On Saturday the students enrolled in the School of Fine Arts and Design as well as the Emily Carr External BFA Degree program at North Island College will be showing a dynamic selection of their work.
The student-run Art Event will present an opportunity to discover the passion and process of talented emerging artists.
To understand on a personal level what kind of experience it is to be an art student at NIC, we asked the simple question, “Why do you do art, and what does the Student Art Event mean to you?”
For Liana Kelly, a first-year fine arts diploma student, art is her way to visually communicate and express herself with others. Being a first-year, she got to explore many different mediums and courses to try out different artistic practices.
Art for Kelly isn’t about the grade, but about the experience and journey to the finished project.
“I do it because it makes me so happy, it inspires the ambition i nside of me,” she said. “When I create something and share it with those around me, and I see how much time they spend appreciating my work, that’s when I know I’m doing the right thing, being in the Fine Arts Program.”
For Cleo Agar, a first year dual-credit fine arts diploma student, the different art programs allowed her to try new things she never would have otherwise been interested in. As part of a 3D sculpture class, using large machinery is quite normal to create outstanding masterpieces.
Being one of the youngest students in the program, Cleo has found tremendous success in her first semester. For Cleo it’s not about her own process but about being with a room full of creative, hardworking people.
“The art show is a celebration of all we have achieved and learnt during our education here,” she said.
For many students, art is how they express themselves; sharing in unique ways how they see the world. Students spend hours sketching out ideas, forming concepts, experimenting with a variety of materials and testing out different formats to see which best fits their creative process. The final creation is formed from hours of craftsmanship, dedication, and hard work.
The Student Art Event is about celebrating the finished projects, the community of student artists, and appreciating all of the hard work that has been done.
The Student Art Event will take place in Raven Hall and Shadbolt Studios at North Island College’s Comox Valley campus, 2300 Ryan Road, Courtenay, Saturday, Feb. 14 from 7-11 p.m.
Admission to the event is free and open to the public; all ages are welcome.