by Ashton Collett, Felicia Martinez and Vincent Fronczek
During the spring semester, the graduating BFA students of Colorado Mesa University get to shine in their very own senior exhibitions. This month’s show features the ceramic sculptors Mitchell States and Elisa Uribe, whose works contrast both in colors and in scale. Their work even seems to incorporate the bases, which enhanced the work in this exhibition. This show can’t be missed, and even without the large crowd, it is worth the visit. You can see this show at the CMU Gallery at 437 Colorado Ave. from Feb. 1-Feb. 28.
As the name of the show suggests, the work of these two artists heavily contrasts each other to the point of complimenting each other. While Elisa utilizes more monochromatic elements in her work, Mitchells’ work catches your eye with its bold neon colors. However, the intent behind both artists’ works ties them together. Mitchells’ work resembles miniature universes for his audience to explore, while Elisa’s work represents her connection with nature. Both artists use detail to pour their emotions into their work, and the large crowd on opening night was able to identify with the pieces just as much as the artists who created them.
Elisa Uribe creates porcelain sculptures with high attention to detail. Inspired by her cultural background, her flowing work resembles leaves and petals on various flowers.
One of her hanging works, Our Lady of Life, seems to cascade off the wall. The work depicts a woman made of ceramic tiles dissipating into three-dimensional leaves.
These leaves feature in much of her work and demonstrate the attention she pays to detail in creating them. Elisa also incorporates gold leaves into her work as accents, and they help draw the viewer’s attention to minute details that would be brushed over otherwise. The work’s raw wood frame creates unity through contrast, as it counters the smoother surface of the porcelain tiles. Her work seems almost spiritual in nature.
Mitchell States works both in metal and in ceramics, creating what he calls “tiny universes” from ceramics with a metal frame. In each universe, there is a bronze sun or “Nova” at the center, which represents his idea of an explosion that fosters the creation of a new solar system. Mitchell opted for the use of gradients with his neon paint, which conveys the colors of a galaxy. The cement bases and the connecting points between the platforms and rods both help to demonstrate how raw the universe is, and how the universe represents a cycle of birth and decay. These thematic concepts can also be seen in the ceramic works on the platforms, which he said he finished with a “lava glaze.” This type of glaze suggests the primeval nature of the universe, for the works resemble the volcanic, volatile planets in their early stages of formation.
Overall, don’t miss this show because it features incredible work. The CMU Gallery will be featuring student BFA shows throughout the spring semester, so come support your fellow students. Next month’s show opens on March 3, featuring Lindsay Hanson and Caleb Brown.
