Creative Combinations on Canvas
Senior Megan Thacker displays her paintings of psychedelic patterns and medical illustrations at the student art exhibition, Aesthetically Speaking: When the Smoke Clears.
By Megan Z. Shearin | April 14, 2010
Senior art major Megan Thacker doesn’t hesitate to call herself ‘OCD’ when it comes to choosing that perfect color for her large-scale paintings on canvas. To her, the love affair with vivid colors blends together psychedelic-inspired imagery and the symbiotic connection of the human body with the earth.
Her style is unique, and an imaginative concept combining various images from magazines and anatomy books. She is one of 12 students who have created a related body of artworks, on display in the student-art exhibition Aesthetically Speaking: When the Smoke Clears. Participation in a College exhibition is a graduation requirement for art majors.
“At some random point in time while painting, the idea for my series went off like a light bulb in my head,” said Thacker from Virginia Beach, Va. “Construct and paint imaginary, other-worldly landscapes using various body parts from medical books, combined with psychedelic-inspired designs and patterns.”
The exhibit, currently on display in the Neil Britton Art Gallery, showcases four of Thacker’s paintings created from an initial collage put together to provide a blueprint of the composition. Various psychedelic-looking patterns such as clouds and water are also incorporated into the paintings, using a vast array of color schemes and harmonies.
In Mount Intruvious, Thacker masterfully displays her technique by displaying the human sacrum upside down, a microscopic view of the surface of a tongue and towering arms surrounded by psychedelic navy blue, turquoise and white curls. Black paint in abstract swirls finishes off the piece, a risk, says Thacker, who never uses black because she feels the color is too harsh. "Throughout the process of generating the series I have discovered a deep interest in psychedelic patterns and imagery, as well as the beautiful intricacies of medical illustrations." - Megan Thacker
The exhibit, which is split into two parts, was organized by Associate Professor of Art Sharon Swift. The students learned how much work it takes to create an exhibition, from developing a personally meaningful topic to creating an entirely new body of artworks. They also spent countless hours putting up the show.
“In addition to the development of a common exhibit name, each of these students has done publicity, framing and prepared artworks to display, written research papers, and will give presentations in support of their visual projects,” said Swift. “I am really proud of these students and especially pleased that we have our new Neil Britton Gallery, which provides a world-class space for them to show and celebrate their artworks.”
Works currently on display also include Part I artists: Vivianna Herbst, Madelaine Lawrence, Michelle Meekins, Morgan Miller, Megan Thacker and Mollie Walsh. After April 28 works will be on display by Part II artists: Michelle Bradford, Sarah Ezell, Lynette Lancaster, Johnny Reyes, Michael Starsman and Hank Turner.
The opening receptions for Part I and II are from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 16 and Wednesday, May 5, respectively.