The Collegian

Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Arts

The end of the academic year in the arts department signifies the coming of the senior art shows. For senior Kate Reiner, the shows represent the chance to display her learned ability to straddle two worlds.

Part of Reiner's liberal arts training at Hillsdale has included work in the pre-dental program since her freshman year.

She will finish up the program this semester and graduate with a Bachelor of Science in art.

"Studying science has taught me to look at the world in a completely different way and I definitely appreciate the perspective," Reiner said. "It was a really neat tie in taking a biological anatomy class and artistic anatomy class. It felt like a really complete biological education."

Some would find it stressful to study two divergent fields at once, but Reiner said the shift in mental gears produced the opposite effect. She enjoyed the change of pace as a form of balance.

"A lot of the time the fact that they weren't integrated was really nice," she said. "When I was creatively burned out it was nice to turn to something scientific and objective, and when that got stressful it was nice to be able to turn on an artistic perspective."

In addition to the scientific influence in her art, Reiner also draws inspiration from her childhood.

Her mother taught her how to decorate Ukrainian Easter eggs called pysanky when she was a young girl.

"One of the eggs I've done will be in the show," Reiner said. "It's a very complicated process and the eggs are ornate."

Reiner's show will be held May 4-10 in the Sage Center of the Arts, in conjuction with seniors Margaret Jago and Vicki Yau's shows.

"I think that Margaret, Vicki, and I will have a great variety of work to share," Reiner said. "On the whole, they're both really creative but really different. Vicki will have more sculpture, and Margaret will have more painting and graphic design. We'll have a little bit of everything, but that's what they're going to lean towards."

Reiner is currently hard at work preparing for the show to debut, and said she looks forward to her family coming to campus to see it.

"They've only seen a few pieces I've done," Reiner said. "They'll be able to see everything they've been hearing about, finally."

Reiner's roommate, junior April Baum, said she enjoys Reiner's work.

"I think that Kate's work leading up to her senior show has been innovative, refreshing, and lovely," Baum said. "She isn't afraid to try something new or different and wholeheartedly applies herself."

With six weeks until graduation, Reiner's plans for dental school are currently on hold. Instead, she is hard at work compiling her portfolio, the artistic version of a resume.

"It's essentially to show off your best work, and to show people what you're capable of," Reiner said. "It's all stuff I've done at college and nothing else."

Reiner said she will pursue jobs where she can use her art after graduation.

"It's what I enjoy," she said. "It's really fulfilling to work creatively."

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