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Cianna Hernandez smiles at students with her artwork on display during the Creative Klub event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “Art isn’t meant to be perfect, it is to express. There is no need to second guess it,” Hernandez said during the Q&A session.
From left, Toni Reynolds, Jourdan Dukes, Alyssa Counts and Rachel Henderson view Cianna Hernandez’s artwork during the Creative Klub event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “I came to support some of my artist friends and what they are representing,” Reynolds explained.
Braiden Wade displays a photo of his grandmother, Rosetta Hobson, during the community event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “Grandma became more confident about herself after I took her photo,” Wade said. “Now I’m seeing what she started, I’m going to pass it forward.”
From left, Kayla Modacure, Alexandria Walker, Braiden Wade, Lauren Prestage, and Melaney Cotton look at Wade’s artwork during Alpha Kappa Alpha’s community event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “Anybody can model, they just need the right photographer,” Wade said.
As the organizers turned up calming music, seven student artists prepared to showcase their work at an exhibit on Wednesday.
MU’s Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority organized the event to highlight art related to women’s experiences and perspectives in honor of Women’s History Month. Held at the MU Student Center, the event allowed three artists to take part in fireside chats to share their stories and answer questions from the audience.
Cianna Hernandez smiles at students with her artwork on display during the Creative Klub event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “Art isn’t meant to be perfect, it is to express. There is no need to second guess it,” Hernandez said during the Q&A session.
The showcased art ranged from oil painting, to film to graphic design.
“We really wanted to give the artists more voice and share their perspectives,” said Kamillah Lucas, vice president of the sorority.
The exhibition was an opportunity for the artists to hear from the community and interact with those they inspire. It was also a platform for conversation and critique.
“You can’t really grow if people can’t critique,” said Alana Hayes, an MU senior majoring in film.
Hayes teased her short film that will premier at Ragtag Cinema later in the semester. At first, she wasn’t sure about her participation in the event, but later changed her mind.
“One thing that I promised my grandma before her passing was that I was gonna start putting myself out there, and just having more faith and more confidence in myself,” Hayes said.
The art exhibition not only made the artists more confident, but it was also a way to spread confidence among the participants.
From left, Toni Reynolds, Jourdan Dukes, Alyssa Counts and Rachel Henderson view Cianna Hernandez’s artwork during the Creative Klub event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “I came to support some of my artist friends and what they are representing,” Reynolds explained.
Braiden Wade’s goal was to “capture people as their true selves.” The MU photojournalism junior put together his photos that highlight women’s perspectives, with his grandma’s portrait in the center of it.
His art focuses on human insecurities and is meant to boost his subjects’ confidence through modeling.
At first, his grandma was unsure if she wanted to be photographed. She saw herself as not photogenic — but quickly, that changed.
“Me taking her photos, and her becoming more confident with herself extended to other people,” Wade said.
Braiden Wade displays a photo of his grandmother, Rosetta Hobson, during the community event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “Grandma became more confident about herself after I took her photo,” Wade said. “Now I’m seeing what she started, I’m going to pass it forward.”
As the atmosphere became friendlier and the attendees became more acquainted, people began approaching artists and asking for advice. Wade shared his experience of starting photography in his first year at MU and helped one of the attendees to start working on her art.
“Art isn’t meant to be perfect. It’s meant to express your emotions,” said Cianna Hernandez, an MU first-year student double majoring in psychology and art, in her fireside chat. “There are so many different ways you can do it.”
From left, Kayla Modacure, Alexandria Walker, Braiden Wade, Lauren Prestage, and Melaney Cotton look at Wade’s artwork during Alpha Kappa Alpha’s community event on Wednesday at MU Student Center in Columbia. “Anybody can model, they just need the right photographer,” Wade said.
