In February, Clarke University’s Art and Design Department presented the Bachelor of Arts Degree Exhibition where current seniors displayed their newest art pieces. Erik Brolin (Ceramics), Morgan Hazer (Painting), and Hope Greenwood (Painting) have their work displayed in Clarke University’s Quigley gallery until March 8th. The available hours to view the art are 1-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Erik Brolin a Graphic Design major with an emphasis in Ceramics stated that, “I had been working on [my pieces] all semester, basically a month and a half”. When asked what had inspired his theme for the project “West Coast Waveware” Brolin said, “Well, I am from the West Coast, Gilroy, California which is in the South Bay of Northern California and the wave aesthetic in my work helped me reflect where I am from.”
Since Brolin is a senior at Clarke and will be graduating this upcoming May he has plans to look for an internship in Graphic Design. At the moment, he is looking for an internship at home in California but he is open-minded.
Additionally, Erik Brolin has a few words for other younger peers in the Art department as well as incoming freshman seeking a degree in the Arts. “If you think it can be better, it can be. Just keep working and don’t give up, you’re going to fail.
Art major, Hope Greenwood, with an emphasis in painting said that,” Planning the idea started last summer. I was taking summer classes and meeting with my professors over the summer.” She decided to be proactive and get some planning for her senior show done in the summer since, “[the seniors] had to come up with three ideas before the [spring] semester started.”
Greenwood discussed her plans after graduation as well, “I am still really open to things, I know I am planning on doing commissions for some digital work, but really just to get a job and work it.” She does not want to rush into graduate school at the moment. She would like to pay off a lot of the student loans she has accumulated during her time at Clarke first.
When asked which professor was a big influential figure throughout her process her answer was, “Jessica Rebik was a lot of help, she helped me with a lot of it.”
Other influences in Greenwood’s work were derived from an Art Department trip to Chicago. “I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. One of the shows inspired me on how I’m hanging them in the gallery, it was Kerry James Marshall.”
Since Hope Greenwood has been so positively influenced by others in the Art world she would like to give some tips to her younger peers. “Talk to your professors as much as you can and if you’re an actual art major start thinking about your senior show sophomore, junior year […] if an idea comes to your head, write it down.”
Remember to support the Arts at Clarke and your local artists of Dubuque. The available hours to view the art in the Clarke gallery are 1-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.