Tacoma Arts in Review: Student Art Exhibition at TCC’s The Gallery

Open now through June 10

The Student Art Exhibition at The Gallery at Tacoma Community College features the work of students from all skill levels— from exercises in skill building done in intro level courses to more advanced experiments in mixed media, painting, ceramics, and bronze.

Among the more obtuse exercises in composition there are also welcome and surprising examples of the vision, individuality and creativity from the students.

Out of the many works in the exhibition, I kept seeing the name Helena Victoria Olson attached to works I found visually appealing. Olson in fact received two Jurors’ Choice Awards, but my favorite work by her was not among them. Her painting Salad with Cheese, Nuts, and Berries is a close-up of a precarious pile of fresh salad fixings, creating textured layers of delightful (dare I say delicious?) colors.

Another work that drew more consideration was bronze sculpture The Portent by Greg Yuckert. The perpendicular figures of a man and a woman curl up in the fetal position on a formless mass of jagged metal. Despite their proximity, the couple seems unaware of each other as they grip their faces in torment.

The small suffering figures trapped in a harsh, abysmal setting make the sculpture almost seem like a fragment of Rodin’s The Gates of Hell. It is no surprise that this sculpture also received a Juror’s Choice Award.

The object that seemed the most out of place in the exhibition was a mixed media sculpture called Something is Missing by Rubie Lewis. In this work, gagged Barbies are suspended in a large box collaged with images of brutalized women. At the bottom of the box, fragmented body parts surround a baby doll, while at the top a mannequin head stares blankly at a crucified Princess Jasmine doll.

Putting aside the blatant use of shock value, I question the wisdom of including this work in the exhibition in the first place. Among an exhibition of typically subdued works, this object sticks out like a sore thumb. Including this work in such a context does the artist’s vision no favors, instead making a grotesque spectacle of the student’s personal issues expressed in the work and accompanying text.

Although this is not an earth-shattering or game-changing exhibition, I do appreciate that TCC gives their students an opportunity to showcase their creations in such a lovely space. This kind of effort is essential for building a sense of community which can be challenging on a commuter campus.

The TCC Clay Club Pottery Sale runs at The Gallery June 3rd, 10am- 5pm and June 4th, 10am – 2pm. The sale benefits art scholarships and Clay Club activities.

TCC’s The Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm. The Gallery will be closed for the summer, between June 10 and August 31, 2011. For more information, visit their website: http://www.tacomacc.edu/thegallery/

Participating Students: Will Artege, Brendan Balaam, Emily Baldado, Erik Bengston, Desirae Bevens, Elizabeth Bond,  Hannah Buck, Char Carlyle, Rachelle Cassidy, Shelly Cook*,  Katherine Curtis, Claire Davis, Forest Davis,  David Demchenkov, Kazumi Diven-Goez*, Clarice Downs, Rowena Forde, Renee Garcia, Taran Gomukiewicz, Steven Hodges, Vanessa Holgain, Allison Hood, George Hovik, Rebekkah James, Rose James, Chelsea Janssen, Jennifer Jensen, Kristin Johnson*, Tara Johnson*, Ciara Jones, Michael Jooste, Lynsay Justice, Kristina Kasler, Bryan Kelley, Ruby Lewis, James Libstaff, Davina Lindstrom, Gabrielle Lindstrom, Kaitlyn Lloyd*, Leung Lok Yin Loraine*, Bryce MacDonald*, Starr Marcellino, Greg Martin, Sara Meline, Mark Mondeck, Brandy Musgrove, Alex Nasonov, Parker Nelson, Mandy Nugent, Helena Victoria Olsen**, Jeannette Otis, Fiona Parker, Julian Pena, Keri Pooler*, Flor Quintanilla, Dave Rasmussen, Kevin Ravana*, Ashley Reynolds, Jill Rohrbaugh*, Catherine Shea, Mina Shulz, Liubovi Sikotoskaia, Rebecca Smart, Evan Stout, Silver Summers, Susan Thompson, Parker Trotter, Heidi Vladyka*, Alissa Vinson, Anna Vinson, Kimberly Walker, Kit Ka Wong, Michael Wong*, Shante Woodruff*, Greg Yuckert*

• Indicates that the student received a Juror’s Choice Award

Photos courtesy of TCC’s The Gallery

Review by Kate Albert Ward

ABOUT TACOMA ARTS IN REVIEW
Tacoma Arts In Review, a new column on Exit 133, regularly shares timely reviews and stories on art happenings in Tacoma written by local college students and community members. For more information and application details, go here.