12/14/2020
Four Spoon River College art students who were awarded Performing Art Scholarships from the SRC Foundation recently showcased works that were part of the requirements of their scholarships. Those students were Rosalia Lentini of Bushnell, and Sydney Munson, Chelsea Steck, and Keeara Virag of Canton.
“They each studied an artist of their choice, and then created work that showed the influence of that particular artist,” said Jamie Kotewa, SRC Art faculty. “They also had to write an artist statement to explain their resulting artwork.”
Lentini plans to enter the field of art technology and she chose artist Frida Khalo, who was known for her self-portraits. “I was inspired by her symbolism, and I liked her blending techniques,” Lentini said.
Munson studied Claude Monet. “Like Monet, I utilized small, quick brush strokes, and I was inspired by his use of reflections and bouncing light off of difference surfaces, along with the lack of blending,” said Munson, who plans to use her talent in a career in the movie and film industry.
Steck studied Leonid Afremov, an artist who created an easily recognizable and distinctive technique and style. “His work is bright and colorful, and I think he uses color in an interesting way,” said Steck, who is majoring in accounting.
Future art teacher Virag chose to study painter and sculptor Audrey Flack, who has been referred to as a pioneer in photorealism. “I liked the bright colors Flack used, and I used those in my painting of a Dia De Los Muertos celebration.”
“It’s a joy to work with these students and push them further in their creative decision making process,” Kotewa said. “Having a growth mindset and learning how to respond to the unexpected is something we experience nearly every day in the art room. I love seeing their progress throughout the semester!”
The artwork is on display in the showcase located on the upper floor of Engle Hall at the Canton Campus.
Spoon River College offers an AA/AS degree with a concentration in art for students planning to transfer to a four-year institution in a variety of degree programs, including advertising, architecture, interior design, and museum studies.
Performing skill grants are awarded each year through the SRC Foundation to students showing special ability or talent in the areas of Art, Drama, Athletics, Agriculture, and Speech and Debate.
For more information about the Art program, or the requirements for these and other SRC Foundation scholarship opportunities, visit www.src.edu, or call 309-647-4645.
Rosalia Lentini
Sydney Munson
Chelsea Steck
Keeara Virag