Emma Crosby and Kalynda Santana/Honor in Art (Painting)

Honors in Art students Emma Crosby and Kalynda Santana present a joint exhibition in the Winfisky Gallery, April 28 through May 16. 

ADDITIONAL EXHIBITION EVENTS on APRIL 30

Artist Talk: 12:30-1:30 pm

Reception: 1:30-3 pm

Artist Statement: Emma Crosby

Exploration of the Absurd

My artistic process begins in the sketchbook, where I explore ideas and

solve compositional challenges. Often, the sketchbook itself becomes a finished

piece, capturing the essence of my visions, and I do not feel the need to create a

painting out of it. However, for this exhibition, I've challenged myself to push

beyond the initial sketch and delve deeper into the possibilities of paint.

Realism has never been a focus within my art, rather what I can get my art

to evoke or remind the viewer of. In acrylics I embrace the bold brushstrokes,

expressive gestures and vibrant colors, meanwhile watercolors allow me to

delve more into intricate detail. My personal preference for each medium leads to

vastly different interpretations of the same idea.

My inspiration stems from the fantastical and the macabre, drawing upon

mythology, poetry, and folklore. From rat kings to unicorns, pirates to clowns, my

work reflects my own fascination with the absurd. I find enjoyment in capturing

the movement and energy of animals and people, often focusing on organic

forms rather than static objects. My aim is to evoke a sense of wonder and invite

viewers to see the world through a new lens.

This show is a personal journey through my artistic process, a

self-indulgent celebration of my love for all things strange. It's a chance for me to

share my fascination with both the bizarre, strange and macabre, and hopefully

inspire my audience to find appreciation for the world in areas they never thought

to look before.

KALYNDA SANTANA / ARTIST STATEMENT

Working Title Fe(male) Gaze

Contemporary media plays a powerful role in shaping societal norms and values. It

often portrays women through the lens of the male gaze, emphasizing idealized

beauty standards that can lead to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem among

women. This can influence a woman’s perception of her own body, leading to

behaviors such as dieting, cosmetic procedures, or adopting specific fashion trends

to fit these standards.

I would like to create a variety of depictions of the female figure, aspects of the

feminine essence and experiences in order to explore the question: How does the

perpetuation of the Male Gaze in media influence women's consumption patterns

and self-perception? I have responded to this question through various artistic

representations of personal and learned experiences of contemporary women. I am

interested in using my artwork to express the intense and nearly overwhelming

feelings of being a woman 2023-24 as the project is being created. Not just one

feeling, word or woman can express the experience and because of this a

culmination of many mediums feels appropriate to explore through the course of this

project. I enjoy working with a variety of materials, anything that is available to me I

may use to create my art. To begin the project I started by collecting things like

shopping tags, receipts, disposable vapes, fast food sauce containers that would be

assembled together within a series of different canvases or surfaces.