SF State students have used a form of creative expression to reveal their inner thoughts through an art exhibit.

Organized by art professor Lewis deSoto along with SF State students, “Interior Visions: Constructs of deepest fears and desires," which opened on May 13, showcases the work of students from various majors. The exhibit was established by deSoto as part of a class requirement for his students in Art 0563, Photo as a Critical Tool. It will be open to the public through May 20 at the Magnolia Editions Gallery in West Oakland.

The work is priced from $50 to more than $1,000, and the proceeds will be split between the exhibit cost and the artists.

“SF state and anyone else, should come see the show because it is a great collection of what is going on inside each artist’s minds,” said senior Kate August, 25, a fine arts major with an emphasis on photography. “Every one interpreted what a fear or desire was to them differently and it is really neat to see the end product. Each piece is totally unique.”

August’s piece revolves around her recollection of nightmares. She chose to do a self-portrait of herself tied up while being surrounded by bees because she said she fears them. August said she was trying to reach the climax of her dreams right before the point where something happens, while trying to evaluate how it makes her feel. She tried to bring to life all the emotions that tie in with her dreams: anxiety, frustration, and vulnerability.

The approximately 23 artists whose work is showcased in the exhibit have been working on their pieces for one month, although each student was informed about the requirement at the beginning of the semester, according to exhibit curator and graduate student Emily McLeod, 31, a photography major. McLeod said deSoto organizes the exhibit each time the class is taught every other semester.

“All of the artists showed a willingness to be open about their deepest wishes or fears, to create authentic spaces depicting those wishes and fears, and to share them with others,” McLeod said. A space in terms of this exhibit can be anything from an entirely imaginary world to an existing environment that has been modified in some way by the artist, McLeod said.

The artists used digital imagery to manipulate their pieces to create a sort of “dream-like” effect. According to senior Chris Girard, 23, a journalism major with a minor in fine arts, there are infinite ways an artist can alter his or her work through a means of a computer and this exhibition proves it. He said although digital art has been around for a while, it is still not widely accepted in many galleries across the country and in the Bay Area.

“We want to show the value of digital media by embracing it in this art show we've been working on for the past month,” Girard said. “I totally believe digital media will take more of a stronghold in the future as younger and more technologically savvy artists take over the art scene.”

Girard’s piece includes a series of blurry, dark, distorted, and tilted photographs from Kauai, Hawaii, juxtaposed onto four frames to question the paradise people often think of Hawaii to be, Girard said.

Other artists include senior Lauren Creamer, a 23-year-old photography major who loosely based her piece on her grandmother who died of Alzheimer’s disease when she was a little girl. She titled her piece “For what it’s worth,” after a phrase her grandmother used often. She said her grandmother always dressed up to go outside but never did. Her dream-like portrait of herself as her grandmother shows her inside of a home, while still depicting her outside.

Some of the artists showcasing their work include Matthew Bolger with his piece titled “Salvia,” Vi Hoang's “Dearest I,” Gysel Parajon's “Two years deep in the woods,” and Steven Stinson's “Tomorrow.”

“The exhibit is an opportunity for artists from SF State to present their work to the public in a professional gallery setting,” McLeod said. “It gives them a chance to share with others their own artistic visions. SF State students should come to the exhibition to support their peers engaged in creative endeavors and to see new and exciting artwork.”

The exhibit is located at 2527 Magnolia St. in West Oakland. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public. For more information, call (510) 834-2527.