Tara O’Gorman got to see her creativity come to life at the Z ¼ View as her solo Art gallery had taken off here at Moorpark College. The ongoing gallery which took place from March 27 to April 5 let guests explore the artists mind as they view the gallery.

Tara O’Gorman, a 21-year-old Studio Arts major put in hard work and dedication all semester long and got the exclusive chance to have her own gallery followed by a reception on March 29. In the exhibit, there were eight paintings in the Animalisms series and a self-portrait in the Unsettling Introspection series

In the first series Animalisms, O’Gorman emphasized the human and animal relationship by creating hybrids. She even integrated the current political situation into her art by creating a piece titled “Trump Tyranny.”

“I also included a political piece which was done in retaliation to the Trump administration, and features Trump as a demonic ram and Pence as a pig,” said O’Gorman. “I did this to create explicit links between the two and I feel it helps me portray my thoughts visually and gives me the opportunity to participate in the resistance to him and his cabinet.”

In the second series titled Unsettling Introspection, her intentions were to focus on her life and disjunctive scenes from it. This particular series required a self-portrait and O’Gorman did something that not many artists would do. Instead of creating a typical self-portrait she created an unflattering self-portrait to show her creativity and express herself.

“The message there is more personal, but I want viewers to get a glimpse into my life and create stories they think fit with it,” said O’Gorman.

The time and effort put into these galleries shows how passionate these artists are for their art. Each and every detail must be thought out very thoroughly as they aim for perfection.

“For my work I like to paint realistically, so I need to be able to spend a few days to a few weeks on a piece for it to be how I like it,” said O’Gorman. “Ultimately however, I never consider a piece “perfect” and I don’t think many artists do. There’s a point where I have to settle with a piece and accept its imperfections.”

Having an Art Gallery is essential for many artists as it helps them to continue to grow in the artistic world. O’Gorman was thrilled to have the chance to showcase her art work. It was a one of a kind experience that she will treasure.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for art students to learn about the process of curating a gallery and the ins and outs of the business so we can be taken seriously in the art world, “ said O’Gorman. “The responsibility of having to curate a solo has been incredibly rewarding for me, and I’m so glad I have a chance to participate in this class.”