Faculty art show opens in SLUCAG

The Southeastern department of visual and performing arts held an Opening Reception for the Faculty Art Exhibition in the Contemporary Art Gallery on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. The reception was open to the public, and many students and community supporters came to view the works and speak with the faculty members who created them."I think it's really cool," said Amanda Zell, a senior graphic design major and president of the American Institute of Graphic Design. "It's good to know that the teachers you are learning from are awesome at art. I really liked Mark Brosseau's small acrylic paintings. They're really crisp and colorful and show a lot of control and skill."

Among the types of art displayed in the exhibit, there were paintings, photographs, sculptures, and digital video projects.

John Valentino's two ring pieces were inspired by rings that he had viewed in the Jewish Museum in New York. He used one of the new prototype machines in the New Media and Animation area to create his silver rings.

"Every semester for the faculty show I try and create a piece of artwork using some of the skills I'll be teaching that semester," said Valentino.

Valentino teaches a 3D modeling and animation class at Southeastern this semester.

Another faculty member, Jean Flint, had an interesting piece in the exhibit.

"This is quite different than the rest of my body of work," said Flint. "I was inspired initially when I saw these electric green cones. It was something about the color and shape."

Flint, who has been creating art since 1994, teaches Basic 2D Design in the Visual Art Department.

"My favorite media is just to work with objects and materials and I more than likely have the element of the hand-made look," said Flint.

Flint attributed influences from the artists Louise Bourgeois and Robert Rauschenberg.

Another faculty member with stand-out artwork was Ben Diller, who has been making art for around 20 years and had a large display of work in the exhibit ranging from painting to sculptures.

"My inspiration is two-fold," said Diller. "Part is being in Louisiana and the environment. I teach primarily in 2D, but I wanted to show how it can exist in 3-dimensional, too."

Diller also credited inspiration for one of his drawings to the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"For me I don't really have a favorite media," said Diller. "I love working with wood, paint and collaging."

Betty Lou Starnes, a senior majoring in art history, came to see the work of several of her previous art professors.

"I really was impressed by the entire installation of Ben Diller's stuff," said Starnes. "It's really impressive to see a teacher open their sketchbook to their students to show the process of reworking ideas being realized in the final piece."