Visual Arts Extravaganza

The Department of Visual and Performing Arts is now holding a Spring Student Art Exhibition featuring the creations of students ranging in all classifications and guest artists that wanted to contribute to making imaginations come to life.
The show incorporated a total of 18 artists. Some of the students were given their first opportunity to participate in a professional show and the turnout was unexpected. Students who major in Nursing, Mass Communication, Business Management, Computer Science and more were granted the opportunity to participate in the spring show.
The opening night of the exhibit, held on Thursday March 14 in Frank Hayden Hall’s Department of Visual and Performing Art, showcased a variety of creative pieces.
Some of this art work included spoken word performed by a senior History major, Sharita Sims, and live body painting done by a freshman Nursing major from New Orleans, Louisiana, Deja Crayton.
Deja Crayton responded to an interview question about her motivation by saying, “ In each piece of artwork I have in the showcase I was inspired by photography… so I burn the image in my head and tweak it into an acrylic masterpiece.”
A senior Electronics Engineering major, Amir Garrett, participated in the show and was awarded 1st place winner. When asked about his experience he responded,“ I like adding art… I feel that when I put a lot of art in the show, it helps bring a crowd and some type of life back to the department.”
Garrett prepared for the show throughout the year. “ I make art throughout the year based on what I’m inspired by and then I make a decision on what I want to use for the show when the time comes.”
Wearable art was also present in the exhibit and created by a guest artist from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ursula Clark. When explaining her inspiration behind her art, she explains “I put myself in my work.”
Her inspiration derived from different battles of life including her and her mother overcoming the battles of breast cancer.
She explained that she was inspired to go back to school and do art therapy after teaching a student with disability who wanted to go to art class. He created an art piece that she assisted with and when the student graduated, the sculpture was given to the student as a gift. This brought the student joy and Clark was even more inspired to pursue her art therapy career.
Ursula Clark has has had personal battles with narcolepsy and other health conditions as well as coping with the passing of her daughter and husband.
“My goal is to make awareness. Not just to my cases [ health conditions], we want to use our voices.”
The Baton Rouge artist stressed the significance of using art to climb the hills of life and push forward. Each artist’s collections tells a story.
The Spring Art Show will be open Monday- Thursday from 10:00 am until 4:00pm until April 11 in Frank Haden Hall.

Gallery • 1 Photos

“Compromise? #1” created by Tai-Sha Combs, a junior nursing major from New Orleans, Louisiana in 2019 for the 2019 Student Art Showcase. (DeBrandin Brown//DIGEST)