Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, University of Alaska Anchorage BFA seniors were not able to hold their thesis exhibitions in the UAA Kimura Gallery this spring. Two of the four BFA students, Aileen Page and Kimberlyn Sheldon, have shared a preview of their work in our windows this month. In this post we are sharing a little about each of these artists along with images of their work.
To see images and information about all four BFA students’ thesis projects, go to the UAA Art Department Facebook page.
Aileen Page
Aileen Page’s thesis work on display in the IGCA windows in downtown Anchorage (May 6-20, 2020).
Aileen Page lives in Eagle River, Alaska. She graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage as a Bachelor of Fine Arts Ceramic major in 2020. Her work frequently focuses on figurative subject matter that touches on ideas of vulnerability, comfort and anxiety and explores how these feelings are communicated through body language. Aileen has exhibited work locally in the Hugh McPeck Gallery, as well as in the IGCA group shows. She received the Juror’s Choice Award for the national No Big Heads juried show in 2017 and was runner up in the 2018 Student Juried Art Show. Aileen was awarded the 2018 Alaska Watercolor Society and Alaska Artist Guild Scholarship and the Undergraduate Research Grant from the Honors College at UAA. She spent the summer of 2019 as a ceramic assistant for Bruce Dehnert at Peters Valley School of Craft in New Jersey.
Can you tell us a little about your background? Where did you grow up, for instance?
My dad was in the army so I moved around a lot when I was a kid, but I have lived in Alaska for the past 15 years. I grew up learning German from my mom and English from my dad.
What led you to the BFA program at UAA?
I have always heard good things about UAA's art department. After High School I received two scholarships that for the most part covered my tuition if I stayed in state. During my first year I didn't really know what direction I wanted to go in, but after taking some art classes, and really loving them, I decided to go with what interested me most. Art was the only subject I felt passionate enough to peruse a degree in. The BFA program allowed me to take several different art studio classes, it was hard for me to decide on a discipline, but ultimately I chose ceramics as my primary focus.
Aileen Page. Aversion, 2019. Earthenware.
Aileen Page. Slump, 2019. Earthenware.
Can you describe your BFA thesis project for us?
My thesis explores how emotions that are visibly expressed through body language. It is also about perspective and changing how one perceives these, often times intense, emotions.
What's next now that you've graduated?
It's hard to know what's going to happen next, especially during a pandemic, but I do have my heart set on continuing to work with clay. I would like to continue to develop my skills and continue my education by doing a post bacc.
Do you have a website and/or social media pages where people can find your work online?
Instagram: @page_aileen
Kimberlyn Sheldon
Kimberlyn’s thesis work on display in the IGCA windows (May 20-June 3, 2020).
Kimberlyn Sheldon is an Iñupiaq painter and 2020 graduate from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Using oil paint as a medium, Sheldon creates art which displays a mix of surrealism and realism. It’s through the act of transforming photographs into paintings that Sheldon begins to understand her subject matter on a psychological level. Throughout her exploration as an oil painter, Sheldon has sought to create a visual representation of the duality that defines her heritage and culture as a government-labeled ½ Iñupiaq woman. By representing her internal conflicts and perception of the world, Sheldon seeks to create conversation, acknowledge history, and gain a better understanding of her truth.
Can you tell us a little about your background? Where did you grow up, for instance?
I grew up in the Iñupiaq village of Noorvik which is located in the northwest region of Alaska. Growing up in Noorvik, I spent time with family and friends outdoors, played multiple sports, and learned seasonal subsistence. I came to Anchorage at the age of 18 in order to pursue a bachelor’s degree at UAA.
What led you to the BFA program at UAA?
I’ve always loved drawing, and I began taking drawing classes at UAA with art being my minor. I took a painting class as an elective and fell in love with oil paints. I decided to make Fine Arts my major and dedicate my undergraduate years to painting.
Kimberlyn Sheldon. Paaqlaktautaiññiq, 2020. Oil on canvas. 7’ x 9’.
Can you describe your BFA thesis project for us?
My BFA thesis consists of a triptych titled Paaqlaktautaiññiq and is oil on canvas. Paaqlaktautaiññiq is an Iñupiaq cultural value which translates to “Avoidance of Conflict”. Through my thesis project I have explored what Paaqlaktautaiññiq means to me and how I’ve embodied it through my actions and perceptions of society. My BFA thesis project has been a journey of self-discovery and an effort to reflect on past choices, current social issues, and my reactions to these things.
What's next now that you've graduated?
Graduating in 2020 has proven to be a tricky thing, but now that I’ve completed my BFA degree I plan to continue painting, learning, and growing as an artist. I’ve decided to take a break from formal education and plan to return to my home region of northwest Alaska to reconnect with family, friends, and the land.
Do you have a website and/or social media pages where people can find your work online?
You can find me on Instagram at the username: @kimberlyn.sheldon. I use this page to display current and past works and connect with people interested in art and Inupiaq culture.