Art Show: Brendan, Hugo, and Rhys

From January 9 to 20, the Class of 2023 artist series showcased artwork from Brendan Mastella ’23, Hugo Hardwick ’23, and Rhys Babcock ’23 in the Tremaine Art Center. Their art show reception was on January 19 in the Lee Roberts ’74 Gallery.

Brendan’s showcase, entitled “Echoes,” primarily featured work on canvas with acrylic paints. He said, “My art originates from a place in my brain that I’m not entirely sure of. I frequently find myself going into some kind of semiconscious state while I’m drawing, and a large portion of my art is derived from those drawings.” He finds himself easily overwhelmed with sensory input, using his art to organize his world into a way he can properly perceive. He even designed his own version of the alphabet to use within his artistic process, “to add to the cryptic and self-interpretive nature of my work.”

Hugo’s showcase “Drift” featured art on surfaces other than canvas—he prefers to use plexiglass, surfboards, or reclaimed wood. He said, “In my art I take simple ideas and turn them into complex projects that can take me anywhere from days, weeks, months, to a whole year to complete.” His artistic style is influenced by artists Banksy, Dr. Brainwash, Keith Haring, and Jackson Pollock, and his style leans towards pop art. He shared, “My art is far from perfect, and I make messing up a point in nearly all my pieces. It is a significant part of who I am as an artist.”

Rhys’s showcase was inspired by his love of sports, especially some of his favorite athletes and teams. He said, “My design process is very simple, yet effective. I try to focus on outlining my work and getting an idea for it and then simply going with the flow and making changes as I see fit.” He likes simple but unique designs, focusing on adding small details to help make his designs stand out. While at Suffield he has taken Visual Communications and Graphic Design courses and loved his learning experiences in both. He is currently a TA for Visual Communications and was the head of organizing the art and literary magazine last year.