Seniors journey through fantasy

More than 50 people attended the opening reception for the first senior show of the semester, “A Journey through Fantasy,” by students Joshua Berry, John Guerra and Miriam Casarez, held April 24 in the Art Gallery at Rusteberg Hall on the Brownsville campus.

“All three seem to be interested in narrative,” Gallery Coordinator Alejandro Macias said.

He said Berry’s drawings and paintings combine the figure and fantastical imagery.

“Although he incorporates and creates fantastical imagery, he uses people he personally knows in his works to create brief glimpses to stories,” Macias said.

In his artist statement, Berry said his work revolves around the human figure and the process of trying to master it through drawing and painting.

“I am inspired by fantastical imagery and the impact it had in my youth,” he said.

After graduating, Berry hopes to continue his education in New York.

“Miriam [showed] drawings that are done [with] colored pencil and ink,” Macias said.

The concept behind Casarez’s artwork deals with the intertwining fate of humans and nature.

“Nature performs a demonstration of itself in human life,” Casarez said.

She said when nature is not satisfied with its circumstances, it creates new ones, like humans do.

“One might look at a tree and simply see its beauty,” Casarez said. “However, we do not see what is happening underground with the roots. We do not see what is affecting them or what they go through.”

Casarez said what goes inside of us is like the roots of a tree.

“John [Guerra] is influenced by narrative and comics,” Macias said.

He said Guerra has created a central character that is consistently used in his works.

“Similar to comics, we can follow the protagonist on his journey,” said Guerra, who showed a series of paintings and ceramic works.

“The main intent of my work is to bridge the gap between youthful, imaginative worlds and the dark of adult content,” he said.

Guerra’s work is built on childlike freedom of imagination, curiosity and perversion.

“The concept of fighting demons and destroying evil is a metaphor for fighting personal demons of depression, anxiety and a deep-rooted fear of a cruel world,” he said.

Guerra dedicates his work to young adults dealing with life’s struggles and thoughts that are seen as inappropriate for children.

Art senior Carmen Milton said Guerra put a lot of work in this show.

“John has a lot of creativity,” Milton said. “His work ethic is incredible.”

Milton’s work, along with that of seniors Roxxy Rivera and Sam Gray, will be presented in the next senior show, which opens at 6 tonight in the Art Gallery at Rusteberg Hall on the Brownsville campus.

“The name of the show happens to be ‘Chaotic Nature of the Mind,’” Milton said.

Her work focuses on the problem of memory distortion, which is childhood memories and how people change the way they remember them.

“It has happened to me that my mom remembers something … and I don’t remember it that way,” Milton said.

Her art pieces are a combination of paintings and photographs.

“It is very intriguing,” Milton said.

“Introspection,” featuring the work of seniors Jessica Aleman, Billie Alvear, Anissa Castillo, Carmen Castillo, Priscilla Elizondo, Valerie Escamilla, Kristen Farias, Jeannette Garcia, Mariela Gonzalez, Ruxanda Musunoi, Olga Polanco, Ivan Ramirez, Gloria Reyes, Anita Rodriguez, Javier Tovias, Jade Garcia, Joel Moncivais, Estefania Mongrell, Hannah Pollard, Kimberley Ramirez and Silas Nieto, took place at 6 p.m. Friday in the Visual Arts Gallery at the Edinburg campus.