Ashley Uvina remembers how, when she was 5 years old, she created intricate figurines out of the clay set her grandparents bought her as a gift.
Quickly, this became the vessel for which Uvina would develop her artistic abilities as she advanced from clay figurines to more elaborate art pieces. Utilizing an array of mediums ranging from oil, watercolor and acrylic paints, the third-year anthropology student will showcase some of her most prominent work at UCLA’s first Art Walk.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council’s Cultural Affairs Commission will be sponsoring Art Walk at UCLA on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. in Wilson Plaza. The event will feature artwork ranging from watercolor and acrylic paintings, photographs and sketches – all produced by UCLA students.
With well-known events held in downtown Los Angeles and at The Brewery throughout the year, art walks have recently gained popularity by taking art out of traditional viewing spaces, such as museums and galleries, and into the open.
Despite the countless number of ways in which art can be exhibited, Art Walk Director Kylie Carrigan said this particular event is a more innovative and stimulating way of viewing art.
“Putting (art) outside, in the open, and encouraging people to walk through really makes it an event rather than just an exhibition,” Carrigan said.
Though Uvina will be exhibiting several pieces during Friday’s event, there is one she believes outshines the others.
The abstract piece, which she drew in her AP art class in high school solely with colored pencils, features an abundance of colorful faces.
“It is my favorite because I didn’t put much thought into it,” Uvina said. “I drew my inspiration from Pablo Picasso’s portraits. His paintings always fascinated me how he molded shapes and colors to create works that saw the world in a different light.”
For second-year Spanish student Juan Garces, Art Walk is an opportunity not only to showcase the work he is most proud of, but also to share his artistry with the UCLA community.
Although he will also be displaying many pieces from his collection, Garces said there is a piece in particular that he is most excited to show. After working 30 hours over a three-week period, Garces will showcase a painting rendition of a photographed Afghan girl who was featured on the cover of National Geographic in 1985.
“It has been a photo that captivated me from the first time I saw it as a child,” Garces said. “I used my own style that features a strong bold outline and water color technique mixed with acrylic paint to supplement.”
Fourth-year physiological science student Tara Noorani said photography hasbeen a major source of inspiration for her painting.
(Courtesy of Tara Noorani)
“I want people to be able to tell what’s going in that person’s head and what the picture is trying to tell you. It should be a clear emotional message,” Noorani said.
Come Friday, Noorani will be showcasing her artwork to the public for the first time. An acrylic painting featuring a faceless woman with vibrant purple hair will be Noorani’s main piece of display. Her mouth, wide open, discloses a plethora of quotes from famous people and written works such as Malcolm X, Shakespeare and the Bible.
Although Noorani has always been rather private when it comes to sharing her work, she said she believes Art Walk will be a great opportunity to demonstrate the creative diversity that UCLA has to offer.
Being an avid attendee of both The Brewery and Downtown Los Angeles art walks, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Jessica Trumble said she has been pondering the idea of an event like Art Walk at UCLA since she first ran for office more than a year ago.
“A lot of people think about art as something that is just in a museum (and) it becomes distant and far off,” Trumble said. “Art Walk is one of those times where people really get excited about art. They think about it as a moment of culture that they can engage with right now.”
In order to deliver a more enriching experience for students, Carrigan said the Cultural Affairs Commission will give away JazzReggae Festival tickets and art supplies to Art Walk attendees and feature live music for the event.
Despite this being the first Art Walk held at UCLA, Trumble said she believes that it has the potential to be a new UCLA tradition.
“I hope that students walk away from the event with a renewed sense of excitement in art,” Trumble said. “At the same time I want them to know more about their fellow students … and to develop a community of people who are excited about the art that is being made on campus.”