About the Artist
ARTIST STATEMENT
The intimate connections I share with my three cats serve as inspiration for my artwork. In my paintings, I utilize a specific color scheme to express the emotional history between my cats and I. Each cat expresses a different emotion through color, highlighting moments in my life. The color purple is symbolic for important status; representing my childhood. Blue signifies broken confidence; reflecting the time I dropped out of college. To describe my success at SUNY Oswego I use the color green; a symbol of growth and renewal. In my sculpture work, I memorialize my time as a barista by constructing a coffee cup of iron. This serves the foundation on which my creative process draws inspiration from. My physical interaction with coffee provides significant self discovery. Seeing my reflection in the coffee I pour, is a reminder of our growth as individuals. I feel it is important to be reminded of our personal development and to discover who we are meant to become.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Vanessa Minges was raised in Fairport, NY where she graduated high school in 2009. In the fall of that year, she began attending Monroe Community College. After dropping out in 2012, Vanessa restarted her academic career in the fall of 2014. She transferred to SUNY Oswego and was accepted into the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, including an Art History Minor. Her concentration for the past two years has been drawing, painting and creating sculptures. Vanessa is proactive in the Arts Alive club and continues to share her knowledge of art to the community. She hopes to continue her education at University at Buffalo for her degree in Master’s of Fine Arts and become an animal portrait painter.