styles. McFerren’s artist statement starts with the statement that we “live in a digital age” and her exhibit reflects this assertion but maintains a sense of natural artistry. It seems easy enough for a photographer to print a picture onto photo paper and call it good, but McFerren said she wanted to find a new way to present her pictures to viewers. In order to accomplish this, she printed four different pictures onto various types of media including canvas, lightbox, wood and metal. The results are amazing, and McFerren’s photographs pop on each surface.

McFerren did not just explore photography; her exhibit also includes oil paintings, sketches and other fine art mediums. An example of her crossover between different styles is in her works “Painted Pixelation” and “Digital Pointillism.” The latter was a pixelated image printed on metal and the former is the same image painted in pointillism style, which is a style marked by small dots of color. The works, presented side by side, showcase McFerren’s adaptability in many mediums.

I would highly recommend seeing “Evolution of Mediums” because it has a diverse collection of art styles. The difference between the self portrait done with different shapes entitled “Geometric Self” and the pastel entitled “Snowy Street” lets viewers know that McFerren is multi-talented in many art forms and is an artistic force with which to be reckoned. McFerren may believe that she has “no inherent artistry,” as referenced in her statement, but that is hard for me to believe when looking at her wide expanse of works. You can check out McFerren’s art exhibit online on her website http://katemcferren.com/.

Both exhibits are on display in the Stocksdale Gallery in Brown Hall until May 16.