Liberty SADA Faculty Members Showcase Their Art
Many say that a picture is worth a thousand words. One glimpse can encapsulate an entire story.
Liberty University faculty showcased its art at the Faculty Art Exhibit, held in the DeMoss Grand Lobby Jan. 27. The faculty displayed work in illustration, concept art, 3D design and more.
“The whole idea is narrative art – art that tells a story,” Todd Smith, chair of Liberty’s Studio and Digital Arts department, said.
A fan of Marvel, Smith included Marvel elements in three of his exhibited art pieces. One such piece featured sketches of various Marvel characters, including the Hulk and Captain America.
However, Smith added another element to this piece. He placed a wounded soldier in the right corner who does not look like the other superheroes. In fact, he looks like a regular man.
The wounded soldier represents Winfred Smith, Smith’s uncle, who was killed in the Vietnam War in 1970. While this man may not resemble the other superheroes in the painting, Smith added his uncle as a tribute to his bravery and service.
Smith also displayed a video of himself in the process of creating a large sculpture of Jesus.
“The greatest narrative of all time is Jesus Christ,” Smith said.
Other art forms like digital art were also exhibited. Joel Cockrell, a professor of studio and digital art at Liberty, showcased his digital art created through Procreate, a medium similar to Photoshop.
“I work within the kid literature world,” Cockrell said about the type of art he most enjoys. “They are so open and light-hearted and fun.”
Cockrell enjoys creating illustrations for children and has done illustrations for various children’s books.
“It’s a way to reach children and cover tough topics through illustration,” Cockrell said.
Joshua Wilson, instructor of studio art and graphic design, described his art forms of choice as digital painting, oil painting and 3D modeling.
“Everything is motivated by story,” Wilson said of the inspiration behind his art.
Wilson’s display felt like a step into the realm of fantasy. This genre influenced him and all of his showcased works.
“I grew up during the video game boom of the ’90s, and as games
began to evolve, they turned into a story. They became emotionally involved,” Wilson said.
A large oil painting on display in Wilson’s exhibit drew the attention of many as the fantasy scene with elves and fairies transported observers into a different reality. According to Wilson, it took him at least 40 hours to finish this work of art.
“I love teaching character design and helping students bring their stories to life,” Wilson said.
Of course, the art faculty at the exhibit all share this sentiment: to not only bring their stories to life, but they also desire to teach students how to bring theirs to life as well.
The next exhibit will be a juried photography exhibition and will run from Feb. 24 to March 10.
Pace is a feature reporter.