2008 Woodie Awards
Campus Art Through Student Eyes
'One Way'
Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: Campus Art Through Student Eyes
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Alberta Cifolelli
Pastel on Paper
ACA Hall SC 107, Currently in the Art Gallery for Maintenance
Alberta Cifolelli has been a painter, printmaker and professor for over 50 years. Born in Erie, PA, Cifolelli graduated from The Cleveland Institute of Art in 1953. She then went on to get her B.S. in Art Education and her M.A. in Video and Communications.
Cifolelli has had numerous one-artist exhibitions throughout the United States and has received numerous awards and honors, including the Cleveland Museum of Art May Show Award, the N.S.P.C.A. Kreindler Award at the National Academy of Design and a three-month residency at the Djerassi Foundation in Woodside, CA. She also has work displayed in many renowned museums, such as The National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Smithsonian Institution, Duke University Cultural Center and the Francis Leaman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College.
Most of Cifolelli's artwork is autobiographical. Nature and floral imagery are ongoing themes as she tries to capture her experiences and feelings through her work. Cifolelli's art has developed with her as she has grown from a student to a professional. Each phase of her career changes in style while reflecting her personal need for maturity.
"Of all the modernist movements, the one that has interested and affected me the most is symbolism," said Cifolelli. Her painting "One Way" is a part of her "Ways" series, which she began in the 1980's. This specific series depicts a vision of the world and life decisions along with personal thoughts and views. By combining imagination and recollections, her paintings suggest "abundance, fertility, and vitality."
Cifolelli uses a flower theme in her paintings to represent womanhood and fertility. In "One Way," the vase of flowers represents Cifolelli herself. In the painting, the flowers stand in the center of the road. The artist is portraying personal life decisions through painting. She uses imagery to express her views and ideas. While many artists look towards inspiration for their artwork, Cifolelli believes in a different approach.
When Cifolelli is painting she prefers to use aluminum, smooth wood or paper, oils on canvas and pastels. They give her painting a soft look and a vague appearance. Cifolelli believes that the painting takes on more meaning when it is soft.
"My work is more about seeing the 'hand' and how the piece was done," said Cifolelli. She wants her audience to see the process of her work instead of just the finished product. This demonstrates how the painter and their hand develop a dialogue with the work. When the connection is made and the dialogue is complete then the artist is satisfied with the statement. This method shows how Cifolelli differs from other artists and what extraordinary skill she possesses.
Her attention to detail is apparent through this difficult way of painting. Each color and element is chosen for a specific purpose. Some colors are used to represent nature while other brighter colors help to demonstrate the apparent them of feminity. The elements of the lake and large forest are included to show that there is a bigger picture involved. Despite the ambiguous situation, she wants you to realize there is more to life than the obvious; you should treasure your inner peace along with your surroundings.
This painting is very eye-catching due to its feminine style. Not only is the art work beautiful but it has a lot of deep meaning behind it. This painting relates to all of our lives as college students because we constantly have decisions to make. We need to realize that sometimes there is only one option for us and at other times the choices are endless. This painting helps us understand that we need to keep the bigger picture in mind. One must realize that there is some beauty in every situation.