Underground Artists of CWU
Story by Lexi Wicks & Bailey Tomlinson | Design by Katie Jo Stewart
As you walk the halls of CWU you pass unfamiliar faces without a second thought. People with separate lives, struggles, hobbies and talents surround you on a daily basis and oftentimes we never get the chance to get to know these individuals.
CWU has talented individuals around every corner, and maybe it is time to get to know a few of your peers.
William Case
From a young age, William Case always found himself building things.
“Instead of playing sports and playing video games, I found interest in actually making things,” Case says.
Now, a senior studio art major at CWU, he is known for building guitars and for his photography. By combining these two passions, he finds a way to make his own unique artistic expressions.
Case was introduced to photography after his grandfather gifted him his first camera. However, it wasn't until after he took a few photography classes at Chehalis Community College, and then more classes at CWU, before he really began to take it seriously.
One of the many things Case would build growing up were miniature scenes. He combines this pastime with his photography to create something that stands apart from other works.
While taking photos, Case can quite literally manipulate the miniature scene and camera to exactly the way he wants. His photos are truly his vision and creation.
However, photography is not the only craft Case has taken a liking to. After taking a wood design class with CWU Professor Josh Humphrey, Case was inspired to build his own guitar.
“After I graduated high school, I saved up enough money to buy a cheap guitar and that is kind of where it all started,” Case says. “That cheap guitar, it just didn’t sound good and I wanted a better one. I never had the money to get one but taking these classes I kind of learned from Josh how to build them.”
Case finished his first guitar last spring and it ended up being a quarter of the cost it would have been to purchase a brand new one.
This guitar may not have a price tag, but to Case it is sentimental and means more to him than a purchased one ever could. “In my opinion, it sounds so much better than the expensive ones,” Case says.
Since finishing his first guitar, Case has begun to build two more. Although he is unsure of what he may be doing after graduation, he can see himself starting a small business out of his guitar building.
Currently, he is perfecting the craft of printing on wood. This will allow him to customize the guitars with unique designs, making them truly one of a kind.
Case hopes to have the two guitars finished by his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) show that will be held sometime during winter quarter.
Ashley Larson
Ashley Larson, senior studio art major, has struggled with mental health all of her life. It wasn’t until she was 20 years old that she was diagnosed and had a name to put to her feelings: anxiety and depression.
Throughout those 20 years, Larson began showing how she felt through paintings. She describes painting as a coping mechanism and escape for her growing up.
“I always say it is hard to put [how you are feeling] into words,” Larson says. “I feel like trying to communicate that visually is the easiest way.”
Although for most of her life painting was more of a hobby, at the age of 17 Larson truly began to take it more seriously.
During her time in community college, she had several supportive professors and friends. Their encouragement helped make her decision to continue her education at CWU.
During her time at CWU, Larson not only gained new skills for her paintings but has also taken a liking to photography and sculpture as well. But no matter the form of art, Larson stays true to her central theme, mental health.
CWU helps significantly by giving students “the time and the resources to be able to go make art,” Larson says. “Having a space to be able to [make art] and having professors that are supportive helps a lot.”
Currently, Larson is finishing up some works that will be featured in her upcoming Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) show. Her show will take place on Nov. 15-19 in Randall Hall, Gallery 231.
Her BFA show will feature her paintings, sculptures and photography with the overarching theme of mental health.
“I have been thinking about how people tend to cover up things, even if they are struggling,” Larson says. She hopes to convey this concept within her works this November.
Although she has enjoyed her time here, Larson will be graduating this fall and is parting ways with CWU as she looks to pursue graduate school.
She is unsure of where she will continue her education but is striving to eventually become a college professor in an arts department, making her escape also her career.
Matt Wiemals
Matt Wiemals fell in love with music as a child, starting in middle school band and working his way up to the stage as the songwriter and the DJ SP3RROW. Currently a senior events management major, Wiemals sees big things in his future, including live performances, opportunities for growth and the release of his sophomore album.
“I was in musical theatre, I wanted to be a singer, [but] I realized very quickly that I couldn’t sing,” Wiemals says. “And then I joined into the band in middle school, joined drumline, and I just realized my love for music, listening to all these artists ... I always wanted to know how to do it.”
Over time, he found himself drawn to electronic dance music (EDM). He began following DJ’s, finding artists who inspired him along the way. Today, these inspirations are bands like The Chainsmokers, and DJs like Illenium and SLANDER.
“I’ve studied every single Chainsmokers live set that I can get my hands on in-depth, trying to figure out how it sounds, what their mixing pattern is,” Weimals says. “Also Illenium, studying how he writes his vocals, studying how he makes his songs.”
When making his own music, Weimals has a “melodic” sound that he strives for, though he’s always looking for ways to keep it fresh.
“I love making sounds. I love it. I have tried to make so many random sounds during [the pandemic], like a watermelon mixed with a transformer. I’m not even joking,” he says. “I’ve tried so many random things because I love the sound design part of it, and being able to make this really interesting, complex but also simple sound.”
Tied with sound design for the aspect of his creative process that he loves most is songwriting, specifically writing lyrics. He says that being able to use songwriting as a form of self expression, and others being able to relate to his music through his lyrics, is “the best feeling in the world.”
One of the things Wiemals is most excited about in the near future is the release of his sophomore album. His first album, “Discovery,” was released in May 2020 and focused on “themes of self-discovery.” His second album, he says, expands on that with a more melodic sound and more personal themes.
Wiemals’ music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud.
