Visual arts major Bailey Nolan was one of 12 student artists showcasing their best pieces at the Visual Arts Portfolio Exhibit on Nov. 15 in the art gallery on the OCCC campus.

Family, friends and art enthusiasts alike came to the opening reception and exhibit to show their support.

Throughout the night there was a steady flow of about 30 spectators roaming around the exhibit.

A walk around the room led through an array of diverse art.

One piece was a small porcelain sculpture sitting on a column for display.

One of Nolan’s works, this piece was a sculpture made from English porcelain clay that she titled “Goddess.”

Visually, the sculpture represents the torso of a nude woman, but symbolizes something beyond that, Nolan said.

Nolan said the focus of her art is to create pieces that portray women in a beautiful light and in a way that appreciates their structure.

“Goddess” is part of a series Nolan is working on that celebrates the essence of a woman’s body.

Each piece in this series is based on a different goddess that inspired her to create this work, she said.

“[The art pieces] represent the typical goddess figure; beautiful and pure,” Nolan said.

She said the statue represents Greek goddess Venus. Her interest in goddesses developed while studying Greek mythology, she said.

The exhibit features multiple other pieces from other students, said Visual Arts Professor Doug Blake.

The four walls of the gallery are covered in drawings and paintings, mostly black-and-white with a few colorful exceptions.

One wall displays two black-and-white drawings of nude women by different artists. Another wall hosted more colorful pieces including a three-dimensional piece.

Arranged across the floor were around 13 different pieces ranging from sculptures to strategically piled lint from a clothes dryer.

The student art exhibit will remain on display through Dec. 16. It is located in VPAC 124 and is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, call Blake at (405) 682-1611 ext. 7250.