By Madeline Boroski
Westfield State faculty dazzled Tuesday, Oct. 15 in the Arno Maris Gallery, where a presentation of their artwork engaged students and the public to explore the world of WSU’s artistry.
According to various professors at WSU, a perk of being part of the art department is the opportunity to display their work in the Arno Maris Gallery. This allows students the chance to experience what the faculty is capable of.
“This is a very strong and diversified show. Introspection becomes a common thread as the viewer explores the vision presented by each artist,” said Faith Lund, art professor and director of the Arno Maris Gallery.
There are 14 faculty members featured in this gallery show. The faculty art show is free and open to the public.
The small but eye-catching gallery held 3 to 6 viewers in its first few days of the exhibition opening.
“It was really nice to be able to go to a little art gallery at college. I had a lovely time at the gallery,” said Jean Ganek, a first-year biology major at WSU. “The diversity of the types of art was very striking.”
The assembly of the show was unique because it operated outside the norm. Instead of a committee selecting the artwork shown, the faculty themselves chose whether to self-submit.
“The process was more of an active participation of all active faculty members, as opposed to being selected for the show,” said George Ramirez, an art professor at WSU.
This approach to selecting specific pieces made for a very personal art display.
“I have been passionate about photography since I was a child, so sharing my recent work is just a continuation of a passion that I’ve had my whole life,” said Janet Garcia, another art professor.
Garcia has three pieces featured, all of which are ordinary objects manipulated through Photoshop and then printed onto metal.
The faculty art show features a variety of types of art, from posters to paintings to print-works.
“Everything I do is an exploration…a ticking and tacking towards some final outcome that I have yet to discover…I show my work knowing that these are just drops in a bucket, and I will continue to experiment until I find my appropriate voice,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez’s artwork featured in the show is a series of 12 poster boards inspired by different art masters and tribal groups.
“Students can have discussions with professors involving representation, media, original thought process, relationships, technical discussion, how the viewer perceives the piece, how the artist perceives the piece, and why is it successful,” Lund said.
The goal of all artwork in the gallery is for students to stretch their knowledge and curiosities forward, a point emphasized by all art department faculty.
The faculty art exhibit is open from Oct. 15 – Nov. 16. The gallery hours are 10:00-2:00 Monday through Friday and 11:00-3:00 on Saturday. The gallery hosts a minimum of five exhibitions each year, all of which are free for all members of the Westfield community.
