“(In)Significant Allure,” an exhibit by Lauren Baird and Wendy Tan of Hays, will be featured in The Gallery at Sams Hall of Fine Arts at Kansas Wesleyan University from Aug. 21–Sept. 22. The exhibit includes a selection of ceramics and multimedia work by Baird and the paintings and ceramics of Wendy Tan.
A reception for the artists will be from 5–7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. Baird and Tan will be present to discuss their work. Drinks and snacks will be provided.
Baird is a third-year graduate student at Fort Hays State University, pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts degree. Originally from Omaha, Baird received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Professional Emphasis in Ceramics from Doane University in Crete, NE. She is investigating figurative ceramic sculptures that address the concept of body image, identity, and human connections and self-acceptance.
“My work explores these issues of identity and body image through self-portraits in clay and multi-media,” Baird said. “These portraits allow me to reflect on my inner struggles and have helped me to accept myself for who I am. By creating this work and putting it out into the world, I am hoping that women will find that they are not alone in their feelings, and they should never be ashamed, but rather let their uniqueness shine.”
Born in Malaysia, Tan is also pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts degree from Fort Hays University after completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a Distinction in Painting Major at RMIT University, Australia. She has participated in many group and solo exhibitions in Hong Kong and the United States. Tan’s artwork focuses on the neglected and hidden beauty of nature.
“The closer I get to nature, the more interesting it becomes,” Wendy Tan said. “This insignificant beauty always inspires me, and they are a symbolic representation of human values in all life forms. Such ideas drive the existence of major tensions in my work, in particular, the struggle between man and nature, the often unfair and rampant spread of urbanization, and the imbalance in the ownership of natural resources.”