This year the Student Annual includes a wide variety of media and shows what precisely the art program at Kent State is all about. The Student Annual is a juried show that happens every spring to give Kent State's finest artists a venue to show their work. This year the show was juried by Alex Coon Director of the Massilon Museum.
Immediately on entering the show you are dazzled by several large sculptural pieces, one an elaborate metal pulley system by Katherine Foote called A Study of Line in 3 Dimensions, another large than life Bouncy Horse by Hunter V. Elliot. Marchelle Simms sculptural wall piece entitledHis Beginnings garnered the Graduate Best in Show award. One cannot miss the large sculptural wall piece by David Masters called There's Truth Beneath The Floor Boards, which won Graduate at Large award.
The show also gives a wide look at the metals program, including pieces from nearly every level. But all of these pieces stand alone against advanced level pieces, indicating the strength of craft in the program. Notable pieces include Marissa Racht Ryan's Interlocking Rings from Invisible Cities Series and McKensie Jones's Cameo Necklace both made in the entry level Jewelry class. Advanced students like Julie Deutschman with her Memento Mori necklace which includes real butterfly wings, and Jessica Mantheh who created an entire sandwich made out of metal and other found objects.
The show also boasts some beautiful textiles. Joanne Arnett wove a large piece made on the jacquard loom is woven with metal entitled Two Years and a Fine of $2, 000, as you walk past the work the image seems to change due to the way the light shines on the metal. Another piece by Kelsey Leib, made out of yellow and orange monofiliment glitters in the march sunlight that reluctantly shines through the gallery window.
Prints are a large part of the show this year, two of which recieved awards. One print by S. Birch Land is white on white, another by grad student Pamela Testa is a beautiful leaf design, another by grad student Veronica Ceci depicts an action commonly seen around campus: a man intently looking at an iphone screen.
Paintings are not to go without mention. From highly abstract concepts such as the work of grad student Shawn Watrous who won graduate runner-up, to a wonderfully painted image of a vacuum cleaner by Joshua Humm called Bachelor Pad Oppression, to a cubist interpretation of the Kent Mills by Sarah Gretsinger.
The show is full of variety and gives a wide range of works big and small, in many different media. Furthermore it is a great showcase of the work of graduate students, several of which will be having their MFA shows the week after spring break. Lori Gipson, a metal smith has two pieces in the show, including a vessel which is a preview to her MFA show. Tim Stover also has a piece in the student annual, working in colored glass, will be something different to look forward to. It will be exciting to see larger collections of pieces from Joanne Arnett and Pamela Testa as well.
This is the last day of the Student Annual show. The MFA Thesis Show will start the week after Kent State's spring break, April 2-5.
--Caitlin Binkhorst
