03-03-08

 
Contacts
Cindy Gould, Associate Professor, Art and Design, (515) 294-6297, cgould@iastate.edu
Larassa Kabel, Artist and Exhibition Juror, larassak@earthlink.net
Heather Sauer, Communications Specialist, College of Design, (515) 294-9289, hsauer@iastate.edu


AMES, Iowa -- Students from West Des Moines, Solon and Altoona took top honors in "Collective Perspective," the 2008 BFA Senior Student Exhibition at the Iowa State University College of Design in February.

The exhibition showcased creative artworks by 60 Iowa State seniors who will earn a bachelor of fine arts degree in integrated studio arts. Media included drawings, paintings, fibers, woods, jewelry/metals, ceramics, photography, digital/time-based media, prints, and mixed media.

The show was juried by Des Moines painter and ISU alumna Larassa Kabel, who earned a BFA in craft design with honors in 1992. Kabel served on the Metro Arts Alliance’s board of directors and was chair of its First Annual Studio Crawl in Des Moines. In 2007 she received an Iowa Arts Council Grant for "The Thrilling Tweens," a series of photorealistic oil paintings exploring female adolescence, transformation and identity.

Award recipients were recognized at a reception at the College of Design on Feb. 23. Cash prizes were given for first, second and third place as well as four honorable mentions.

Joseph Gonzalez, West Des Moines, received best in show/first place for his untitled charcoal drawing.

"Despite the fact that there were quite a few exceptional pieces in the show, this work was clearly my first choice," Kabel said. "[Gonzalez's work] had a psychological component to it that was immediately engaging, coupled with a masterful manipulation of the medium."

Andrew Kopp, Solon, took second place with "Two-Tone Mantis," a table made of Birdseye Maple and quarter-sawn White Oak.

Third place went to Jordan Miller, Altoona, for his black-and-white photo titled "Matt Rittman."

Students who received honorable mentions were Nathan Aldrich, Rapid City, S.D. ("Soy Diesel," digital animation); Ann Alverson, Mason City ("Iridescent Rapture," C-print); Fumi Ikeshima, Chiba, Japan ("Haru," sterling silver, glass and paper); and Matt Rittman, Altoona ("Prelude," three-dimensional rendering).

Each spring semester, the graduating BFA students plan and implement their senior show as part of the ArtIS 499 Senior Seminar/Exhibition course. The exhibition showcases the strength and diversity of the graduates in the studio arts area at Iowa State University. Associate professor Cindy Gould has taught the course for the past six years.

"It is always a pleasure to work with the students at this stage of their academic studies and to celebrate with them the results of their creative research," she said.

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