STUDENTS STAR IN GALLERY SHOW

SCC student artists will be stealing the spotlight with their first on-site show.

The Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) thesis show is considered to be the students’ “final exam” and a chance to share their hard work and passion with the rest of the student body.

AFA sophomore Holden Drake said he “spent a total of eight hours” on his ceramic pieces: a Komon Pot, a Futanashi Kyusu (open teapot) and a Sake Set. Drake said his work is inspired by flawed beauty, a Japanese philosophy rooted in the Buddhist idea that nothing is perfect, also known as wabi-sabi.  

Drake infused foamy sea blues and olive greens into the Komon Pot and the Futanashi Kyusu, which he said are both fully functional, though perhaps not for their traditional uses. For instance, the Komon Pot is missing the top surface, but Drake said that it could be used as a centerpiece with flowers or fruit.

Another AFA student, Christopher Dresnek, focused on photography.

“There is nothing like the magic of developing prints in the darkroom,” Dresnek said. He works in black and white prints, “Look Up,” “Lake Quinault no. 37” and “4. There’s a Doctor.”

Dresnek said he finds his inspiration in Gaia, the Greek word for “Mother Earth,” and tries to find unique ways to appreciate the earth. Dresnek’s “Look Up” print features a shadowy outline of a tree seeming to touch the sky, reflecting his connection to the environment.

Besides the wall prints and sculptures, there were also interactive and non-interactive woodworks.

One such interactive piece was Emma Parkinson’s “Perpetual Sine Wave.” The woodwork piece rolled like smooth waves when users turned a small crank. Parkinson’s invention stood in the center of the show, catching the curious eye of many attendees.

Far off to the left, initially out of sight, hung “Ecstacy.”

Sammy Huynh’s heart-shaped woodwork glimmered in gold, swaying gently in the window at the entrance of the lobby. “Ecstacy” is non-interactive, but with just a glance, the angel wings and bright colors of Huynh’s work captures your attention.

There are a number of outstanding artists just waiting to be discovered in the new show, representing the diverse talent of SCC’s on-site artists.

The AFA studio class’ show is on display in the Administrative Building lobby and features a total of 32 works ranging from sculptures to photography.

The show will continue until June 22 in the Administrative Building lobby.