Seniors display their art at Drake Gallery for the last time

Freshman Muneil Rizvi observes a seniors painting in the Drake Gallery.

Clare Tipler

Freshman Muneil Rizvi observes a senior’s painting in the Drake Gallery.

Art is a mode of self expression and stress relief. This spring, visual art from the senior Art Seminar class is being featured in the Drake Gallery, placing a special spotlight on the Class of 2014’s creative achievements. Seniors artists Christian Koch and Charlie Southwick answer questions about their work on display in the gallery this month.

Q: Why should students go to the show?

Southwick: Because it’s fantastic! People should go to the show because we all have marvelously different techniques, which makes for a fun, eclectic display.

Koch: There are some super talented seniors this year. You will actually be blown away by the level of talent in some people’s work.

 

Q: What should students look forward to at the show?

Southwick: I would hope that if someone went to the show they would take the time to look at all of our work! I also believe that everyone is drawn to a different aesthetic, so it’s really up to the person to decide. There’s really an impressive spread.

Koch: Check out the jaw-dropping paintings by Jessica [Wen] or Alicia [Zhang], or the flawless, cute little ceramic pieces by Mary [Merrill]!

 

Q: Why do you like art?

Southwick: It’s different from my usual. I don’t really have to calculate, explain, or plan what I photograph. Most of the stuff in the show is set-up, but most of the other photos I take in the moment. It’s spontaneous and inexplicable, and every once and a while I like that.

Koch: I love art because it gives me a chance to be me and do my own thing. So much of life is conforming to what other people like, and doing things that others want to see. I take photos that I want and do stuff that gets me hyped.

 

Q: Where do you find inspiration and how do you stay creative?

Southwick: Finding inspiration is perhaps the most trying facet of my artistic endeavors. I like taking portraits but I sometimes struggle to find the confidence to approach people and ask to take their photos (as such I do a lot of self portraits and photos of my friends). I love looking at photos. I have also tried the whole “just let it come” approach, but it doesn’t always work for me. Indeed, it is an ongoing struggle.

Another frustrating part of the photographic process for me is that sometimes I feel like I am living behind my camera and not being truly present. There is a wonderful moment in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty when the famous Life Magazine photographer has a rare opportunity for a photo, but instead says, “if I like a moment, for me, personally, I don’t like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it.”

Koch: I find inspiration from professionals who I sort of try to emulate. I see a sick shot in a magazine, think “I want to do that,” and get inspiration that way.

 

Q: What was more fun, creating your pieces or seeing the finished product?

Southwick: I ripped my pants while taking one of night photos, and for every one successful shot there were probably 20 awful ones, but overall it was enjoyable to work with the craziness of the self timer and to play with the wonders of light. Seeing the end product is pretty hard to beat though.

Koch: My collection is all snowboarding stuff, so I always have a good time taking those photos. I would say taking them was definitely more fun than seeing the finished product.

 

Q: Is there anything unusual about your pieces or your creative process?

Southwick: I like the darker psychological stuff! It keeps it interesting!

Koch: I really like making “sequences,” which is where I take a burst of someone doing a trick and then stitch the photos together in post. It’s not unique to me but it’s different and I think they look sweet.