High 5 exhibit showcases SMU students

On Friday, Oct. 22, 2010, Laredo, TX, the MFA art students of Southern Methodist University in Dallas showcased their eclectic art work at the Texas A & M International University Center for Fine and Performing Art Gallery. There was a great turn out of students, faculty, and staff at the opening reception that began at 5pm and went on to 7:30pm. Refreshments were served in the gallery lobby area for all to enjoy while viewing and the art exhibit.

  The students at SMU really came up with a different way to display their artwork as awhole, however keeping their own sense of style very evident. The way that the art work was showcased was eclectic and fresh. There were five artists that were showing their artwork; however, unfortunately two of the artists were unable to attend the reception.

  The five artists were Bernardo Diaz, Colleen Shull, Melissa Brown, Bret Slater, and last but not least Jeff Zilm. Slater and  Zilm were unable to attend, but the artwork that they displayed was very meaningful and showed their personal style from what was read in their artist statement.

  The three other artists, Diaz, Shull, and Brown were able to participate in the "artist talk", which is where artists speak about their artwork and why the created it and what is the meaning behind the work. The artist talk was approximately 35 minutes long and people that attended the art show were able to understand the artwork better once hearing their perspective and why they created what they did.

  Diaz is a former student / graduate / alumni of TAMIU back in 2007, he then received scholarship to SMU where he is pursuing his MFA in Art. He hopes to one day take his art work to New York. He describes his art work as his reactions on political issues regarding American' s and Mexican' s. In his piece called Raisin' Anchor really shows his Hispanic culture and the issues that many children and other individuals face day to day. Bernardo' s art work can be seen on his website www.Berniediaz.com.

  Shull is also a student at SMU and plans to receive her MFA at SMU. She creates abstract works and paintings. She hopes to graduate and pursue teaching and to continue to create her artwork. Some of her paintings are Moth Ball and Green Spice. Her use of color and abstract shapes show a sense depth and yet they are simple shapes and patterns, as a whole they work really well and give new meaning to the objects and things that she was creating her art work around and about. Colleen' s artwork can be seen on

www.colleenshull.com and email is colleen.e.shull@gmail.com

  Brown is also a student at SMU and hopes to continue on with her artwork and continue with here journey of sculpture and creating art work that is of natural elements. She observes natural settings and how things gather in specific ways. Brown creates sculpture to see what will happen just as in nature things happen on their own or by something, but not on purpose.

  Many students were very glad to see these artists' work and get a different perspective about how art can work as a whole while each artist was able to maintain their individuality. Each one was able to learn and work off of each other and gain a new perspective as to how create their own work, such as hybrid works. The exhibit showed and promoted self education and gave many artists an opportunity to gain a new way of looking at art.

  The art exhibit will remain on display until Nov. 18, 2010. All of the art work is forsale ranging from $75.00 to $3,000.00. For more information about the exhibit, please contact Alma Haertlein at 956-326-3041 or email almah@tamiu.edu