Through the Eyes of Artists

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: Now through December 15, 2016, enjoy the stunning artwork of five graduating Art and Design students in the Senior Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Exhibition at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA). SUMA is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and is closed on campus holidays and admission is free. Please be aware that some pieces contain mature content.

Jeff Hanson, Chair of the Department of Art & Design, said, “The BFA exhibit is the crowning achievement of students of Art and Design at SUU. These students have worked on developing their talent over many semesters and that hard work shows. SUMA has given those showing their work a new standard of excellence and these students have stepped up to those expectations.”

Michelle Allen, an Illustration major from Monticello, Utah, said that the greatest reward has been, “seeing my artwork on the wall. Everything that led to having my work on the wall has been well worth the time and stress.” 

These students spent four or more years perfecting their creative process and their artistic skills. They studied under faculty that pushed them to succeed and gave them the feedback they needed to excel in their field of study. This final exhibition gives them the opportunity to display their work in an actual museum before they move on in their careers.

Randy Seely, Secondary Art Education major, said his favorite part of the creative process was, “finding and working with the best models that I have been most fortunate to work with. Each carefully selected model fit perfectly with every individual art piece. Without their willingness and trust I would not be able to fulfill my artistic endeavors. I'm indebted to them all.”

It isn’t always easy to share their work with the public. Hailey Sipe, a Phoenix, Arizona native and Studio Arts major with an emphasis in painting, drawing, and printmaking, said, “The most challenging aspect has been allowing my work, which is something I've put my heart and soul into, to be seen by the public. There's always something to fix or tweak or change, but at some point you have to step back and say they're ready and you have to let go. One thing I've heard a professor say is that ‘paintings are never finished; they're just finished enough’.”

Support these outstanding students by attending the Senior BFA Exhibition now through December 15. For more information, please visit www.suu.edu/pva/art.

About the College of Performing and Visual Arts

The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, and Dance. The College also offers programs in Theatre Arts, graduate programs in Arts Administration and Music, as well as a Center for Shakespeare Studies. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration, Master of Arts in Arts Administration, Master of Music Education and Master of Music in Music Technology graduate degrees. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring nearly 600 majors in the College. Over 1,100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), Utah Shakespeare Festival and SUU’s Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.