I enjoy student shows and attend them whenever I’ve a chance. While most student shows are filled with, well, student-grade work, I almost always find a gem or two.
So I wasn’t disappointed when the bill of fare for this exhibition at the Galleries at Cleveland State U. proved to be bog-standard stuff, which is to say most pieces were self-conscious, politically correct, vaguely aggressive student efforts. The show was notable for its lack of oil paintings (the small number of paintings were acrylic), and the large number of archival inkjet prints (digital photography).
While most pieces were forgettable, the overall quality was on par with other student shows, and was actually better than last year’s show at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
I was almost out the door, having decided that there was nothing on view to write about when I saw this—the gem of the show.
In her acrylic painting ‘Monument’ Danielle Miller displays a deft touch. The painting is filled with evocative light and shows real feeling. The foreground figures were especially well done–very efficient. This piece was far and away the best of the show.