New Senior Thesis Exhibition Opens April 8 at Drake University Anderson Gallery
Three Drake Art and Design students are featuring a collection of their work in an exhibition titled Reflective Distinction. The exhibition will open on April 8 with a public reception from 5-7 PM at the Anderson Gallery, 2505 Carpenter Ave, Des Moines.
Reflective Distinction features the work of Betsy Hart, Rachael Kreski and Ryan Topete. Focusing on the development of nuanced expressions, the exhibition delves into the balance between elements of individuality and the importance of various influences to each artist, which vary from historical events, psychology, and the revival of the letterpress. Through a variety of media including painting, sculpture, graphic design, hand lettering, and photography, the selection of work on display explores the fruitful interplay between these themes. Reflective Distinction will run through April 22.
Betsy Hart is a BA double major in painting and psychology from Ankeny, Iowa. Her work approaches ideas of cognition and human consciousness through the process of dense layering, selective restraint, and exposed anomalies. Moving beyond traditional methods, her artwork pushes the balance between individual differences and human connectedness.
Rachael Kreski is a BFA graphic design major with a double minor in advertising and art history from Omaha, Nebraska. She is engaged in design, not only as a concept, but also a product of innovative ideas communicating visual messages through expressive typography. Craftsmanship is strongly utilized in application towards tactile materials in hand lettering and digital design.
Ryan Topete is a BFA in painting with an emphasis in drawing from Sioux City, Iowa. Through the use of contemplative imagery, bold forces of material, and meaningful refinement, his work grapples with conceptual ideas with varying degrees of abstraction.