Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts is hosting Marissa Beckwith and Chase Brooks in their senior art exhibits through April 22. The exhibit is in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s Hammons Gallery and is free and open to the public. A reception also will be held at 6 p.m. on April 10 in the gallery.

Beckwith, a senior graphic design major from Lonsdale, Ark., and Brooks, a senior graphic design major from Houston, Texas, will display a diverse range of work created during their time at Ouachita. The work presented will consist of digital art and branding pieces, including posters, T-shirts and book covers among other media.

“I'm putting moments of my life on a wall and showing people how I've grown and changed,” Beckwith said. “I'm really looking forward to sharing my art with others.”

Beckwith and Brooks said they share a similar style of quirky, simplistic and colorful work, inspiring them to name their exhibit “Lucid.” Brooks noted, “I think every piece people will see should leave them understanding a bit of who I am.

“I want people to respond to the work; art should cause people to respond in some form,” Brooks said, adding that he is looking forward to displaying his work for the first time in a gallery on campus. “My hope is that perhaps people will be inspired, reflect on life and of course get a glimpse into my world.”

“For me, the process of making art is a much-needed form of escapism,” Beckwith added. “During this ongoing act of escapism, I am able to make some sense of the world around me, while also being able to come away with something tangible that viewers can enjoy in the real world.”

Regular gallery hours for the exhibit are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.

 

By Chelsea Whelpley