Collegiate Times

One of Bill Connelly's works. His art is on display in the Armory Gallery through April 14.

I went with a cup of the macadamia nut. He opted for the Mill Mountain blend along with a turkey sandwich.

"Would you like a pickle with that?" the person behind the counter asked.

"Not really. Unless ..." looking over his shoulder, "Ryan, would you like a pickle with your coffee?"

Bill Connelly slyly smirked; his eyes gently rose in a moment of reflection, mentally cataloging the peculiar question.

Connelly, a senior studio arts major, thrives on such one-liners; ostensibly fleeting phrases that, when dissected, can actually enlighten. This is where his art begins.

"A lot of titles are so elitist," Connelly said. "I want [mine] to have an everyday quality."

"Hold On To What You've Got" and "Just When You Thought It Was Safe" are the catalytic paintings in Connelly's recently developing series.

Humans, nature and human nature are the three phenomena that propel Connelly's artistic pursuits, and these latest pieces clearly portray each one.

"Hold On To What You've Got" offers a dialogue between a youthful bird and the limb of a tree. This typically neutral scene is capsized as the limb morphs into a tentacle, sweeping across the wooden canvas to forcefully grip the winged prize.

In an excerpt from his thesis statement, Connelly wrote, "Birds are so innocent and engaging. Sitting. Flying. Enjoying a freshly discarded french fry. Birds are like those enlivening relationships that come and go. My own personal goal is to find meaning in my relationships. Hoping to bridge the gaps between my relationships."

Connelly is enthralled with the unending motion of his immediate environment. For him, the bird embodies the wayward influences of our collegiate journey. The aggressive tree branch is struggling, just as we do, with how to soundly absorb the insights of these many transient associations. How strong -- and possibly harmful -- is your grip?

Regarding his process, Connelly said, "Most relationships don't begin with a bleached canvas."

"Hold On To What You've Got" is executed upon discarded wood from a barn. The texture and unique history of the wood are incapable of replication. Connelly sees the recycled material as a facilitator of the conversations he is crafting; the literal tree enlivens the voice of the illustrated tree.

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