Student turns success into an art form

By Gerry Miriello, On-line Forty-Niner

May 27-29,1998

Cherie Benner Davis has turned success into an art form - literally.

 

The Irvine resident and Cal State Long Beach art major has been selected the outstanding graduate for the College of the Arts. The honor is the icing on a rather rich cake of academic achievement.

 

"I didn't even know the award existed until I applied for it," Davis said. "It's a great sign of recognition for my service to the [art] department. I'm very pleased."

 

Davis actually graduated in December, but stayed at school this semester to finish work on the inaugural "Outside In" project, an exhibit of works from recent and current CSULB graduate art students that she initiated, organized and directed.

.. the diversity among students here really stands out. All types

of ages, races and artistic styles are present."

Connie Butler, curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, selected the works for the exhibition, which showed at the William Turner Gallery in Venice earlier in the semester.

 

Davis said she hopes to turn the project into an annual event, depending on the amount of future funding, and will coordinate next year's "Outside In" if it becomes a reality.

 

She also served as co-president of the CSULB Graduate Art Students League, and has worked as an art instructor for children in Long Beach and Irvine.

 

Davis, who studied art in Paris and Florence, Italy, in 1986 and received a bachelor's degree in fine arts at Brigham Young University in 1989, chose CSULB for two reasons: location and the reputation of the art department.

 

"I've made a lot of friends here," said Davis, who grew up in Orange County. "The support group [at CSULB] has been very helpful, especially with finding employment for students.

 

"Besides that, the diversity among students here really stands out. All types of ages, races and artistic styles are present."

 

Davis' greatest accomplishment has nothing to do with art or academics, however. She is a survivor of ovarian cancer, an experience that tremendously impacted her life and work. Her exhibit and thesis "Passing Through" dealt with the subject.

 

"Our culture is so focused on the exterior," she said, "that I wanted to explore the interior body: the life cycle, birth, death and regeneration."CSULB artist named outstanding graduate ".