After blazing his art pieces three times, senior fine arts ceramic major Brian Davis must let pieces cool down before standing them up to gaze at the final products.
His pieces are on display in an exhibition called Monitor Vision in the Merlino Art Gallery on campus.
Davis’ Monitor Vision consists of colorful creations that are shaped like different types of monitors. He said his artwork also comments on today’s society.
“Monitors in our society open up worlds, or places, we can’t visit,” Davis said. “They also allow us to stay in touch with people. But in the process of doing that, they tend to seclude you as well.”
When attendees arrive at the gallery, they will be able to learn about Davis’ artwork through a document he provided, which says that the artwork has “moments of opacity, translucency, transparency and fractures, which are the results of combining diverse materials, all of which refract light in different ways.”
Davis said he decided to do this particular project because it was an opportunity to share his artwork with the community. Besides the Monitor Vision show, Davis said he also likes doing “projects that both involve and enrich the community.”
“[Community projects] allow for, not only an intellectual playing field for artists, but for an opportunity to enrich peers, and an opportunity to help develop your own environment,” Davis said.
He said his journey for developing his ceramic art skills began at Cal State University Long Beach. Davis also said he specifically chose ceramics because it utilizes skills on sculpting, drawing and painting all into one medium.
As for inspiration, Davis said artists Gerhard Ricter and Blake Hayden are his main role models because they both express influential qualities of passion and drive. For people interested in pursing ceramic art professionally, Davis said he has his own advice to give:
“It takes a surprising amount of dedication and a willingness to be completely engaged and become engulfed in a medium and a process,” Davis said. “Essentially, work harder.”
When Davis graduates, he said he wants to continue doing this type of artwork professionally.
“I want to develop an artist residency, which will allow me to continue to make my artwork, and interact with other creative minds,” Davis said.
Monitor Vision will run through Oct. 16 in the Merlino Art Gallery, in the Fine Art building.