Exhibit showcases student artists’ ‘Menagerie’

An art exhibit featuring the works of two North Central College students, junior Nick Hayes and senior Lauren Wohlrab, is on display through Feb. 2 in the school’s Meiley-Swallow Hall Gallery, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville.

Both students are majoring in studio art and in interactive media studies with a focus on graphic arts.

Titled “Menagerie,” their exhibit will showcase sculpture, ceramics, paintings and drawings that capture the essence and beauty of exotic animals. The exhibit is free, and visitors can meet the artists during a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, in the gallery.

Hayes, of Lemont, looks to nature and its inhabitants for his inspiration. The primary focus of his paintings, ceramics and sculptures in “Menagerie” is the animals that inspire him to create. No matter the medium, he says he uses art as an outlet that allows him to forget the busy nature of modern-day living.

“My art serves as a gateway to the world as I see it and, therefore, a connection is created,” he says. “The intent of my artwork is to try and replicate the release I feel as an artist.”

Wohlrab, of Naperville, will exhibit paintings and drawings. Her art is driven by her experiences, dreams, styles and moods. She finds inspiration in her desire to challenge herself and convey to her viewers what drives her. With experience in many mediums, she says her work can be described as “a rest from the formal traditional art style, which finds its application in simple, clean fabrications from my unrestrained fancy and draws deep interest at simpler levels.”

Christine Rabenold, assistant professor of art, is faculty adviser for the exhibit. For information about the exhibit or gallery hours, contact Rabenold at (630) 637-5543 or cmrabenold@noctrl.edu.