Each semester, the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art in Garland Hall showcases exhibitions from a variety of artists who work in different mediums, providing students with the opportunity to view art from cities across the nation.
Beginning Thursday, the gallery will display “Starcraft,” an exhibition from award- winning artist and New York City native Beverly Semmes. The exhibition first opened in 2011.
“We wanted to bring Beverly last year, but we had a flood in the gallery. We decided to get the show and let it be our first show of the season,” Vicki Rial, the exhibitions coordinator at the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, said.
The excitement for Semmes’s “Starcraft” exhibition stems from her unusual and interesting combinations of color and art media, Rial said.
“[Semmes] features glass, ceramics, crystal and fabrics, as well as photography. So we’re hoping that [art majors] can see the potential that they can put into their own work,” Rial said.
Ally Mabry, a senior majoring in graphic design and printmaking, does just that. She said she strives to use each experience at the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art to broaden her artistic perspective.
“As art students, it’s imperative that we pay attention to work that’s being made or has been made out in the real world, because it helps us find ourselves in art and refine our tastes and perspectives. The exhibits that come to the University are so dynamic and eclectic, and it’s important to be exposed to new, unexpected art forms and styles,” Mabry said.
Mabry said she looks forward to experiencing the artist’s unparalleled style and exploring the ways Semmes uses different mediums.
“[Semmes] uses bold textiles to create very large garments that become narrative when juxtaposed with glass and clay sculptures. I’m most excited to stand next to the pieces and experience their hugeness in person,” Mabry said.
James Davis, a graduate student in the MFA program, said he appreciates the variety of opportunities present in the art department that have inspired his growth as an artist and prepared him for his career. Like Semmes, his interests lie greatly in sculpture, making him particularly excited to visit “Starcraft,” he said.
“I’m really happy that the Sarah Moody Gallery is proactive in trying to bring in contemporary artists from a very diverse selection – not just painters, not just ceramicists, not just printmakers, not just photographers, but people that are really delving into multimedia and making a large statement,” Davis said.
Davis said he is interested in learning from the historical and humorous aspects of “Starcraft” as well.
“I definitely use Beverly Semmes as a point of departure and someone that I really look up to. I think that she’s doing some really cool things, and I’m excited to get to see it in person. I think she’s really a top-notch artist,” Davis said.
“Starcraft” is on display in the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art in Garland Hall until Oct. 4, and attendance is free. The gallery is open 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, as well as 5 – 8 p.m. Thursday.
