When I first stepped foot in the University Art Gallery, I was taken aback by each of the painstakingly emotional clowns staring at me, but as I turned to the left, my heart just about skipped a beat when I saw cupcakes.
Tucked to one side of California State University, Stanislaus’s Art Gallery, lies Robyn Slakey’s exhibit, “Cupcakes Across America,” full of scrumptious sculptures.
Once I made my way to the exhibit, I was overcome with excitement, but quickly became confused as to why there was a large map of the United States on the wall with pictures being traced back to their point of origin. As I took a closer look, it all became clear. Within each photo there is a watercolor painting of a cupcake posed for the camera.
My favorite of these was the “Checotah Home of Carrie Underwood American Idol 2005” sign, where a small painting of a cupcake is nestled just below the sign almost too small to see. It was as if a child had jumped out of the car real quick, saying, “Hurry mom, take the picture.”
My eyes widened as I continued to venture around the corner. I found myself staring at a tower of handcrafted, ceramic cupcakes. The tower reaches the ceiling, starting with a larger cupcake at the bottom, to a smaller one up top. Each is ceramically frosted with a dollop of chocolate or glazed with multicolored sprinkles, which made my mouth water for a cupcake of my own.
All of a sudden I spotted two familiar mouse ears. In Slakey’s display titled “100 Iconic Cupcakes,” there is an array of well known figures all in their specially created cupcake form. From Mickey Mouse to the entire Sesame Street clan, each iconic cupcake is instantly recognizable by the key details Slakey incorporated, from color to facial expressions.
As if I wasn’t already hungry enough, I ended up staring at an actual Twinkie lying in a casket, with a group of odd family members gathered around and a choir full of Oreo cookies on ceramic bodies. In Slakey’s “Death of a Twinkie,” her playfulness makes way for a moment of reminiscing about one of America’s beloved snacks.
With a never-ending love for cupcakes, whether baked or ceramic, “Cupcakes Across America” was a splendid treat for me. If you get a chance, be sure to make your way over to the University Art Gallery, located inside the Theatre Department, and take a look for yourself. Hurry in, because the exhibit ends on Oct. 4. Just keep in mind that it might leave you wanting a sweet treat of your own.