Student Showcase: Olivia Mears

    Coming from Laurinburg, NC, Olivia Mears, a senior art student for Western Carolina University, will be show casing some of her creative art work at this years’ spring student art show. After four long years of hard work and dedication
    Mears will be graduating from WCU in December 2014.
    At which point she hopes to obtain a job in the education field, specifically Olivia hopes to be a high school art teacher.
    When asked why she has these hopes, Mears replied with a swift answer, “to motivate and inspire.”
    Being captivated by the natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains and by the gorgeous campus landscape Olivia enjoys many outdoors activities as hiking.
    Mears has many hobbies and interests, ranging from karate to gaming and even a little bit of local volunteer work.
    She can be seen volunteering for the Art in the Park event held twice a year, usually once in both Dillsboro and Cullowhee.
    Along with her volunteer work you can also spot Olivia at local art galleries displaying many of her various art work for local support and of course for an occasional profit.
    Starting around the beginning of 2012 Mears opened up her website avant-geek.com.
    On avant-geek.com one can look at various work such as beautiful oil paintings or unique dresses. One can even request for Mears to create a unique piece of art work specified to thewishes of the client.
    Currently Mears is working on a mesmerizing image of the latest Disney movie Frozen, soon to be sent off to Australia upon completion.
    Some of Mears’ art, such as the “Golden Saint”, can be bought online at her website avant-geek.com and most of her work can be seen on both her web site and on Facebook.    
    Various paintings can range from fifteen dollars for small oil paintings to three hundred dollars for large paintings.
    In this springs upcoming student art showcase Mears will be submitting an oil painting of hands.
    With her recent piece titled “Helping Hands”, visitors can come to the showcase and discover Mears’ art firsthand.
    Not soon after the student art showcase Mears will be graduating from WCU to start her new life.
    When asked where she would like to go Mears said that she would very much like to stay around the Cullowhee area because of not only the natural environment but for also the social environment as well.
    Upon asking Mears what some of her favorite things are about WCU, she answered that she really enjoys the atmosphere of the art department. Stating that they are often very open, creative and inspiring when dealing with students.
    Mears also mentioned that she not only sees fellow professors as teachers but also as artists, a type of respect and relationship that can often be hard to find in other collages around the nation.
    Whether she is in Cullowhee or in Seattle, Washington Mears has shown a type of dedication and hard work in her art that it only shines through as captivating beauty to the eye.
    WCU will be very proud to know that a fellow graduate will be making such an impact on her community and wherever Mears ends up her art will continue to shine.
    If one were to support a fellow Catamount such as Mears, one would not regret the experience.
    For more information go to www.facebook.com/avantgeekart. Certain pieces can be found for sale at her Society6 website, society6.com/AvantGeek.