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Inspiring artwork from many Mt. Hood students are on exhibit in the Visual Arts Theater through the end of May, showcasing an entire school year of creations by the student body of the MHCC Visual Arts Department.
Several awards were announced at a formal artist reception, held on May 9. They were presented by Mt. Hood sculpture instructor/adviser Nathan Orosco for the winning works selected by Portland ceramic artist Nora Brodnicki, this year’s exhibition juror.
Categories included originality, technical (ability), composition, personal voice, and several honorable mentions were given.
Cortlan Souders (whose graphic designs often appear in The Advocate), won first place in personal voice for his two pieces, “Flexibility,” a drawing, and “Leod” a two-page comic.
He explained, “My inspiration for my winning piece was how our stresses and emotions from everyday life can crumple in on ourselves if we don’t take action to get the proper help and support everyone needs.”
Although Brodnicki was not at the ceremony, she was quoted in a written statement to the participating artists, “Please know that whether or not you win an award, you have won by putting your work out into the public space.”
Intrigued by this comment, I caught up with Orosco, who elaborated on her point.
“Exhibiting is really the end goal of artists, whether or not they sell, whether or not they win,” he said. “It really is the final step of the process is to show the public or the viewer… what you’ve done, because once it’s in a gallery, you know, the work is no longer the artist’s – it becomes the viewer’s interpretation of that.
“In the fine arts… we talk about philosophy, we deal with… metaphors and symbolism, personal expression, time-based aspects of how work and processes interrelate to create form and poetry,” Orosco continued. “(Y)ou can’t really put a standard of success on… because it involves the individual mark. And when I say individual mark, it’s not necessarily a physical mark but the mark that individual person makes with their physical being” and any life influences, he said.
Conjuring up a piece and finally determining it is ready for public consumption is a big step for new artists, said Orosco.
“And that’s what we investigate in the fine arts – those specific expressions – and we celebrate that… without emphasizing the competitive aspect of what’s better or what’s not better. The fact that you exhibit and the fact that you’ve gone through the process and you yourself have decided that ‘this is good enough for me to share with the viewer or the public’ is the success aspect of art,” he said.
“That’s what creates the success. And the reaction [of the audience] is secondary to the fact that the artist has gone through the process within themselves of what they want to create, how they want [it] to look, the trials and errors of the process.”
Orosco has much more to say on the topic, and I can personally vouch that his sculpture class is fascinating and enlightening.
Souders also offered advice.
“To anyone who thinks they can’t be an artist, don’t hesitate to at least try. If you’re not at your personal peak level, don’t sweat it,” he said. “Like everything, skills take a long time to hone. Keep learning and be excited to always create. Even if you think you can’t start art, use your creativity in other daily activities. You only live once, so don’t doubt yourself on what you can or can’t do.”
Whether you are intrigued with making art or simply the appreciation thereof, it’s easy, and free, to check out what talented Mt. Hood students have created. The Student Exhibition continues through Friday, May 31, open for viewing 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
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