2012 Emerging Artists from Miami (OH) University

Annually, junior and senior art majors from local universities, representing the next generation of artists to emerge on the local art scene, are nominated by their professors, juried by SFC and are afforded the opportunity to exhibit their work among their peers. 

A continuing partnership with the Malton Gallery offers the students an opportunity to visit a professional gallery and get a hands on Q & A with the gallery owner on professional practices.  And NEW in 2011, the Malton Gallery awarded two (2) Gallery Choice awards, presented at the Opening Reception. 

In addition to the two Gallery Choice Awards, Summerfair Cincinnati (in 2011) implemented a new scholarship of one (1) $1,000 Purchase Award.  Selected by a jury of professional working artists, the selected artwork will hang on permanent display in the SFC Gallery.

This year's exhibit will open on Friday, Feb. 10 with an Opening Reception @ the Anderson Center / Lower Level Atrium / from 6-8p.  The reception is free and open to the public.

The following three (3) students were juried in from a list of nominees presented by Miami University Art Department Head Joomi Chung:

Meredith Joyce

Born in Nashua, New Hampshire, Meredith discovered her interest in metals during high school at Cushing Academy and has continued this passion while working on her B.F.A. in metals at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  In 2010, she was accepted into the 37^th Annual “Toys Designed by Artists” exhibition in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joyce is currently in the Miami University B.F.A. capstone exhibition “Minus the Cheap Wine”.

Artist Statement:  The constant changes in natural organic forms have been a major influence in my metals work. The natural beauty of flower gardens and forests has been a constant source of inspiration. Over time, my fascination grew over how these forms can occur in nature. The initial design for the first raised vessel in this series was loosely based on the shape of an orange seed. This series uses parts of this shape in a larger scale so the series of four vessels is based on different elements of the same idea. They are a reflection of the natural forms, lines, and shapes that inspire me.

Sara Fleenor

Sara comes from a background of graphic design and has been painting since 2009. Her previous experience with logos and product branding influences her choices in subject matter.

Artist Statement:  When asked about my work, I think about Americana and the collective conscience that embodies American consumerism. My subject matter consists of the things that we buy and that are destined to be thrown away. I’m intrigued with the ephemeral value of the shiny logos that decorate the inside of our cabinets and refrigerators, our homes, and our lives. My goal is to create contemporary still lifes. My medium of choice is primarily oil, a classic medium that creates an opposition to subject matter such as crumpled diet soda cans and half empty cardboard buckets of fried chicken.

Gabriella (Brie) Shortt 

Currently a twenty-two year old senior attending Miami University pursuing a Fine Arts degree;  she’s learned (since becoming more focused on painting) that being an art student is not a inexpensive undertaking.  It is certainly challenging yet she wants more than anything to make a living by what she loves to do – creating art! Gabriella was raised in a small town in Southwestern Ohio, graduating from Madison Junior Senior High, where her love of art was fueled.  In 2009, she studied abroad at the University of Hawai’i for a semester; and is presently a fine arts major, currently enrolled in an upper level painting course, which allows her to experiment with the painting process.  This drives the abstract process she is currently pursuing - exploring the use of watercolor and mixed media with a similar abstract process in her drawing class.

Artist Statement:  I grew up with a love for the outdoors and animals since I’ve always lived in a rural country environment.    I believe this fuels my want to explore new lands and breathe in new culture, which parallels the route I take as an artist.  I will not say that I am a perfect textbook student, or that I love attending school.  I will say though, that art is what I love and something I enjoy doing, I am a self driven individual and love learning through experience.  As an artist every piece of work I create leads to further development of ideas, concepts, and projects for me to explore.  I believe the following quote depicts my current artistic track.

“I have said for many years that problem solving is greatly overvalued in our society.  Problem creation is much more interesting.  The questions you ask yourself are the most interesting ones, because they put you in a jam. Then your solutions are going to be more personal solutions, not art world solutions.  If you can … ask yourself the right kind of questions the solutions will become self-generating.”

--Chuck Close