An empty and colorless Keller Art Gallery waits to be adorned by priceless paintings and art arrangements. Senior PLNU art student David Heim prepares for his senior exhibition starting Tuesday, Dec. 10. This will be his final art show on campus as he prepares to graduate this fall semester.
Every year the art department allows art majors to exhibit an accumulation of their work in Keller Art Gallery. Heim has compiled some new and previous pieces to showcase. Heim is majoring in visual arts with an emphasis in painting, print making and drawing. He considers his is art to be non-representational. This is different from abstract art in the sense that instead of basing his painting on actual objects, Heim paints based on emotion and creativity.
David says that he draws inspiration from a variety of places such as biology, literature, fashion and interior design.
“I don’t consider myself an artist. It’s weird; I call myself an art major,” Heim said. “I haven’t adopted myself as an artist just yet. But I have been creating since I could hold a crayon in my hand. I’ve always created ‘stuff.’ I have been doing this forever.”
Heim is influenced by artists such as Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly and philosophers such as Nietzsche and Aristotle. He does not have one specific style of creating, and, though some pieces might be simple, others are strong and bold. Last year Heim did a painting inspired by demonology. The piece caused a buzz and is still being debated on whether it will be showcased this week in his exhibition. Heim explains that it is pieces such as these that reflect his incorporation of faith in his work.
“I don’t intend for my art to be considered ‘edgy.’ It is more of an exploration,” Heim said. “I think I like to explore things, and it doesn’t necessarily mean I believe in them, it’s just a way for me to understand it. And hopefully through my art, I help other people understand and except concepts too.”
Heim’s art exhibition will showcase both paintings and art arrangements he has been working on for the majority of the semester. One specific arrangement Heim seems most excited about is a box arrangement. He expresses that he has a deep love and fascination for boxes and though it is not a typical painting or art piece, it will be showcased at his exhibition.
“You want to live up to people’s expectations and what they are expecting from you,” Heim said. “But I think halfway through this semester I kind of came to this place where I told myself to just do what you love to do, what you are comfortable doing, what you like doing and if people don’t like it, not your problem. After that, it all just fell together, and I finished early, which never happens for me. I just want my art to help people. That is what I want my art to be considered.”
Heim has already begun filling out applications for graduate schools where he hopes to be accepted into an architectural program. Some schools include University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles and University of California, Berkeley.
