Study abroad students display their artwork inspired by Rome

Last week, the Department of Art presented The Rome Experience 2012 in the A.B. Cohen Center,
showcasing students' pieces inspired by the most recent Rome Summer Study Abroad Program. It was evident that each student brought home a heightened artistic
eye, featuring some outstanding, Italian-inspired works of art. Having traveled to Italy myself, I was taken back to Venice, Rome and Florence as I looked at the artists' sketches of the riverstreets of Venice and the Italian architecture. Even these simple sketches gave the observer a sense of the intriguing, timeless art of Italy. Suzanne Chouteau, professor and head of the art department, describing the experinece, said, "Each student was able to take a part of each city we visited home with them, and you can feel it in each student's work." Eva Marie Witt's "Self-Portrait on Burano" excellently portrayed the watery streets of Burano. Her chalky, pastel look to the piece gave the reflection of the multicolored buildings in the water such a perfect texture, that it practically invites the viewer to reach out and touch the water. The viewer
is able to enjoy the background in the piece as much as the woman depicted in the portrait. Emily Boutilier's "Marina" captures the beauty of one of Italy's docks. The most notable feature about this piece is her amazing use of color. Blotted clouds swirl in the sky in the foreground, surrounding a pinkish-blue opening where the sun shines and the greenish-brown earth gives the piece a very interesting rustic feel. "Torcello Sunshine" by Alex Beard was one of the most intricately formulated pieces on
display. Taking a photograph of the side of a building and printing it on fabric, Beard embroidered multiple designs into the photo, making it pop. Sewing red string onto the flowers of the tree and fabric onto the gate, you could practically feel each part of the picture. The Rome experience 2012 exhibit wielded some amazing pieces
of artwork, showcasing amazing talent from students in Xavier University's Art Department. If you are interested in checking the exhibit out for yourself, it is open 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, until Nov. 14 in the A.B. Cohen Center Gallery.