The Tennessee Board of Regents’s Statewide Outstanding Achievement Award, better known as SOAR, aims to reward the excellence of students, faculty, and staff alike. Excellence is exactly what Alex Moody demonstrated with his artwork, “Tenalach,” earning first place at the awards ceremony.
Moody has always had a passion for art, hardly being able to remember a time when he wasn’t exploring the boundaries of the craft. As a child, Moody recalls an art table being placed in the middle of his living room where it was encouraged to be both messy and creative. “I am certain this experience sparked something in me,” said Moody.
When creating, the artist feels particularly drawn to nature, seeing this outlet as a way to better understand his emotions, translating the thoughts into a visual form. While working on “Tenalach,” Moody wanted to show the beauty in something rather daunting--death. When discussing the thought process, Moody expressed his vision for the beauty behind the darkness:“For this piece I wanted to show what I think dying is like. Although the figure at the center is doing just that, their energy is being used to grow roots and bring new life around them.”
While at VSCC, students are encouraged to express themselves, mixing passion and education. Not only has the program aided in expanding Moody’s knowledge, but the professors have helped build his confidence and helped him understand that failure is part of the process, but you should never stop challenging yourself.
Moody feels honored to have received the first place SOAR award and thanks Vol State and its professors for their encouragement and support.
