Woodward Displays Award-Winning Art
Keith Berry
Senior Blake Woodward’s art show, centered on the theme of self-improvement, is now on display in Cordier Auditorium.
An art major and a native of Hebron, Ind., Woodward says he has been drawing since he was two years old and possibly even before that. He pays respect to his grandfather for being the one that introduced him to create art. “I have several people that influenced me but the most influential has to be my grandfather because he is the one that put the pencil and paper in my hands,” Woodward said.
His grandfather is part of his favorite piece of art, called “Works in Progress.” “It’s me and him and we’re drawing each other,” Woodward said. “He is making me what I am and I am making him what he is as a person. He instilled that work ethic in me and that is something I can carry with me throughout my life and something I will never forget.”
Woodward began primarily as a graphite or pencil artist. He would draw anything from still life, to nature to portraits. Recently he has become more of a pastel artist which he says is his favorite medium to practice. “Soft pastel is more like chalk,” Woodward said. “You can really mess with it like a finger painting and you can get more out of it that way.”
Woodward has received various prizes as an artist at Manchester University, winning contests both on campus and off. One of his biggest accomplishments was when he came in second place at the Honeywell Center’s 92 County Art Show with his pastel piece “My Passion” and won an additional cash prize. His piece “My Salvation” was also accepted into the 2016 National Pastel Competition in Wichita, Kansas. On top of all of this, he has also designed t-shirts for clubs and organizations on campus including some for Garver Hall and the Art Club.
After graduation Woodward plans on going to graduate school after spending a couple years working for his uncle in Kansas to save money. He also wants to take this time to build up his portfolio in order to gain more experience and get better at his craft.
Outside of art, Woodward enjoys various activities. “I like to play the drums and of course I like to exercise to keep myself in shape,” he said. In five years to ten years, he plans on having achieved his goal of working at either Pixar or Disney drawing cartoons for movies.
His show opened on April 15 and will be displayed until May 15. His reception is on Commencement Day, May 14.