By: Adriana Avila, Managing Editor
Graduate featured in gallery exhibit
Art History and Studio Art graduate Maureen Hendrick will be the spotlight artist in the Park Fine Art Gallery’s exhibit “Loved to Death” Feb. 1 to March 8.
Hendrick graduated from CNM in 2010 and said the exhibit is titled after her artwork. Her work is a still life narrative with a symbolic and conceptual style, she said.
“It’s based on still life, but it’s conceptual still life and it’s still life narrative because it tells a story,” said Hendrick.
She said when brush meets canvas, the passion flows into painting her separate ideas and ties her pieces together in an unusual way.
“I’m passionate about these ideas and I want to share these ideas. If people would stop and learn what my vision is about; that’s what would make me happy,” she said.
The idea behind her art is that it is psychologically and emotionally contrasting to what is seen at first, she said. Her art is about hope.
“I don’t tend to be a very scary person but when you look at these images it’s a little unsettling because of how I painted them, but they all have a story about them and once you understand the story then it’s all positive and hopeful,” said Hendrick.
She said there is a particular painting featured in the gallery, entitled “Unassumed Awareness,” that is her favorite because of the meaning.
“My mother passed away and it has some symbolism in there that nobody would know about, but when I see it I think of my mother,” said Hendrick.
The time she spent at CNM was important to her artwork in many ways, she said. When she was a member of the Art Club, she said the group put together an art show and invited jurors from the community to judge the show.
She said that one of the jurors, Josh Franco, referred her to an international exhibit at Park Fine Art where only a select number of artists were invited to submit one piece to travel internationally.
One of her pieces was selected for the travelling exhibit, she said.
“From here it goes to Beijing, China, and Seoul, South Korea, and last year it went to two places in Istanbul, Turkey,” said Hendrick.
Hendrick said she learned everything she knows about art at CNM and even though learning does not leave students with a robe and tassel, she is satisfied with the education she received. She firmly believes the Art program is better in terms of artist preparation.
“The Art Career Concerns class was a huge class. It’s such valuable information because it gives you all of the tools to make your own portfolio and write your own artist statement, approach galleries and how to have a show,” said Hendrick.
The breadth of knowledge offered in each of the art classes is discussed in depth and the principles she learned were thorough, she said.
“I highly recommend the classes here to have all of the knowledge and information and everything needed to be able to be a working artist because it really gives you confidence in everything you need to accomplish that goal,” said Hendrick.
Since graduating from CNM, Hendrick said she has participated in several art shows and has won two best of show awards and three first place awards in the amateur division.
‘Loved to Death’ art exhibit
- Park Fine Art Gallery
- Galleria, lower level
- 20 First Plaza NW
- Suite 27
- Albuquerque, NM 87102
- 764-1900
- contact@parkfineart.com
- Feb. 1 ‑ 8, 2013 | 5 to 8 p.m.
