Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will host Tara Wait and Jennifer Wixon’s senior art exhibits April 27-May 6. Wait’s exhibit will be held in the Rosemary Gossett Adams Gallery on the first floor of Moses-Provine Hall. Wixon’s exhibit will be in the second floor Adams Gallery. Both exhibits are free and open to the public. Receptions for both seniors will also be held in the gallery, with Wixon’s on April 27 at 7 p.m. and Wait’s on May 2 at 5 p.m.

Senior exhibits are presented by students of the Art and Design department both to fulfill a degree requirement and to display the work they have created during their time at Ouachita.

“A senior exhibit is an artist’s diary cracked open for other people to see,” said Wixon, a senior studio art major from Blytheville, Ark. “I think it lets the viewers learn about the person behind the ink and allows the artist to share part of themselves. Of course, it is also good for publicity to help the artist make connections.”

“I am really looking forward to the feedback from my peers, friends and family,” added Wait, a senior studio art and education double major from White Oak, Texas. “One of the most important things about being an artist is feedback. This tells you what you are doing right, what you need to work on and, sadly, what you should not work on anymore. It is tough love, but honest.”

The title of Wait’s show is “Congruous.” “I named the show Congruous for two reasons,” she explained. “I wanted the show to carry a strong and bold name to go along with the bold pieces. Secondly, congruous means harmony of shapes or an agreement of things. My show holds many pieces that you do not necessarily believe would go along together, but somehow as a whole there is harmony.”

Among ceramic and sculptural pieces, Wait will highlight her featured works “Hippie Bottles,” a series of handmade ceramic water bottles, and “Splitting Headache,” a painting that serves as a central piece for the exhibit.

The title of Wixon’s exhibit is “Inside Looking Out.” “My main series, ‘Faerie Tales’ will be illustration,” she explained. “Each piece in this series adds a slightly morbid twist to a children’s tale.” Visitors can also expect to see a representation of a wide array of media, such as calligraphy, encaustic and ceramic.

Wixon said she finds inspiration in emotion and experiences and strives to convey both through her work. “My work is like reading a book,” she said. “The beginning sparked my interest and slowly I got more and more involved. Now, I really want to see the ending.”

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

 

By Anna Hurst