Introducing herself as not just a teacher but also as an artist, Loomis’ newest ceramics instructor Sophie Gibson presented her exhibit Aerial Reverie at the Mercy Gallery’s first opening of the year on September 18th.
“[Aerial Reverie] explores the nature of imagination and embodiment through a series of compositional gestures,” Ms. Gibson stated. “It’s about the body and the mind and where imagination can take you. Does it take you further into your experience of the body, or does it take you out of a feeling of embodiment?”
The title, Aerial Reverie, comes from Gaston Bachelard’s “Air and Dreams: An Essay on the Imagination of Movement,” which served as the inspiration for her work. The title’s first part, “Aerial,” comes from the pieces on the wall that are in relief. “They represent a skyscape because they’re all blue and white, and they have a lot of motion similar to the way that wind moves,” Ms. Gibson explained. The second part, “Reverie,” originates from Bachelard’s text, in which he uses “reverie” interchangeably with words like “wonder,” “imagination,” and “daydream.”
In her exhibition, Ms. Gibson especially wanted viewers to focus on her piece titled Constructive Rest. “The idea is that viewers could experience Constructive Rest and then think about the wall pieces in relation to that piece,” she said. “I think of them all as a bit cohesive because it’s like she’s lying on the earth, so there’s a sense of a side receiving light and a side that’s in shadow. Also, the piece is blue because it reflects the sky, which is similar to how water reflects different things. She is very grounded, but she’s also in a dream-like state with her eyes closed, and this allows the viewers to imagine which direction her dreaming is going.”
Hosted alongside Aerial Reverie was the Emerging Artists Student Exhibit as well as the Community Art Show. Both are a great opportunity for students passionate about art to share what they worked on independently over the summer. In addition to drawings and paintings, there was an array of photography, sculptures, and ceramics.
“The Barnes and Wilde Galleries that line the halls of the RAC serve as a platform for emerging voices. It is here that we host the Emerging Artists & Writers Show and the Community Art Show,” Ms. Carr, Director of the Mercy Gallery, stated. “Dedicating the first exhibition of the academic year to the work of our own students, faculty, and staff is a fitting way to honor the creativity and imagination that define our community.”
Loomis’s Visual Arts Department is unique in the sense that students get to share the gallery space with a professional artist. This facet enables the entire Loomis community to engage in and bond over diverse art mediums. “Students truly enjoy the opportunity to exhibit their work alongside faculty and staff,” Ms. Carr said. “Sharing the gallery space in this way fosters connection and community, allowing us to celebrate creativity together.”
