This is a muted color study.
Combined Saturation Study. Top: Broad hue and saturation with narrow value. Bottom: Broad value, hue and saturation.
Combined Saturation Studies: Top: wide value and range. Bottom:Narrow hue, value with broad saturation.
Prismatic Study. Top: wide value and range. Bottom: wide value and range.
Monochromatic gray study. Top: low key. Bottom: hi key.
Muted color study.
Value Scales.
Prismatic Color Study. Top: Low key. Bottom: Hi key.
Color Wheel.
This is my idea of the “perfect red.”
This is a free-study. I chose to use monochromatic grey.
I recently attended the Student Art Exhibition which felt like a breath of fresh air during a time when connection and inspiration often felt just out of reach. Though much of the exhibit was presented online, the energy and creativity of the students’ works transcended the screen, and the event brought a sense of community that had been sorely missed.
The highlight of the experience was the motivational speaker E. M. Laursen, an artist and curator whose passion for the intersection of art and community is infectious. Laursen’s presence alone was inspiring—her work as an artist and her dedication to supporting others through her roles in curation, consulting, and community organizing came across as deeply genuine. She spoke about the challenges of creating art in a world disrupted by the pandemic, a reality we’ve all experienced in some way. Her words resonated with me as she described how art became a lifeline—a means to process the chaos and find solace in creativity.
The exhibition itself was a testament to this sentiment. Laursen carefully curated a collection of pieces that felt like a snapshot of 2020’s emotional spectrum: soft and chaotic, personal and natural, idiosyncratic and mundane. It was incredible to see how the selected works captured not only the collective struggles of a pandemic year but also the individual voices and perspectives of the artists. From evocative paintings and photographs to innovative mixed media and sculptures, the works conveyed resilience, vulnerability, and hope.
What struck me most about Laursen’s speech was her focus on the role of art in fostering connection and understanding. She emphasized how crucial it is for artists and communities to create spaces—both physical and virtual—where art can thrive and where people can come together to share their experiences. Hearing her talk about her work with arts organizations and her ongoing studies in mental health counseling gave me a new appreciation for the ways art can intersect with wellness and advocacy.
As I navigated the exhibit, I found myself pausing on certain pieces longer than others, imagining the stories behind them. One artwork, a mixed media piece combining thread and charcoal, felt like a metaphor for the year—a tangled web of uncertainty held together by a fragile but determined thread of hope. Another, a vivid photograph of an empty street at sunset, reminded me of those early lockdown days when the world felt eerily still yet hauntingly beautiful.
This exhibition wasn’t just about art; it was about resilience, adaptation, and the power of expression. It left me with a renewed sense of admiration for the students who poured their hearts into their creations, for Laursen’s thoughtful curation, and for the event organizers who found a way to make it all happen in such challenging circumstances.
Walking away (or, more accurately, closing my laptop after the online portion of the exhibit), I felt a sense of hope and gratitude. The Juried Student Exhibition 2021 and E. M. Laursen’s keynote reminded me that even in the most uncertain times, art remains a beacon—a way to find meaning, connect with others, and move forward.