Learn more about the benefits of standardized design. Some artists succeed, many fail, but ... Artist returns to campus for scu

She is exhibiting 12 sculptures titled, “Corporal Geometry,” in the department of art’s Meek Hall, Gallery 130 which is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the last week to view her work. A gallery reception honoring Urrutia is set for Oct. 13 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Chair of the department of art Nancy Wicker welcomes Urrutia back to campus and predicts a positive result for all parties involved.

“We want our students to know that our graduates succeed. She is an example to our students. Also, we’re helping her by giving her the opportunity to showcase her work and expand her resume with a solo exhibition,” Wicker said Wednesday.

Urrutia began her studies at Southwest Texas University where she received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. She continued her studies at Ole Miss earning a masters in fine arts in 1999.

The enthusiasm for Urrutia’s return to Ole Miss is mutual for both her and Wicker as she remembers her time spent at the university as the best experiences of her life, she said.

A decreased interest in modern art sparks her to want to reinstate art programs in schools where budget shortages caused their abandonment, she said.

“There is not a lot of exposure to contemporary art, therefore it’s intimidating. It intimidates the public because they are not understanding what they are seeing,” Urrutia said.

Not only does this cause problems with general interest in modern art, but it also fuels the public’s idea that art is not important resulting in no government funding to support the arts, she said. However, Urrutia said if people take it more seriously, it could change society’s view of art.

Inspiration is something she said she finds everywhere, but usually Urrutia gets her ideas from everyday actions and how people relate to one another. Relationships are a power struggle and sometimes the power shifts, she said.

To accomplish this through her art, she experiments with scale and size in her work, she said. Size, for instance, is one way to separate one’s art from another. Wicker praises her use of size in her work and hopes it encourages other students to think a little bigger – literally.

Urrutia said she agrees with Wicker that size can be the difference in the uniqueness of one’s art. She wants her art to be more than just something pleasing to the eye. It should challenge the casual observer in a more internal way, she said.

“I’m interested in having people be interactive with my work. I (am) willing to take the risk to see if anything happens. The worst that can happen is the finish will rub off,” Urrutia said.

It worked, and now Urrutia is particularly interested in the power struggles between conjoined twins, she said. The world is obsessed with soul mates and the idea of learning from a twin about what she is exploring is the goal, Urrutia said. To put that feeling into a physical object is her job as an artist, she said.

Fine arts major Andrea Gapinski, 20, of Indianapolis, Ind., said she plans to attend Urrutia’s exhibit and is excited to learn from an Ole Miss alumna what she hopes to accomplish in her own future, she said.

Gapinski became interested in art after taking an Introduction to art course in high school where it was taught by Sue Meganhoffen, who became the first to encourage her to explore art as a career.

“The most satisfying thing is being creative. Being successful in your creativity. Having an original thought that you can express through it,” Gapinski said.

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