For the next four weeks, students and faculty can admire or even purchase the works of pottery on display in the Penick Academic Complex art gallery. The exhibit is part of the art department’s series on artists under 30 who have already broken into the art scene, and this month the featured artist is Union alumna Kelsey Nagy.
Most of Nagy’s work tends to consist of the same bright pastel colors that the exhibition pieces display. The style mainly focuses on underglazes (applying the decoration before the glaze is added, resulting in a durable piece with a uniform sheen to it), with a unique type of stitching on the outside.
“My designs, whether carved or painted, reflect my interests in repeating patterns such as fabrics and wallpapers,” Nagy said.
Everything on display in the gallery is for sale, and many of the pieces have already been sold, as can be recognized by the red dots below multiple pieces.
Nagy has been awarded the prestigious honor of being on “The Great Wall” located in the art department. It is a difficult task to earn a space on that wall, as only one or two students from each class have earned the distinction.
Since graduation, she has spent five years in a post-secondary program, perfecting her throwing techniques, realizing different forms of the work and branching out from her original art style.
“I usually avoid pastel works because they appear manufactured or not hand-made,” said Joshua Smith, freshman ceramics student. “However, when such a talented ceramics artist creates such beautiful forms, with an organic yet still playful coloring, it creates a piece that’s both accessible and stunningly beautiful. The stitching on the sides creates texture and accentuates the handmade nature of the piece.”
Students and faculty are encouraged to stop by the art gallery to view the pieces and form their own opinions of the work. Students who attend are welcome to sign the guest book sitting outside of the gallery. The exhibit will remain open until April 16.