MFA thesis exhibitions
Elizabeth Ranieri
Issue date: 4/21/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
On April 10, two University of Dallas MFA candidates, Chris Blackhurst and Andy Myers, set up their MFA theses at the Art Centre of Plano. Last Friday, April 17, was the reception for the two artists. The professors in attendance commented that it was one of the largest undergraduate turnouts they had ever seen for an off-campus art show.
Blackhurst, in her last year of the UD MFA program, says that she did not discover ceramics until a few years ago when she decided to take a "fun" class to fulfill her last three credits of an associate degree. At that time, she had just suffered a loss and the ceramic helped her reinvent herself. "Art is renewing," she said in a recent interview. Her pieces are ceramic and mixed media and tell stories from various episodes of her life. She says that the pieces are "a touch of personal, without being too obvious." The works give just enough insight into her life to make the viewer contemplate the work long after he has left the gallery. She has accomplished something important with this exhibition, successfully putting a little bit of herself into her work, just as all artists strive to do.
Myers, also in his last year of the UD MFA program, studies nature and the relationship between human form and "natural form," such as plants and animals, and visually connects the two to portray both in life and death. His largest piece, which looks like a human form emerging from inside a tree, is full of life, whereas his tree outside on the ArtCentre patio is limp and lifeless.
Everyone agrees that Myers' greatest accomplishment with this show is the sense of awe that it inspires in all of its viewers. In fact, the most common word spoken in his gallery space on Friday night was "wow."
What do the two artists have in common? Other than the piece on which they collaborated, a very strong friendship. Blackhurst said that the piece is "completely about [their] friendship." Try to find this piece at the gallery.
The show will end on May 9. The gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The address is 1039 East 15th St., Plano.
Blackhurst, in her last year of the UD MFA program, says that she did not discover ceramics until a few years ago when she decided to take a "fun" class to fulfill her last three credits of an associate degree. At that time, she had just suffered a loss and the ceramic helped her reinvent herself. "Art is renewing," she said in a recent interview. Her pieces are ceramic and mixed media and tell stories from various episodes of her life. She says that the pieces are "a touch of personal, without being too obvious." The works give just enough insight into her life to make the viewer contemplate the work long after he has left the gallery. She has accomplished something important with this exhibition, successfully putting a little bit of herself into her work, just as all artists strive to do.
Myers, also in his last year of the UD MFA program, studies nature and the relationship between human form and "natural form," such as plants and animals, and visually connects the two to portray both in life and death. His largest piece, which looks like a human form emerging from inside a tree, is full of life, whereas his tree outside on the ArtCentre patio is limp and lifeless.
Everyone agrees that Myers' greatest accomplishment with this show is the sense of awe that it inspires in all of its viewers. In fact, the most common word spoken in his gallery space on Friday night was "wow."
What do the two artists have in common? Other than the piece on which they collaborated, a very strong friendship. Blackhurst said that the piece is "completely about [their] friendship." Try to find this piece at the gallery.
The show will end on May 9. The gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The address is 1039 East 15th St., Plano.
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