The things that inspire

Tonight (Jan. 29) we open two Radford University Art Museum exhibits. The Faculty Art Show opens at the RU Art Museum at the Covington Center with a reception at 5 p.m. The Adjunct Art Show starts at the RU Art Museum at the Bondurant Center for the Arts Downtown with a reception at 6 p.m.

There are a variety of styles and mediums in both shows, from paintings to metalwork. Rather than giving you a list of artist statements, we asked both sets of artists what inspires the work on exhibit. The following are their own words:

The Faculty Art Show

Richard Bay, professor of art education:

It's been 13 months. Hospitals, nurses, nursing homes, physical therapy, back to RU, teaching, Governor's School, another operation (A Really BIG ONE!); the cycle starts again. Thirteen images, enshrined, bejeweled, and just for YOU? Metaphors, reflections, meditation, symbols, and layer, upon layer, of imagery! Please don't ignore the Plastic Pediments Posed for your Pleasure! Thank you!

Z.L. Feng: professor of water color, drawing and pastels:

My subject matter originates from real life, images from my memory, and my creative imagination. In my portrait painting the models are my friends, students and the people I see who are interesting to me ... The New River, Blue Ridge Mountains and Smith Mountain/ Claytor Lakes inspire my landscape paintings ...

John O’Connor: assistant professor of graphic design:

This triptych of images was created as part of a grant that explores the earliest visual inspirations that were a major influence in my artistic career. Visuals of space travel and the future captured my childhood imagination and served as the theme in this particular facet of that exploration. The vintage look of the spacecraft owes its origins to my favorite preschool book published in 1959 called “You Will Go To The Moon” by Mae and Ira Freeman and illustrated by Robert Patterson; and my first grade lunchbox produced by King Seeley Thermos Co. known as the Metal Space Ship Satellite Lunchbox.

Alison Pack, associate professor of jewelry/metalsmithing:

I greatly enjoy studying the dimensional qualities of beautiful, edible, sweet objects such as cupcakes, ice creams, and candies. The colors, textures, and fine detail are something that I am both awed by and relate to! The irony is that I enjoy devouring such a beautifully handcrafted object for only a moment of personal pleasure. Furthermore – presenting the female form as edible brings up issues of sexuality as well as the physical pleasures associated with the emotive experiences associated with these foods.

Andrew Ross, assistant professor or photography:

My photographs explore the boundary between vision and perception, seeing and imagining, the real and the remembered.

Halide Salam, professor of painting:

Pigment, grounded rocks, oil and resin are the materials in painting that are both liberating and limiting. The films of paint as membrane and strata have been expressive throughout my work alluding to the changing nature of life itself, its existential mutability. The organic elasticity of the medium with light – energy as a source of inspiration is intimately connected to my search for a sense of place and recognition central in the human condition. To the viewer, I present a vision of an evolving environment based on structural organics that is both intuitive and experiential.

Ken Smith, associate professor of graphic design:

I was commissioned by Hexasim, a game company in Annecy, France, to do the graphic design and illustration for a new board game to be called, “Great War Commander.” The project includes not only the design of the logo, cards, counters, informational graphics and box, but also illustrations of the soldiers and weapons of France, Germany and the United States from 1914 and 1917 — approximately 71 drawings (so far).

Brent Webb:  assistant professor of drawing:

My work is based on memories and their tendency to change overtime; this impermanence of such important moments in our lives drives my work. I paint images that are bold and clear; yet leave many questions unanswered. Beginning with a memory, or a fragment of a recollection, I begin to collect images from online resources, art history, and family photos (either my own, or those of others).

Eloise Philphot, associate professor of drawing, video and animation, and Drew Dodson, associate professor of ceramics, are also participating in the Faculty Art Show. The show is on exhibit until March 6.