The Fine Arts Gallery at VSU is going wild.

 “Truth in Animals,” a mixed-media art exhibit by Linda Mitchell, opened this week to positive reception. The exhibition will run until Oct. 5 in the Fine Arts Gallery.

Artists are voted on by a committee of faculty members from the art department.

“[The] Faculty felt that students and [the] community could learn a lot from Linda Mitchell’s work,” Julie Bowland, director of the Fine Arts gallery, said. “It’s a super interesting show.”

Before the exhibition, an artist’s gallery talk was held on Monday that allowed students and faculty to talk to Mitchell about the process she goes through for her artwork.

“The artist’s talk was very informative,” Tommy Crane, assistant professor of interior design, said.  “She talked about her process, and it was very helpful. It’s a great show. Well worth seeing.”

Mitchell uses mixed media in the forms of repurposed fabric and wood, digital photography, and acrylic paint.

“[Her art] is very whimsical, I really enjoyed the colors that she used and each piece has a unique process,” Jannae Bryant, a senior art major, said. “The mixed media that she uses makes you not only wonder about the story of the picture but the whole building process to get the finished work.”

Some students found Mitchell’s work very inspiring.

“It was really neat,” Erron Smith, a freshman art major, said. “I liked hearing the artist talk and her process. I might try to experiment with mixed media; she’s definitely interested me in that.”

Mitchell uses animals in her artwork to convey emotions and tell the stories of her life’s experiences.

“One thing I like about animal figures is they are really pretty honest,” Mitchell said. “Animals don’t pretend emotion. If you use an animal you’re going with authenticity.”

Mitchell creates each painting with different elements she finds beautiful and connects them to make the artwork seamless; giving the artwork its own voice.

The “Truth in Animals” exhibit holds experiences and emotions that we can find a relation to. This exhibit is one to experience with your eyes, mind, and heart.

“I want students to enjoy making art the way they want to,” Mitchell said. “Do what makes you happy and not limit yourself.”