Beeghly Library was anything but quiet Sunday, March 1. The echo of hammers on nails filled the usually studious space.
This year’s annual spring art show has begun, and students hung the various pieces selected for showing. The show is completely student organized and created, and many students in the art department volunteered to help out.
“Everyone really felt ownership and pride in the quality of the show,” said senior Kelsie Bell. “This year was so much better than years past in terms of a team effort all around to get everything done.”
While it is not required of anyone to help out with the show, many students came in for a minimum of two hours to do whatever was needed to get things ready.
“Students can really get a professional experience being a part of this show,” junior Catie Beach said. “They invest their own time and money into this and I think that it can really help us in the art department transition into the real world.”
Beach was one of the three organizers of the show, joined by fellow juniors Ben Anderson and Luke Plazek. All three have taken the gallery management course. When comparing this show to last spring’s show, both Beach and Plazek agreed that this year was much smoother.
“The jurors selecting pieces really got along well and that helped streamline things,” Plazek said. “Most importantly they were more sensitive to the cohesion of every piece picked.”
Beach agreed that this cohesion made the process of hanging the show easier.
According to Plazek and Bell, faculty bring in outside artists that they know to select works for in the spring show. When deciding what makes it into the show, the judges also choose which of the pieces will win awards.
“The quality of this show speaks to the strength of our fine arts department here,” Beach said. “I always love hearing the people who are blown away at how good our students are.”
Plazek also added that most library patrons understood or were intrigued by the sight of the spring show going up. Also present were many families and prospective students.
“Having those visitors see the work in progress of the show was pretty cool,” Plazek said. “I know if I was a prospective student I would’ve been intrigued in seeing that.”
The spring show will have its formal reception on March 28 from 4-6 p.m. The reception is open to everyone and will be highlighted by the art department handing out awards. These include best in 2D, 3D and best in show, with cash prizes going to the top award winners.