Zoe Petersen (center) with BHC art faculty members Terrance Gray and Annie Oldenburg
A Black Hawk College student artist recently won a fan favorite award in the Figge Art Museum’s 2024 College Invitational.
Zoe Petersen of Atkinson received the Figge Fan Favorite: Concept award for her acrylic painting, “Dissociate.” The award was presented Feb. 20, 2025, at the College Invitational Closing Reception and Award Ceremony.
The bi-annual competition and exhibition featured artwork from 45 students at eight area colleges and universities. Art professors from the participating schools selected the top works by their students for the invitational.
Seven BHC student artists were chosen for the show – Mya Diabira, Grace Doucette, Shakira’a Gbenyo, Rae Minnaert, Atticus Norman, Danie Pement and Zoe Petersen.
View their artwork and read their artist statements below.
Artwork
“Catabolism” – oil paint on canvas
Something I wish to keep in mind in my work is the cyclic nature that is at play – the various phases happening that remain for a moment, prior to fading away. The chaos is what keeps life stable. The way forces that are opposite coincide, having a never-ending pursuit towards one another and in the process, building life. What inspired this work is the idea of yin and yang, with dark colors emerging from light and light surrounded by darks.
“The Legend in the Woods” – acrylic paint, posca markers on canvas
Hidden within nature, there’s always a story that can be discovered. In this quiet, imaginary town lies a whimsical past deep in the forest that holds a strange cave that resembles the unique fish in the nearby pond. This painting is part of my series “Glimpses of a town” that showcases a peaceful mountainside town inspired by the landscapes of Switzerland, Denmark, and the rural Midwest. I leave the story up to the viewer to continue after I illustrate the detailed history of the town and the surrounding environment.
“Haunted Heart” – acrylic paint on canvas
I explore my existence through the lens of Halloween’s eerie allure. The vibrant colors – deep greens, bold reds, stark blacks, and luminous yellows – contrast the haunting themes of life, death, and rebirth. I grasp a bleeding heart, a visceral symbol of vulnerability and emotional turmoil. Adorning my head is a golden headpiece, representing resilience and sovereignty over one’s narrative, even amidst chaos. It signifies the strength required to navigate through pain and loss, elevating the personal struggle to a regal stature. To my left, a phoenix rises from the fire and ash, embodying rebirth and renewal. This mythical creature serves as a reminder that from destruction comes transformation, a theme that resonates deeply in both life and art. Through this work, I invite viewers to reflect on their journeys, encouraging a dialogue about the complexities of emotion, identity, and the relentless cycles of life.
“Our Fate Decided” – India ink, micron and acrylic on watercolor paper (set of four)
When faced with the inevitable or unexplainable, it is our nature to provide reasoning. Finding meaning is part of being human. In spite of the unavoidable, we invent our own purpose. Tarot cards are one of many mediums to explain and predict what cannot be controlled. Interpretations of four major arcana cards – The Hermit, The Magician, Judgement, and The Devil – are present in my work. Each individual wields their destiny to carve their own path. In spite of the unavoidable, they invent their own future. I explore this defiance with achromatic portraits to further sharpen visual and thematic contrast.
“Introspection” – glazed ceramic pieces (set of two)
My work explores what I find to be meaningful: pure emotion, connection, self-expression, and the seemingly insignificant moments that become important when looking back on life. My abstract sculptures are intuitively based off of these experiences. Soaking in the moment isn’t always an easy task, but art has the ability to bring us back to that place and time that we’re reminiscing on. I believe that a beautiful and meaningful part of the human experience is our ability to connect with others. I want my work to be relatable so that people can find their own personal experience within it.
“Dissociate” – acrylic paint on canvas
I was compelled to create a painting that matched my distress and confusion during a transformative time in my life. It’s likely we’ve all had experiences when we felt disconnected – as if we were simply watching from the sidelines. Sometimes when we dissociate, we forget about simple things, we feel uncertain about who we are and what we want.
The ripples of purples and yellows in the background act as the aura of my identity breaking apart, losing familiarity and comfort. My pupils are missing as I look towards the unknown, unable to focus. This painting is an emotional rendition of my disconnection from the world around me and my longing to feel accepted, my deep-seated desire to find myself in a sea of uncertainty.