Three students from the Professional Concerns art class present a professional exhibition.  Working in painting, sculpture, drawing, and graphic design, each of the artists overlapped mediums in this diverse display of art work. 

Rachael Bourdet
painting,
sculpture and
drawing

As a child growing up on Oregon, I was always filled with a sense of wonder about the world I lived in.  Majoring in Art here at Western Oregon University, I have found a way to put it to good use.  My studies of Biology and Spanish have given me a sincere appreciation for nature and culture, both of which I channel into my artwork.  In the same way that the world supplies fuel for my work, art provides me with an outlet and means of understanding the world.

I prefer media with which I can have a certain degree of control, yet create something dynamic and unique.  This ranges from wood and soapstone to oil paint, charcoal, and colored pencil.  I generally work from a combination of sketches and my own photographs, adding color and texture to convey a feeling of vitality.  My color palette, as well as my subject matter, is primarily derived from nature.  By intensifying the colors, shapes and textures that I see, I create the 'essence' of a subject.  In this way, I am able to evoke emotion while still suggesting something of the real world.  The resulting work has motion and transient quality, as if a memory is being shared with the viewer.

My goal is to work in a creative environment which allows growth as a graphic designer.  My direction of interest at this point is in the marketing or advertising industry working with layout design.  I also like to work with photos to create emotions in collage works.  I look forward to continuing the process of experimenting with a variety of images to portray an idea or feeling.

The computer is very useful because design is generally produced in large quantities.  As I decide how to visually organize each element, I am easily absorbed in the computer and the design I am approaching.  Visual organization is important in design to show, teach, market, stimulate or even evoke emotions.

Art is a form of visual expression of an idea, feeling, belief, value or moral.  Any subject matter has the potential to stand for something other than what it is.  Art is like a metaphor; it can be interpreted in a number of ways.  Each interpretation creates a new level of communication.  Design also creates a level of communication through the visual expression of ideas.  Art is important in my life because of the enjoyable thought process, along with the satisfaction of a completed project.

I make art because I want to know about myself and express inner thoughts.  Who I am now is based on Japanese culture.  However, since coming to America I have met people from other countries, and have seen so many different cultures.  These experiences have had an influence on me and the development of my art work.  

I was not interested in art until I started studying graphic design in America three years ago.  I am lucky to have the chance to find art because art is one of the ways to find answers for life.  A major interest of mine is 'humanity'.  I focus on the composition of the image and color, which represents the depth of the expression of emotions.  My desire is to make images that lead to new ways of thinking about everyday activities.