KINGSTON, R.I. – April 26, 2007 – Studio art major Emily Bibb has two of her works on display in the University of Rhode Island Juried Student Exhibition. The annual exhibit showcases some of the best artwork of URI students.

Bibb, a Kingston resident who will graduate next month, works primarily in lithography, and likes to etch out her artwork using pictures. “I like to work from family photos, and compose my scene from them,” Bibb said.

One work on display is entitled “Self-Portrait: Warm.” Bibb used a unique form of carving, called reduction, on this piece. “With this technique you reduce the level of white on the linoleum, continuing to cut until the darkest color appears,” said Bibb. In this piece, that color is red, hence the title of warm. For her second piece, entitled “Four Women,” Bibb cropped pictures of family members together to form the one large print of them all. The young artist received honorable mention for both pieces.

Although Bibb has proven to be a talented artist, art was not always her major. She enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University in 2002 as a biological sciences major, but she realized she did not like the field. “I was miserable in biology, and art made me happy,” said Bibb who transferred to URI in 2004, and changed her major to studio art. Since then, Bibb has maintained an impressive 3.9 cumulative grade point average.

Bibb has received numerous awards. The Girl Scouts of the USA presented her with its Gold Award for helping coordinate the knitting 13 quilts for the hospice organization. She has received an honorable mention and an excellence award at the URI Annual Juried Student Exhibition in 2006 and was also the recipient of the David Ketner Memorial Reward for Excellence in Studio Art that year. She was inducted into the Golden Key National Honor Society in February. This month, she was presented with the David Edmunds Award for excellence in art at URI’s Black Scholars Award ceremony.

Upon graduation, Bibb plans to go to graduate school for museum studies. “Although I do not plan on doing art professionally, I feel that what I have learned will aid me in my goal of museum work,” said Bibb.

Her artwork along with other students can still be seen in the main gallery of the Fine Arts Center until April 29. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday noon to 4 p.m.; 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

URI News Bureau photo by Michael Salerno Photography.