by REBECCA HICKOK
The Visual Arts Association of Drake held a student art show at the Weeks Gallery from Nov. 2 to Nov. 16.
VAAD, an organization run by Drake students, holds several events throughout the semester. This semester they have hosted events for students to make monoprints and an event for collage making.
The student shows planned by VAAD feature art submitted by students from a variety of majors, not only art majors.
“These kinds of skills [art] develop over time with lots of ‘bad’ projects being made in the process,” said Marissa Hernandez, a senior majoring in painting.
Co-president of VAAD Carlye Patterson worked with a team of students to plan, schedule and advertise the Weeks Gallery show.
“This show is unique because VAAD wanted to give any student interested in the opportunity to have their artwork accepted into a show,” Patterson said. “As long as a person submitted by the deadline, their work was displayed.”
All mediums were accepted as submissions for this show.
Hernandez, the digital media director of VAAD, also helped organize the event. She made posters and hung them around campus, reached out to students and faculty about the event and coordinated the labeling and delivery of art with students who submitted their pieces to the show.
Hernandez’s piece was titled “and to my father who believed.” 30 years ago, Hernandez’s father migrated to the United States from Mexico.
“His sacrifice drives everything I do,” Hernandez said. “My art is influenced, sometimes subconsciously, by my experiences of growing up in predominantly white spaces while being a lower middle-class woman of color.”
Patterson is a senior double majoring in accounting and studio art painting. Of the pieces she submitted to this show, Patterson’s favorite is an acrylic painting titled “Patterson,” which depicts Patterson and her brother when they were young.
“It captures my brother and I at a time when we were both really curious and had fun together doing simple things,” Patterson said. “This was one of my first paintings exploring portrait with aspects of drawing technique and some expressions. It helped guide me into artworks currently in progress.”
VAAD plans to hold another student show next semester. All students are encouraged to submit art if they have interest in doing so. Information on events and submission dates can be found on their Instagram page: @drakevaad
The Weeks Gallery is supported by the Drake Department of Art & Design. The Gallery is used for student exhibitions organized by students, faculty and outside curators.
