As appearing in the Rocky Mountain Collegian

A bright new exhibition in the Hallery has transformed the lower level of the Lory Student Center into a page from a comic book.

As students walk past the first floor of the bookstore, they are flanked by canvases depicting comic-book style women of different backgrounds and expressions, all done in shades of black, white and pink.

The artist, Moriah Hummer, is a CSU alum who graduated in 2012 with a degree in studio drawing. In addition to the pieces in the Hallery, Hummer creates a comic book called Flat Track Furies that follows five female superheroes.

“It’s about a team of roller derby ladies, and they fight crime and monsters in their town,” Hummer said.

The pieces in the Hallery show began as 4×6 inch drawings with ink and marker, which Hummer says she started during some down time as she ran her Flat Track Furies booth at a Comic-Con.

Between a full time job and roller derby three nights a week, Hummer has learned to use downtime as an opportunity to make art.

“You just kind of learn to draw comics whenever you have a breath.” Hummer said.

The pieces in the Hallery are created using a mix of digital painting and drawing, and they follow the same style as her comic.

Digital painting, as Hummer explained, uses the same principles as oil painting. However, she chose to bend the art form to match her style.

“Usually people who are doing digital painting don’t use the harsh black that I use because it flattens things out, but I really wanted to use the harsh black; one because it’s my brand and two, it’s very much like comics.” Hummer said.

Although pink is not her favorite color, Hummer use of pink redefines its girly connotations.

“I kind of like it because I feel like I’m taking back the color,” Hummer said.

The black and pink works on display in Hallery align with Hummer’s comic in more ways than one. Not only do they share a style, but a common goal as well: to showcase women and their stories.

Hummer explained that in the world of comics, white men typically assume the main role as hero while women are either oversexed, or made to be side characters or the girlfriend. Flat Track Furies is Hummer’s response to this problem.

“I specifically created a comic where all the main characters are women and none of the main characters are men because I’m saying that these voices are important and their stories have value.” Hummer said.

As for her pieces in the Hallery, Hummer hopes to communicate the same message, and that women will be empowered by seeing their own stories as interesting and valuable.

“Your stories are worth telling, they’re worth hearing and you shouldn’t shy away from the spotlight,” Hummer said, “You should go and get whatever you’re after.”