Senior art exhibit in Hardman Hall

Senior Art Shows have been running weekly from March 12 - April 4 in Hardeman Hall. Featuring some amazing artwork produced by Mercer’s very own upcoming artist. Although the shows are over, they mark the beginning of a new life for all involved.
Christina Kivi’s show was unofficially titled “The Beauty of the West.” She was inspired by the landscape from her time spent in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The works were done mainly in oil paintings and watercolor paintings, and one linoleum block print. Although the show wasn’t really dedicated to anyone, Christina said, “I guess I would dedicate it to my family, since my parents are the reason I was able to live there.”
Kivi’s favorite piece was titled “Arches.”  It is an image of the double arch Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. The artist said it was her favorite because, “I love the colors of the orange rocks in front of the blue sky and I loved painting the rocks, because I was able to be more expressive and free with the brush, compared to the other more detailed watercolors.”
Kivi, when asked about her future plans, said, “I will be teaching in South Carolina with Teach for America for two years and then will decide if education is something I want to pursue...maybe art education!”
Heather Phillips, another artist present in Hardeman Halls show, presented “The Face of Homelessness In Macon.” Heather’s inspiration and dedication are one in the same.
It all began with her love of service. She began her first portrait with Lori White, a homeless woman here in Macon, who told her how hard it would be to get people to agree to have their portrait done. Homeless people, Lori told her, were accustomed to people walking past them and not paying them any attention. Heather said, “That is what I wanted to do with my show. To have people look at these people, who are or have been homeless and take away something from them.”
Heather said that if she had to choose her favorite piece would be “Dallas ll.” This oil painting was “the last piece I painted for the show. I feel that he is the culmination of my efforts. I can really see the confidence in my brushstrokes in this piece.”
After graduation, Heather will be obtaining a Masters in Fine Arts degree in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. She will possibly go on to be a professor.
Mitch Edward Logan was another artist featured in Hardeman Hall. His show “Fragmentation” was not dedicated to anyone but was inspired by the “reflection of the culmination of many experiences. This series in particular was inspired by powerlessness. Conceptually it’s about how things never seem to work out the way you planned. You trudge and trudge in one direction and end up somewhere totally different from where you imagined yourself. I tried to simulate this process by introducing one controllable force into my work as I painted. I use a lot of running water, sheet rock mud and even leaf blowers to let my paintings take on their own life,” said Logan.
The majority of the works are done with a mixture of oil, acrylic, and latex paint, but there are a couple watercolors, collagraph prints, and pastel drawings.
One of his favorites remains untitled but is exactly the outcome he was hoping for in pursuing these pieces. As for Logan’s bright future, he has a few jobs lined up and is looking to do some work as a carpenter, but he plans to continue to paint and see where life takes him.
Brittany Nicole Kearney was one of the last artists featured. Her show remains untitled, but is inspired by Rose Hill Cemetery. Brittany said “I love all things distressed and broken down. I think it adds character to statues and buildings etc. and it adds to the history. When I look at the statues in Rose Hill I see more than just a grave site, and I wanted to show everyone else what I saw in them.” The medium of her show is watercolor, although she prefers to get her hands dirty with charcoal. I built my frames and the angel wings in my show.
Kearney said if she had to choose a favorite, “It would be the piece with the statue and the cross in the background. The reason for this is because I always seem to go back to that statue all the time in Rose Hill. I feel a connection to her and I’m not sure why.”
After graduation Kearney plans to continue her education and get a masters degree in architecture.