Last Wednesday, the College Art Gallery in Holman Hall held a reception for this year's installment of the student art exhibit, on display through 3 p.m. today.
The Art Student Exhibition holds 58 pieces of different styles and methods that were chosen by a juror for display.
Although some incredible paintings, portraits, collages, photographs, sculptures and prints line the walls of the gallery, there are a few unique pieces that cut away from the standards of the art world.
One selection entitled "Cottonpile: Housewife vs. Maid" by Allison Hemler, senior digital arts major, is not a static piece, but instead a video of a woman repetitiously folding clothes, with the camera focusing on her hands as they handle the clothing.
Next to Hemler's piece is a very creative and engaging work entitled "Ballot Box" by Tom Gebauer.
The piece is just a simple paper shredder with the word "ballot" added onto the side. Thoughtful pieces like Hemler's and Gebauer's add a very interesting interactive element to the exhibit.
The styles of the pieces are varied, ranging from the subtle beauty of "Kristin" by Jesse Titus, sophomore art education major, to the colorful cartoon rabbits in "Beach Buns" by Jill Rose Robinson, senior graphic design major, to the subdued pen and ink portrait, "Narcissism 2" by Adrian Lazarao, sophomore fine arts major.
The exhibit is also home to several works of photography, digital prints and even an intricate piece of jewelry entitled "Lost Craftsmanship" by Jeanne Scarpato.
However, one of the most interesting pieces in the exhibit, by Dana Vachon, sophomore fine arts major, isn't in the gallery itself, but in the stairwell down the hall from the exhibit.
Tucked underneath the rising steps is a wooden cage. Cowering within the cage is a picture of a girl, pasted against the brick wall. It is an intriguing piece that further adds to the impressive collection.
"The annual student art show is always a great exhibit of how diverse our art department is," Christina Dellavalle, sophomore graphic design major and art gallery employee, said.
However, the art show was not restricted to only art students - several of the pieces were created by students outside the art department. One of these students, Tim Craven, sophomore biology major, not only had three pieces accepted into the show, but was also awarded one of the Faculty Commendation Awards.
The art faculty was asked to look through the exhibit and vote for which pieces they felt deserved special recognition. Along with Craven, Hemler, Gebauer and Lazaro, recognized students were Scott Allen; Jennifer Braverman, sophomore art education major; Lauren Cannon, freshman fine arts major and Heidi Kluepfel, senior graphic design major.
Additionally, three other pieces were given purchase awards. Jenna Garrison, freshman graphic design major, won the Art Faculty Purchase Award for her creation of a trumpet out of shoe material, fittingly titled "Shoe Horn." The Dean's Purchase Award went to Laura Kruglinski, senior art education major, for her magnificent photograph, "Alhambra." Finally, the President's Purchase Award went to Laura Koeck, senior fine arts major, for her acrylic piece, "In the Swamp."
Craven said that the exhibit is a great testament to the talent that many students have. "The quality of the art in the exhibit was extraordinary," Craven said. "It was interesting to see the wide variety of mediums, from compositions on tree cores to jewelry and everything in between."
Each piece truly displays the talent and diversity of the the College's student body. The pieces are, as Craven put it, "all fantastic."
