14 | APRIL 9, 2021
ARTS & FEATURES
From bedroom art
Framingham State’s artists By Brennan Atkins Arts & Features Editor Typically, artists display their work at the Mazmanian Art Gallery for family and friends to admire at the annual Student Juried Exhibition. However, this past year has been especially ifficult for artists on campus. Rather than spending late nights on the fourth floor of ay all, they found themselves transforming their bedrooms into art studios to create, learn, and share art. This semester, artists and all those interested in the artistic creations coming out of Framingham State met via Zoom due to COVID-19. The exhibition was hosted by Ellie Krakow, director of the Mazmanian Art Gallery, and the artwork was judged by guest juror Edwin González-Ojeda, who has judged art exhibitions all throughout New England. Due to the wide array of skills among the 21 finalists, a variety of art forms were represented such as photography, acrylic and oil paintings, ceramics, and digital arts. González-Ojeda judged the artwork and awarded Mckenna Mancuso first place for her photo, oonNight,” Nick Carlson second place for his digital illustration piece, “Tycoon Entity,” and Sam Coombs third place for her mosaic, “Self Portrait.” Senior Communication Arts major Mckenna Mancuso said her artistic “epiphany” happened in her sophomore year of college. Growing up, Mancuso believed you had to be good at art to be an artist. She said, “I didn’t consider myself to be very good.” That all changed when she came to Framingham State. “When I got into college and I started learning more about [art], I
Courtesy of the Mazmanian Art Gallery Senior Mckenna Mancuso won first place for her piece, “MoonNight,” in the Student Juried Exhibition. For “MoonNight,” Mancuso said ple that get all the way to the top and was like, ‘Oh, anybody can be an artist.’ We just need to have fun with her inspiration came to her while on have all the money in the world. They it and get some passion into it,” she a stroll with her boyfriend. She said, can retire, but they just keep going. I “We had these cool street lamps, and I don’t know why they don’t hang up said. Mancuso said her cousin was a huge saw the sky was super clear. I had the the boots. They just seem to like makinspiration throughout her life, as he idea to just take a photo of the moon ing money,” he said. Carlson’s process involved sketchgraduated from art school. His art- near the street lamp - and the rest is ing his original design in his notebook work can be found hanging through- history.” She explained how she used ed- then scanning the page to upload the out Mancuso’s home. She photographed her award-win- iting techniques that she picked up image into Adobe Photoshop. Once ning piece “MoonNight” in the spring over the course of her time at Fram- the images were on his computer, of 2020, and said her process of cap- ingham State. She said her boyfriend Carlson said he was able to add featuring art through a lens allows the served as a peer reviewer as well as a tures to the design he had not originally intended. source of motivation. world itself to inspire her. The pistons and light bulb proMancuso said she still can’t believe Mancuso said she took inspiration from the world around her - anything she received the award but is elated truding from the head were both added as an “afterthought” as Carlson’s that visually or musically appealed to nonetheless. She thanked her parents, as well monstrous piece was always evolving her served as a starting point for this as her boyfriend for their support throughout his work. project. Carlson believes art is always surthroughout her schooling. “Those are my greatest cheerleaders and I love rounding us, and he would like others to recognize art even when it may not them so much,” she said. Senior Studio Art Major Nick Carl- seem obvious. He said, “I would just say, ‘Create son said art has always been a prominent part of his life, as he would watch if you can create,’” stating that creating is what the human experience is his father and uncle draw. “He [Carlson’s father] could draw all about. Sophomore Studio Art Major Sam sharks really well - from his memory - I didn’t know how he did it. So, I was Coombs said she felt a love for art practicing in my books. Eventually, I from a young age, but it wasn’t until junior year of high school that she destarted to get good at it,” he said. His uncle, who is only three years veloped a love for ceramics. “I started thinking of art differentolder than Carlson, would draw graffiti on paper, an arlson thought it ly,” Coombs said, crediting her high was the coolest thing ever.” His uncle school ceramics teacher, Sean Harleft a lasting impression on him, and rington, from Bartlett High School in ebster, for being a ma or influence he started to emulate his style. Carlson’s digital illustration piece, throughout her career. Coombs said her inspiration for “Tycoon Entity,” explores greed and what that may look like if it were to “Self Portrait” came in the form of anting to reflect on her o n life take a physical form. Courtesy of the Mazmanian Art Gallery “I was looking at people like Jeff during troubling times. Senior Nick Carlson’s piece, “Tycoon Entity,” won second place in the Student Juried Exhi“At this time in my life, I felt I Bezos [CEO of Amazon] - these peobition.
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