Art Event 2

Post -Apocalyptic Boston in The Last of Us

For my second art event I attended the Video Game Gala of Doom, excited to see what possible creations my fellow St. Mary's students threw together. As an avid video gamer, I have always held great interest in the many genres and concepts created by others. For me, I see them as more than a mashing of buttons and flashing colors, many share incredible worlds and story arcs that are unable to be expressed/replicated in film or literature. For example in the recent game The Last of Us, audiences are thrown into a post-apocalyptic east coast. With a majority of the population ravaged by infection, players must make their way through the beautifully desolate ruins of a time long lost, navigating toppled skyscrapers and making life saving decisions in order to survive.

While I wasn't expecting a full scale three dimensional experience from any of the student projects, I was pleasantly surprised to see many witty and relatable concepts taken from real world simulation. For example, in Natty Boh Hunt, players must navigate areas of St. Mary's campus collecting beer cans and becoming more and more intoxicated. Photographs of the Greens townhouses make up the backdrop while a blurred screen and lack of gravity help simulate being drunk. The results are a fun and very unique take on a goofy St. Mary's tradition for Easter. Despite lacking some artistic talent, I enjoyed re-living the experience and give props to the creator for imagination.

Another game that held interesting qualities was Iron Dusk. Set in a beautifully composed ancient world, Iron Dusk tells the story of a man avenging the recent peril of his beloved village. The various colors are what make the experience memorable, bleak browns, grays, and blues are used to set the tone of the story while large sentry towers give the environment a rustic feel.  

With the development of Kick-starter and Steam, it has now been easier than ever for amateur developers to  fund and publish their works. After viewing the Video Game Gala of Doom, I hope its creators continue to create interactive worlds of imagination.

Art Event 1

For my art event I chose to explore the recent student SMP exhibit held in the Boyden Gallery of St. Mary's College. Upon arrival I was pleased to see a wide array of art- each of which held excellent quality and imagination.

One of the first exhibits I saw was by Kristin Seymour who chose to express her love for turtles

Terrapin Textures
Kristin Seymour

(terrapins to be exact) in multiple creative fashions. One of the three recreations of her pet terrapin was crafted out of a rough textured wood and hung vertically on the wall. I like the choice of a more natural looking wood (compared to that of a sanded pine appearance) because it compliments nature. It was also impressive how she formed the pieces into a very intricate shell. 

The next display she worked on was made of layered glass with individual printed sections of the terrapin, giving the work a highly detailed three dimensional effect. While her wood piece reflects nature, I feel the glass creation was a more scientific approach that helped the two coexist. 

Her final creation, and my personal favorite, was a huge 70 x 45 inch painting broken down into individual sections of paper titled Terrapin Textures (as seen right). What I like about this art piece is it captures the natural flowing detail of a shell broken into sections, and while the symmetry of nature is never perfect, it still holds beautiful detail. I also like that she chose brown acrylic paint, resembling old Japanese ink on paper.

Collaged ThoughtsShannon Rafferty
 

Other notable exhibits included Shannon Raffery's Collaged Thoughts. The collection, like Kristin Seymour's, contained a wide spectrum of art styles- showing off their diverse creative abilities. I enjoyed her mixes of bright reds, oranges, and blues to keep the paintings lively against the white wall. Maybe I like her style because it reminds me of my own fathers work?

Collaged ThoughtsShannon Rafferty 

Incredible Art Concept