This spring’s graduating MFA students have their artwork on display at the Prichard Art Gallery. The exhibit runs from April 12 until May 4.
Amy Asanuma | Argonaut
University of Idaho Junior Jenna Putnam admires work by graduating Masters of Fine Art studio artist Charles Dodoo Apr. 18 in the Prichard Gallery. This year’s MFA graduates from the Art & Architecture College are Denise Bennett, Charles Dodoo, Donald Johnson, Natiya Kuznetsova, Boris Pelcer, Jill Peterson and Daniel Sorensen. The gallery will display pieces until May 4.
This year’s exhibit features work from eight artists, ranging from sculpture to painting to digital media and photography.
Don Johnson, a UI graduate student whose art focuses on painting, said the feeling of being done is surreal, and has not hit him quite yet — though said it is less stressful.
“It’s kind of a relief,” Johnson said. “But there’s still a lot to do.”
Though the students have their final work on display, they still have to defend their thesis and finish teaching their classes, Johnson said.
“The last month or so, you just have to teach,” Johnson said. “The stress is gone, but there’s still work to do.”
Johnson said the thesis is intended to tell the concept and process behind an artist’s work and has helped him find direction in his artwork.
“I just paint because I like it,” Johnson said. “But through my thesis I figured out why.”
The thesis is a 10 to 30 page artist statement, Johnson said.
There is a panel of three people — two from the art department and one from an external department — who will listen to the MFA students’ defense and pass or fail them when they are finished, Johnson said.
“The defense is going to be the tough part,” Johnson said. The University of Idaho only accepts graduate students from external colleges — everyone involved is from somewhere else, Johnson said.
Nellie Lutz, a sculpture student from the University of Montana, also has her work on display at the Prichard.
Lutz said students pick their thesis committee their second year, and choose people they connect with.
“And the third outside person should be someone who helps you along with your concept,” Lutz said.
Lutz and Johnson said all artists work differently, but the whole process is intensive learning.
“If you want to become a professional artist, you have to be aware of what you’re doing,” Lutz said. “But some of the freest artists are the fearless young ones.” Lutz said the dream of an artist is to make art that you can sustain yourself with, but she intends to be an art advocate and her path is wide open in front of her.
“You just have to be competitive with yourself,” Lutz said. “The process of figuring out what you’re doing can be daunting, or a new beginning.”
Johnson said he has already started painting more, just because he enjoys it.
“It would be crazy to not keep doing art,” Lutz said. “It’s just not possible.”
All the work that you do is leading up to this final show, Lutz said. Your art becomes part of your identity, and knowing you have that on display is nerve-racking.
“We were part of an amazing program,” Lutz said. “It’s hard and stressful but the knowledge you get from it is so worth it.”
Alycia Rock can be reached at [email protected]