Art for social activism, for moral messages and for emotional expression are all well and good, but let us not forget art for its sheer aesthetic appeal. Senior Maggie Vincent is a studio art and computer science double major who loves making pretty things. Her work in the senior art show, up for viewing in the Wriston Art Gallery, is an excellent example of how this philosophy can be put into action.
“I want to make things that fascinate people,” said Vincent. “I want to have people see my art and bring their own ideas to it, so everyone will sort of have their own ideas on what it’s trying to say. Even though it’s not trying to say anything.”
Vincent has been described by her peers and teachers as the “artsy one” all her life. She agrees with this description, having created art through various mediums for as long as she can remember, even “doing murals on my stomach in the mirror.” Art began as a pastime, but Vincent soon realized its potential as a major. Wanting to have a degree where she could do something fun, she took up studio art.
“I just like making things,” explained Vincent. “I’m not one of those artists who says things with their art, like I don’t have a big pervasive message. I have a skill for putting stuff together and making it look pretty and I find it really satisfying.”
While usually Vincent likes to paint fairytale-esque illustrations, notably landscapes, her senior project explores abstract work. Using acrylic paint and mixed media, Vincent created five works—“Doctor Smith,” “Sheila,” “Bob,” “Jorge” and “Roseanne”— that jump off the canvas with vibrant colors and brilliant patterns. She layered pieces of mirror, melted solder, toilet paper, string and the like into the paint. Vincent described this as an attempt to focus on the process of making art, on making something that just looks good and having fun with it.
Other works by Vincent include a corgi made out of sticks, a giant wooden acorn and a collection of paper spheres painted with oil and woven together.
Vincent is also highly fond of computer science. Although it began as a means to get her quantitative requirement out of the way, she ended up falling in love with the field.
“It’s language theory, it’s math, it’s science, it’s art!” said Vincent.
After graduation Vincent hopes to pursue a career path that makes use of both her majors. Her plan is to move to Washington and work with Nintendo in their testing department.
Ideally, Vincent would like to either work in game design and graphics—making backgrounds for games, perhaps—or become a freelance painter. Other potentials may be in robotics or hardware design. In any event, Vincent’s goals are varied and her enthusiasm for her studies are impressive.
Aside from her schoolwork, Vincent is a Bon Appétit manager and an occasional bartender at the VR. She also enjoys reading and having Steam dates with her long-distance boyfriend.
Vincent would like to thank her parents for their love and support.