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Senior Art Exhibit on Display at Weizenblatt Gallery
Weizenblatt Gallery in the Moore Building of Mars Hill College will feature a photographic exhibit by student artist Nichole ‘Colie’ Brown from April 23 through May 9, 2012. There will be an opening reception on April 23, from 5 until 7 pm.
Brown is a senior studio art major from Hayesville, NC with a concentration in photography.
The title of Brown’s exhibit is Les Fleurs du Mal, inspired by a book of poetry of the same name written by French poet Charles Baudelaire. In English, the words mean “Flowers of Evil,” but according to Brown, her choice of title is actually more about complexity than evil.
“I don’t set out to produce art that’s traditionally “beautiful.” I dwell on the ideals that beauty can be found in the mysterious and seemingly dark thoughts of the human psyche. I’m never without big thoughts that express the dynamics and fragility of the body, mind and soul. These thoughts grow into in-depth creations that I consider beautiful and meaningful.”
Brown uses the frail and feminine forms of flowers to create pieces that are abstract, modern and unique. Their beauty, she said, lies in the blemishes and imperfections.
“Some reviews have labeled my work as ‘the flowers of evil’ or ‘the darkness of nature’ but I always try to depict the message of the non-traditional,” she said. “The flowers simply represent the ‘real’ – the persistence of beauty in recapturing mystery.”
Brown will graduate from Mars Hill in August of 2012. She plans to pursue a career in newspaper photography, or in art gallery management.