Digital Art Exhibition
June 18th 2021 - August 6th 2021
OCA Mocha’s Digital Art Exhibition aims to celebrate and raise exposure to contemporary artists in our community. Our goal is to create a space that explores the digital art world and its ability to provide artists an advanced vehicle for creativity, innovation, and spirit. When someone views a paintbrush, one may imagine brushstrokes of colorful pigment upon a canvas. But if you ask a person to describe digital art the answer is often more abstract.
Digital art made its debut in the art scene during the 1960s with computer artists like Frieder Nake, who combined computer science and creativity to generate art. Since then the capabilities of technology have rapidly increased to levels unfathomable in Mr. Nake’s time. This technological progression has created limitless avenues for digital artists to express themselves. Our exhibition wishes to host those artists who are exploring this new medium.
– Curated by Liam Garrett, Graphic Design Studies UMBC 2021
Lauren Brock
Mary's Last Tear, 20” by 30”
Inspired by the comic artist, Roy Lichtenstein, this piece is a mixture of black and white photography and comic graphics. The photo itself presenting a dramatic look with the comic adding what the woman feels inside, and shedding her last tear.
Nancy Fishel
When Streets are Closed We Become Human Again, 24” by 16.5”
Crosswalk, 27” by 19”
A Dream of Forever Fields 21.5 x 11
I have been experimenting with creating pieces for my Location Locomotion series using Procreate on my Ipad. The work strives to show the dynamism of everyday life, and the ephemeral quality of time. The work is created using images that I have taken around the world and in my community as reference. Different images and movements are layered using a variety of painterly brushes and techniques, thus my identifying them as digital paintings.
Rikiesha Metzger
This Is My Son (BLM), 24” by 36”
Thank Black Women, 24” by 36”
Rikiesha has been exploring innovative approaches to exposing people to Black culture through the arts. Built upon a strong spiritual foundation, she desires to teach people how various forms of art can provide them with an outlet for self-expression through the beauty of self-reflection. Through community engagement, she has discovered the powerful influence art can bring about for positive change.
"This Is My Son (BLM)" is modeled after the words to Eric Carle's book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? White Man, White Man, what do you see? I see my Black son looking at me. Black son, Black son, what do you see? I see my life flashing before me. Life flashing, Life flashing, explain this to me? Where there is no justice, there is no peace, however, we hope that this will change e-ven-tu-al-ly!
"Thank Black Women" pays homage to the sacrifices Black women make everyday. The piece represents a way for us to look at Black women in a more positive light. The message is one that seeks to spread peace, love, hope and joy by remember to thank Black women for their contributions to society.
George "ZUG' Nieberlein
What did I find?, 8” by 10”
Hayley Furman
Fall Be Kind, 11 1/2" by 25”
Loons System, 17" by 19"
Such Nerve, 14" by 20"
Through working with both painting and computer software, Hayley creates images that seek to challenge natural colors and shapes found in nature to evoke a sense of illusion across dimensional space.
Hayley finds inspiration from her painting series in which she paints subnormal organic shapes as well as plant life found in her garden. She then takes those forms into the digital art space. From those points of inspiration, she creates worlds around them. Each piece has a sense of being in its own dimension with its own story to tell. At times you can see works that may live in the same universe which can be clues that those works hold themes of similar meaning. The point of this work is not to produce a single unifying narrative, but instead to encourage the viewer to use their imagination for the story involved in the work. To promote this idea, Hayley uses shape, line, and strange creatures to keep the viewer guessing.
Overall works tend to a sub-natural world, with landscapes of trees and organic natural forms that would possibly be found on an alien planet. Creatures with strange expressions alongside bright colors are selected to provide a setting for the mind to wander and have the viewer interpret the works themselves. Hayley invites you to explore her work, imagining the stories behind what's presented.
Derek Roper
A Black Stone, 11” by 14”
The Horror Express, 11” by 14”
Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear humanity has. We go about our prosaic days ignorant to the fact that there are things beyond our comprehension. I seek to go beyond the veil of reality and give the viewer a glimpse into worlds that leave them questioning or on the precipice.
Morna McNulty
Surf Bubble #1, 8" by 10"
Surf Bubble #2, 8" by 10"
These two digital photographs were taken at a "moment in time." The surfer was standing at the shoreline, with the bubble (from a giant bubble wand) floating right in the line of my vision between me and the surfer, who was (for a split second) visible "through" the bubble ... just before the bubble floated past. It was the perfect "right place and the right time" spontaneous moment. Photoshop was used only to enhance the image color, size, and other photograph qualities. Morna McDermott McNulty has photographs published in (and on the cover of) numerous academic journals including the Journal of Curriculum Theorizing. Her photographic series entitled "Museum of Post-human Haunting" was a recipient of the 2021 Lakehead Arts Integration Research Award/Juried Show. Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON.
Kristina Gorelova
superbowl, 10.432” by 14.977”
Painting in a digital medium allows artists to achieve ideal strokes, colors, and textures with its extensive tools at the user’s disposal. It enables us to explore unique territories and create infinite possibilities in our work. In my approach, I try to incorporate the organic strokes of a brush and a messy quality that breathes a bit more life into my pieces. I often feel digital artists have pressure to make each stroke pixel perfect. Digital art is fantastic because it has that capacity, and I do think it is gorgeous — however, I also think that the imperfections of a piece make it more human. I ultimately love digital art because it allows me to express my ideas without any restrictions.
Mamadou Keita
Mad Men, 15” by 15”
Do Mad Men make Sad Girlz?
Louis Middleton
Marilyn Monroe at Crater Lake, 12” by 9”
Andrew Bjorke
"EYELLUSIONS", 10" by 10"
"HEXWAVE", 10" by 10"
Geometric experimentation.