The Hamilton College Senior Art Show, a final presentation of the work of 21 graduating fine arts majors, is open in the Emerson Gallery through Sunday, May 23. The exhibition includes paintings, sculpture, photography, video, and mixed media works. A graduation reception will be held on Saturday, May 22, from 12 to 2 p.m. The exhibition and the reception is free and open to the public.
Hamilton art students typically focus their work around a single theme or concept. One such theme revolves around family relationships portrayed in photography and glass. Senior Amy Mills' four large pieces include sandblasted photographs from childhood attached to pieces of shattered glass. Mills' theme relates to issues of change and acceptance. The intentional use of broken glass symbolizes the fragility of human relationships and emotions.
Another student project, created by Erin Turcot, also focuses on family relationships. Created with clay and glass, the materials were chosen to reflect the "rooted, loyal bonds" within family and the "delicacy of life" and unexpected role of fate, respectively.
Amy Wright has created "My Island," a piece that includes 12 glass tiles combined with photographs. Abstractly, the work is intended to convey the security and escapism offered on the "island" of television.
The role of physical appearance as meaningful in nature and in life, the need for external affirmation compared with internal acceptance, the nature of dreams, and the evolutionary process of releasing childhood are all themes addressed by Amanda Gundy in her photographic self portrait series.
Sarah Baldwin sought to pursue a new style from an already established approach to her wheel-thrown pottery, moving away from functional to more original work. Creating a sense of movement and an organic quality are the focus of her work.
Other students whose work will appear in this show are: Colleen Aber (Durham, NH), Sarah Baldwin (Ithaca, NY), Jacqueline Brown (Monroe, CT), Bartlett Doty (Leeds, MA), David Ewing (Swarthmore, PA), Meghan Gifford (Laurel Hollow), NY Amanda Gundy (Rye, NY), John Hemminger (New York, NY), Philip Johnson, II, (Chicago, IL), Julie Kaliodes (Minnetonka, MN), Erica Lieberman (Lloyd Harbor, NY), Bradford Little (New York, NY), Mary Elizabeth Mason (Manchester, NH), Amy Mills (Amesbury, MA), Elizabeth Mulligan (Hunting Valley, OH), Stephen Murray (Chappaqua, NY), Mary Peters (Rosemont, PA), Bethany Rae Quigley (Scarborough, ME), Katherine Spector (Oswego, NY), Erin Turcot (Essex Junction, VT), Amy Wright (Rye, NY)
All events are free and open to the public. The Emerson Gallery is located on the Hamilton College campus in Clinton, New York, in the Christian A. Johnson Hall, directly behind the Chapel. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For further information, including information on parking and wheelchair accessibility, please contact the Emerson Gallery at 315-859-4396.
