Art is a great method of self-expression that many enjoy creating and admiring. Cheyenne Sanders is a senior art education major at Viterbo with a minor in special education. She is from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and chose Viterbo because it has a bigger art program than other schools that she looked at, as well as having taken some of Viterbo’s art classes while in high school. After graduating, she wants to become a high school art teacher. Sanders also states she would eventually like to go back to school and get a master’s degree so she can teach college level classes. Her show opened on November 13, 2024, and is currently available for viewing Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the art gallery on the third floor of the Fine Arts Center.
Sanders typically creates oil paintings—her show consists of oil paintings and one sculpture—and she loves adding detail into her art. She likes hyper realistic art and is motivated to keep painting with the goal of creating more hyper realistic paintings. Additionally, Sanders says she tends to thrive when there are others creating art with her. She has what she calls a “mini studio” in her apartment with enough space to fit two easels but said that for a while she could not work there due to distractions. She likes the environment at Viterbo because it helps her to finish a piece within a certain time frame.
Sanders is drawn to the self-expression aspect of art. She says that “most of my inspiration comes from childhood or past experiences…[often] when I have artist’s block…I go back and look at baby pictures of myself and I just kind of practice…on facial features and different compositions. I don’t know how to put it into words, but there’s always, like, a message behind it.”
Kira Peters, an ECAS faculty member and one of Sanders’ instructors, has helped Sanders prepare for the art show. She went through Viterbo’s art program as an undergraduate and later came back after getting her master’s degree. Peters describes Sanders as a very prolific painter who is detail oriented. She also states that the show includes work that Sanders has created over the last two or three years. Students typically start discussing their senior show as sophomores where they will look at their work and figure out if there are any themes or strong pieces that lead into what their show might be.
Peters says that Sanders “is going to be an excellent teacher…she relates to students well and is really interested in understanding who they are as people, [which will] be really key to success as a teacher…I have every faith that she’ll be really good in a teaching position.”
Peters encourages Viterbo students to come to the art shows that are continually happening. “We’d love to see people coming up and looking at the shows, signing the guest book.”
Sanders encourages others to take art classes. She says, “I always hear it from a lot of people, they wish they took [classes] in high school; and it’s an easy A if you do it. It’s just…free time to have devoted to art. I just feel like it’s a lot better if you want to get more in touch with yourself and do more self-expression. I think art is a really good way to do that.”
