Recent Hollins University graduate Hannah Doss (Bachelor’s in Fine Arts) used to draw horses while growing up in Franklin County. Lately, the human form, mostly female, has grabbed her attention, and Doss is now heading to London this fall for postgraduate study at London Metropolitan University.
Doss will also intern at a foundry called The Bronze Age, which is fitting since much of her work now focuses on sculpture. She will learn all about casting and molds while at the foundry. Doss plans to pursue a MFA and one day to teach art at the college level.
Doss had a public showing last weekend at Dialog, the gallery and working studio space operated by Hollins art teacher Ed Dolinger. It was her first public showing outside of high school. “I was more nervous about getting all the food ready [for the opening reception],” chuckled Doss.
She was hoping to sell some pieces to help finance the London trip. Doss was anxious to see how long people would linger in front of her work, or what any facial expressions might give away. “Their reactions [will] definitely be interesting – how long they pause in front of a piece.”
She celebrates the female form now but “the odd thing,” says Doss, is that she avoided drawing people for the longest time. A figure drawing class using live models at Hollins helped change her mind. Doss has “always liked pin up girls” and some of her 2-D drawings feature the sort of iconic, voluptuous women associated with pin-ups in the 40s and 50s.
“Sexy without being [trashy],” adds Doss, who comes from a long line of artistic types on her mother’s side. A younger sister, also an artist, is making the trip to London as well. “They’re totally opposite,” said Donna Doss, referring to her two daughters; mom is a muralist by trade when not selling log cabin home kits.
A sculptor himself, Dolinger also designed the new bus stops at William Fleming and Patrick Henry High Schools. Dialog used to be located on Kirk Avenue but is now located at 208 Fourth Street SW, in what used to be an automotive repair shop and a manufacturing facility.
Several other artists have studio space at Dialog. Dolinger let Doss do some of her work there. She chose Hollins in large part because of the wide variety of studio art classes that were offered. “It allows you to start somewhere and really improve by the end.” Doss said she could track her improvement over the past few years.
Dolinger brought in local sculptor Betty Branch for a week during the semester, to work with students like Doss. “Ed’s been great this year,” she noted at the reception for her artwork. Doss tried her first-ever clay sculpture while working with Branch. “I decided that’s what I wanted to stick with, once I started doing a few.” That ongoing passion for art is largely responsible for helping her get to London to continue her studies.
By Gene Marrano [email protected]