Senior art exhibition explores family relationships through fantastical beasts

What's not to love about dragons? In a new Gallery 231 exhibit called Grown in Thunder, CWU senior Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate Jiggs Bement dives into her fascination with dragons and the correlation between them, her familial relationships, and the emotions attached to them.The opening reception for Grown in Thunder will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, in Gallery 231 in Randall Hall. The exhibit will run through Friday, June 9.

Between sculptures made of family heirlooms and paintings with vivid colors, Bement has created a thunder, the name given to a group or family of dragons.

"Dragons have always been a source of comfort and inspiration for me," she said. "Any movie involving dragons was instantly a favorite for me and my brothers. Over the years, dragons have found their way into my art, allowing me to explore that comfort and inspiration they give me."

Bement's sculptures are made of more than a century-old family quilts that were destined to either be stored away in a closet forever or thrown away. By using them in her work, she breathes new life into these objects, giving them a new purpose while exploring the relationships she has with her family. Her paintings are internal reflections, colors and compositions emanating emotions that she either struggles with day to day, or that she desires to achieve.

Bement is an Ellensburg High School graduate and comes from a family of artists. Her parents, Jerry Wayne and Jill Bement, built and owned J. Dub's Metalworks, which featured everything from weathervanes to balcony panels of Western imagery.

See more of Bement's work on Instagram and Facebook at @jiggs.bement. If you have questions, email her at jiggsbement28@yahoo.com.