Today is the last day to see the art exhibit, “Narrative Space”, in the Kaneko Gallery displays artwork created by adjunct professors in the art department that deals with ideas such as symbolism and distinctive imagery.

The collection was made by Joy Bertinuson and Patricia Wood, who worked both together and separate on the pieces.

“Bertinuson and I work with an idea or concept as a starting point…the investigation of the idea often takes us to unexpected places,” said Wood about the process of their art.

Added Wood, “Perhaps students can, at least in a general way, see how drawing can be used to go beyond mere representation and can take us to a place of symbolism and imagination.”.

Some of the tools Wood and Bertinuson used to create their art were china markers, – also known as grease pencils – acrylic, and mixed media, which is the process of using various artistic media such as pen, ink, oils and paints in combination.

Bertinuson shared some of her recent projects such as: “Siesta”, created using wax oil and china marker on printed pane, “Naughty or Nice”, created by encaustic, the process of using china marker on a violin case lid and pigments mixed with hot wax burned in as an inlay and “Painting with the Jab”, which used china marker on printed panel

“A lot of these [drawings] are china marker, which is basically pigment and wax,” Bertinuson said.

Bertinuson explained how she used the tools to create her pieces.

“A heat gun can be used, after I’ve drawn onto the rigid wood panel with the china markers, which warms up the material just enough to make it adhere to surface…they are inexpensive and readily available in art or hardware stores,” Bertinuson said.

Bertinuson also shared what inspired some of her pieces.

“In the ‘Narrative Space’ exhibit at the Kaneko Gallery the various works were inspired by a number of ideas… thoughts of growing older, my own mortality, ideas about the landscape… in particular the imagined idealized landscape.”

Wood shared why she wanted to exhibit her art.

“I have been drawing a lot lately and wanted to show some of the drawings. Often times (drawings) get treated as a second class citizen when in fact it can take longer and be more complex than painting,” she said.

A few pieces mentioned by Wood were: “What I Learned Today” and “Lessons Not Learned”. Both pieces were created using mixed media.

Wood commented on her piece, “What I Learned Today”.

“I believe in hard work and I believe in the development of ideas. These ideas grew out of wanting to use an image, symbol or color to evoke nostalgia and memories… The green paint was added in as a symbol of the past.”.

The show closes today.