Art galore @ UMT - part 2

"Goddess"

Lea Christiansen (L) speaks to a visitor during the opening.

One of the assignments Charles has this semester was to attend several contemporary art exhibits.  Thursday was the opening of an exhibit at the University Center gallery of "Along the Path."  This exhibit displayed the work of a Bachelor of Fine Arts student, Lea Christiansen. 

According to the artist's statement on display:
"This artwork emerges as a part of my practice as a beginning spiritual seeker and one who is interested in better understanding how the mind interacts with our inner and outer worlds."

One work, in particular, stood out:  "Goddess," which depicts a deer facing the viewer.  This was on the postcard and posters announcing the exhibit.  It wasn't until Charles took a picture of the drawing that he noticed the shadow image to the deer's right.  This shadow image reminds us that we typically see what we want to see.  This is a reminder that while we see one thing, the subject might see itself in another way and, indeed, may be seen another way completely -- by other viewers.

Another aspect of Lea's works that spoke to Charles was her use of the color gold to give the expression a depth and a life that might not have been realized otherwise.  In considering how light, shadow and black/white/grey/gold are interwoven, the works convey a path that each of us are on.