Derrick and Roltgen present senior art exhibit ‘Adipose Playground,’ reception May 2

Senior studio art majors Johnathan Derrick and Ruth Roltgen are hosting an art show titled “Adipose Playground” in Ripon College’s Caestecker Gallery of Art in the C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts, with an opening reception tonight, May 2 at 7 p.m.

The art exhibit will run until May 16 and will be accessible during the hours that the C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts is open. Admission is free and open to the public.

Derrick and Roltgen are both presenting their own unique pieces, alongside a joint project on a short film titled “Surveillant.” The artworks were created for their class as well as during their personal time or for prior courses.

Their collaboration stemmed from the structure of the senior studio project class and their friendship, which began in their first semester at Ripon.

“It’s evident that we both have varying art styles and mediums, and I believe the name ‘Adipose Playground’ perfectly encapsulates that,” Roltgen said. “Adipose means ‘the storage of fat, especially in body tissue.’ We thought the gallery was the tissue, and our artwork was the fat … we thought that was pretty fun.”

Derrick said he views this exhibit as the culmination of four years of hard work and dedication.

“My exhibit to me means the end of a chapter of my life,” Derrick said. “As much as I enjoyed my time here and all of the people I’ve come to know, I am ready to move forward and experience new things. But art will always remain a part of my life and so just as much as this show signifies the end of a chapter in many ways, it is also the beginning of another in my relationship with art and the art world.”

Roltgen, also studying music at Ripon, has been a part of the jazz ensemble, symphonic wind ensemble and the Rally Band. Her love of music is reflected in her art.

“I’m involved in many different ensembles on campus, and most of my work playfully reflects my musical opportunities throughout my academic career,” Roltgen said. “My love for music coincides with my love for art, and it means a lot to convey them both here. My art also strives to portray music visually, along with works created for specific songs I enjoy. I’m inspired by ‘art music,’ mostly from John Cage’s works combining music and design.”

Most of her artwork is on paper, consisting of collages and illustrations. She has also included painted cassettes, some containing recordings from past Ripon College music performances.

Though Derrick doesn’t define his artistic style rigidly, he describes it as uniquely his own.

“I would describe my art style as shapeless, eclectic and at times, playful,” Derrick said. “I don’t really prescribe myself to a defined art style because I try to be varied in what I do. What is on display is a single facet of the many forms of art I enjoy participating in but I would like to think of everything I do, this is my own.”

In contrast with Derrick’s art style, Roltgen said she describes her art style as delicate and fun.

“I spend a lot of time on my artwork, loving (and loathing) the careful process that drives me to the final product,” Roltgen said. “But since I’m a perfectionist, I spend hours trying to reach a point in my art where I’m decently satisfied. I hope my hard work is evident in the work I’m displaying.”

Professor of Art Mollie Oblinger said the students each produced pieces that express their individuality.

“Johnathan Derrick created a body of artwork that adopts found and thrifted materials in an effort to speak to our culture of acquiring and discarding,” Oblinger said. “Ruth Roltgen is both a musician and visual artist whose artwork looks back on experiences throughout college.”

Derrick said people should attend senior exhibitions, like this one, to appreciate the hard work seniors have invested in their final projects.

“I believe it is important to experience every departing senior’s final big project regardless of discipline,” Derrick said. “It’s the culmination of people’s hard work and all their effort put into something they are passionate about. It’s about more than the art, it’s about celebrating the accomplishments of the seniors exhibiting.”