digitalniamh

[digitalniamh]

[digitalniamh]

[digitalniamh]

[digitalniamh]

[digitalniamh]

When making this piece, the first thing I did was hit “select object” and choose the vases and flowers and move them to create the interesting white spots seen behind them. I then changed the hue to make it appear more pink/red. I then used the spot healing brush to add texture to the background, and then the clone stamp to duplicate the face from the vase. 

[digitalniamh]

[digitalniamh]

[digitalniamh]

Westward Expansion: From Prairie to Paper

Niamh Creighton 

This exhibition is a visual journey through the movement west that resculpted American culture and landscape. It captures how the rolling plains, once empty and expansive, were affected and changed through this journey, and reflects the power of paper, used for art, treaties, propaganda, and numerous other concepts that have helped to transform the west. 

There are older works of art included in this exhibition, as well as newer works. Through the curation of photography, paintings, and sculpture, “Westward Expansion: From Prairie to Paper”examines the two different accounts of this expansion period. From one angle, the adventure, opportunity, and motivation that pioneers found on their journey west, and from another angle, the disruption of native american culture and land, and the environmental and economic exploitation that has happened as a result of that. 

“The Last Shot” by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait and the photograph by Karen Halverson titled “Near Keeler, California”, were both included to represent the second half of those two accounts. The photograph is exemplar of how the landscape has changed and been affected by this movement. At the front and center is a bright orange plastic fence, and we can see power lines being stretched across the left side of the photo. These objects are not pretty, and certainly not natural to the landscape. The painting is an example of the differences in cultures that were happening, as well as showing the landscape off. 

The other works in this showcase have been included for the first viewpoint of this time period and place. “American Progress” is one of the most famous, if not the most famous artworks about the westward expansion, however it is a very eurocentric view of this happening. “Manifest Destiny” is another painting showing this eurocentric view of the movement west. It portrays a young girl looking out of an airplane window out at a mountain range. You can really feel the hopefulness and sense of opportunity in this work. And last but not least, the sculpture “Blue cowboy #2” demonstrates how the midwestern American culture has become very recognizable and established. 

Viewers are encouraged to think about the complexities of this expansion and acknowledge the change and the unique culture of the American midwest.