Seniors Catherine Milem and Regina Veneklase hosted their senior art show in the Fine Arts Building.
Courtesy | Mercedes Bryan
Throughout March and April the art program gives senior students a chance to showcase the work that they have accumulated over the years. . The seniors worked in groups to create three different exhibits that encompass their time within the Hillsdale art program. The first group featured Anna Freeland and Maria Ball. The second included Regina Veneklase and Catherine Milem, and the last group consisted of AJ Freeman, Taylor Lavin, and Hannah Cheng. Each group featured pieces of their work that reflected on their artistic education here at Hillsdale.
Senior Hannah Cheng described the exhibit as similar to a senior thesis.
“The exhibit will feature the highlights of the past four years and what we have made as well as what we have recently made,” Cheng said.
When reflecting on her development as an artist at Hillsdale, Cheng emphasized the fundamentals at the core of learning.
“The focus is a lot less on the expression, but highlights teaching the fundamentals of drawing, painting, sculpture, and how to hone the craft,” Cheng said “ We learn to do it well, which allows you to do it more in-depth and communicate more effectively because you have a better command of the tools that you’re using.”
The Assistant Professor of Art Julio Suarez echoed Cheng when talking about the purpose of the Hillsdale art program.
“The most important aspect of an art education is that you are well trained in the fundamentals, specifically of drawing because it is the basis for everything else,” Suarez said.“Style is one of those things that we do not really talk about or focus on. It’s one of my beliefs that you do not worry about style. Everything you do is going to reflect who you are. You really, as a student, or even your career, you should not really worry about style because it naturally develops.”
Suarez said he saw a lot of artistic growth in the senior exhibits, which he attributes to the department’s focus on technical skills.
“You see their development within their drawings, paintings, sculptures, graphic designs, and photos. It just just gets better,” Suarez said.
Senior Taylor Lavin, whose work was featured in the exhibit, emphasized the principles that at the core of art education. She talked about some of the challenges she faced during her time in the art department, mentioning a specific style of painting that she initially struggled to enjoy, but eventually found very impactful. “Dr. Suarez had helped me to step outside of the painting and learn to observe the whole of the piece,” Lavin said.
Lavin said she hoped to carry that mindset with her in her post-graduation life. c
“The right approach to life is similar to an artist, which is to take a step back and learn to observe,” Lavin said. Both Cheng and Lavin are continuing their careers as artists, working in the graphic design field. They each reflected on the personal growth and comprehensive education that they received here at Hillsdale.
“I chose to come here because I love learning about everything. I knew I wanted to be an artist but maybe if I went to another school, the other side of me, that loves science and loves reading would have been a little bit starved. And with that, of course, my art would have also suffered because that is where a lot of inspiration comes from,” Cheng said. “Hillsdale keeps everything else alive. Even though you do have to pick a major. You have to learn about other things that are fundamental to reality.”
