By Sierra Akana
Jill Parisi’s “Wallflowers” exhibition made its debut this semester at College of Southern Nevada’s Fine Arts Gallery.
Parisi’s art combines a variety of color, complex patterns and nature. According to Parisi’s website, “My works celebrate the plant and animal kingdom’s wide palette and intricate patterns. The process for creating the flora and fauna existing in my imaginary ecosystems can be likened to jazz. I’m riffing on nature, taking colors, structures, etcetera from a variety of species and places and reconfiguring them in a new way.”
“Wallflowers” is on display till March 19. Major installations including Lichen and Pinwheel are presented. The show was chosen to elevate students’ knowledge on different forms of artmaking employing 3D installations and printmaking.
“The goal is to expose students to a collection beyond normal ideas of what art is,” said Jeff Fulmer, CSN’s fine arts coordinator. “It is to challenge and inspire and it is meant to be thought provoking.”
“Jill’s work would speak well to students enrolled in print, sculpture and installation,” Fulmer said. “We want to show different, unique and engage challenging ideas of what art is. We would want to avoid art from Pier 1.”
Fulmer commented on how the art moved with its little petals and insects flittering on the wall due to the air conditioning. “It is almost like her work is breathing and has a life of its own.”
Students in art-appreciation class attended the exhibit and commented on its uniqueness.
“Instead of thinking about paintings, she used pins and tissue paper,” said Symphony Hill, CSN student who attended the exhibit. “It’s a different medium. I was blown away. She used space knowing it’s open with the airing and ventilation. Also with the tissues and pins, it looks like the flowers are flying.”
Professors took their classes to explore the exhibition as a part of their teaching curricula this semester.
“This is all hand-manipulated so even though it looks very simple and elegant, this is very time consuming,” said Anne Hoff, printmaking professor at CSN’s Charleston campus. “So you’re probably looking at a couple years’ work here on display. The thing about art is that people think it’s something that’s invented overnight but usually when you’re looking at a display of art, you’re looking at a person’s labor of love.”
This is the first time that Parisi’s installations have been on display in Las Vegas though her works have gone international.
Parisi has a master’s in printmaking and a bachelor’s in painting from State University of New York. Her work was shown in solo- and two-person exhibitions, collaborative and group shows and even public art missions.
In 2012 Parisi was commissioned to do an art installation for the New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Arts for Transit program.
Additionally her work called “Kaleidoscope Garden” was chosen for The International Print Triennial Krakow exhibition in 2015 and 2012. This is a globally-renowned printmaking event honoring artists.
To see works by this artist click this link http://www.jillparisi.com/.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 