Photography Exhibit at Local Flair Art Gallery

On Wednesday evening, I attended a wonderful exhibit at Local Flair Art Gallery, showcasing work by JBU's Senior Photography Class students. Seven artists were represented, with as many styles and viewpoints. The show, organized by student and photographer Alexa Lambert, offered a wide array of talent. I was really blown away by the creativity and vision exhibited by these artists.


Natalia Castelar offered a collection of photographs called COLORS that combined color, fashion and photography. Each photo portrayed a woman dressed in a gorgeous, monochromatic dress and shoes with color-coordinated accessories.


Alexa Lambert, the organizer, had several photographs that replicated famous works of art, such as da Vinci's Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and Edvard Munch's The Scream. She did an amazing job of conveying these master works through color, lighting, subject matter and attention to detail.


(the) Matthew Smith had some amazing professional-quality portraits. My favorite was of some guys wearing hunting hats with ear flaps. There was something dark and mysterious about the photo, and I was struck with the desire to know more about it.



Josh Adams chose to focus his work on Siloam Springs, its history and people. He has interviewed several local individuals (my husband and sister, to name a few) and he plans to show his full collection on March 14, 2010 at the Sager Creek Arts Center.



Kyle Weir created a completely original and inspired interactive piece. It was a triptych based on Galations 5:1- It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Viewers were drawn to stockade-like openings in a black fabric wall. After placing one's head and hands in the first set of openings, an image would appear of the viewer bound in chains. The second opening would show them free, but the third would show them bound once more. The images were developed in a darkroom process called "liquid light."


Christina Bunker's work struck a personal chord with me, with her expertly photographed cookbook of favorite family recipes. I've often dreamed of creating something like this for myself. It's a beautiful and intimate collection of recipes, bound as a hardcover book (by blurb.com). I was even able to sample the delicious peanut butter and chocolate "buckeyes" from the cookbook at the refreshment table.


Hannah Hudson rounded out the show with various pieces of art that illustrated verses, quotes and poems. They were all very different from one another, yet they shared a common theme of the beauty and meaning of words. My favorite was one with Love as the word of choice.