By Katlin Sweeney

Features Editor

CSUSM is home to countless creative visionaries and artists. Beginning in December, the public has been able to experience some of their work up close.

Students from Professor Judit Hersko’s VSAR 301, “Materials and Structure of Art” course, have been given the unique opportunity to showcase their art to family, friends and members of the community at the Old Restaurant Row CSUSM Gallery.

Throughout the semester, VSAR 301 students worked hard creating different projects, with their final project being the gallery showing. This allowed the students to put their best work in the exhibit, while simultaneously displaying all of the knowledge and experience they had gained during the semester.

The gallery features an array of work, showcasing different styles. Visual Arts major Amalia Wood created the piece “Sobering Up,” which featured a brightly colored canvas that showed women flying upwards. Liberal Studies major Karissa Bullington contributed two of her dream catchers, the first entitled “Enchanted” and the second called “Birds of a Feather.” Visual and Performing Arts major Laura Musgrove created the piece entitled “Resilience,” created from wood, paint, the Bible, text, Paper Mache and yarn.

“In [“Resilience”] I explored two very vital elements: spirituality and identity. My intention is to awaken the viewer’s mind to the contrast I perceive between the negative cultural communications and the uplifting, encouraging and life-giving truth spoken by God through His Word. I wanted this piece to reflect my personal design aesthetics as well as communicating the underlying theme conceptually,” Musgrove said.

The ability to show their work in a gallery has motivated the students to work even harder on future art pieces.

“This was my first time having my artwork shown. It made me feel pretty happy that others could see it; I look forward to making more artworks to show,” Wood said.

“It was such an amazing opportunity to have my artwork showcased. This was the first time having my work displayed in an art gallery so it was very exciting and I hope to have another chance to do it again!” Bullington said.

“I feel very fortunate and I am also appreciative to have had this opportunity to create an art piece that expresses my personal views and my identity both as an artist and person and for it to be showcased in an art gallery located at Restaurant Row which is a popular area,” Musgrove said.

To see these and other works created by the VSAR 301 students, visit the CSUSM Art Gallery. The exhibit is open Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 7 through Jan. 26, from 5 to 8 p.m. It is located at 1080 San Marcos Blvd. Ste 185 (in the Village Shops Area) in San   Marcos.