Ryan ChartrandRushing through the University Union on the way to class or studying, a student might miss a small place to escape the busy activities of life. Tucked away in the corner of the Epicenter is an art gallery especially designed for students to do just that.
The University Union Art Gallery is completely run by art and design senior Kristin Savage. To make it more comfortable for students and to allow them to avoid the noisy union, she added couches and plants to the space.
All the artwork in the gallery is either created by students or pertains to them in some way. Currently, the gallery is showing architectural renderings, or representations, of the UU remodel that will be started this summer.
Photographs of the current UU are shown opposite the renderings.
“My goal has really been to get students to keep coming into the gallery to look at the different shows,” Savage said. “I think it’s interesting for students to come in and see other students’ work.”
The fine arts have always been an interest for Savage who said she remembers walking by the gallery on a campus tour.
“I remember thinking, ‘that’s cool’ and now I run (the gallery),” Savage said.
Savage controls every aspect of the gallery from choosing the artist to designing the show to planning the opening reception for the exhibits. She said she tries to show one student artist each quarter.
Becky Sloat, an art and design major with a photography concentration, will be featured Nov. 5. Her senior project “Sky, Earth, Life: A Journey Through Aotearoa” will display large, panoramic photographs Sloat took while studying abroad in New Zealand.
“The photographs are absolutely gorgeous,” Savage said. “They are breathtaking.”
Sloat said she hiked in the backcountry of New Zealand for three or four days at a time, taking photographs of the North and South Islands. She made a couple of books of the images, but wanted to do a show for her senior project.
When it’s time to do a student show, Savage sends out an e-mail to the art department to find any students who are interested. Sloat sent in samples of her artwork and Savage conducted interviews with her to see if she would be “a good fit” for the gallery.
“I try to choose someone responsible, reliable,” Savage said. “I want someone who is worthy of the experience because (the student) can put this on their resume. They had a show that 18,000 people walked by.”
“I’d kind of come down to the wire and I needed a place to show,” Sloat said. “I’m excited that (the show) is on campus because a lot of people will be stopping by. It will be fun to walk around if you’ve got time to kill.”
“Sky, Earth, Life” was chosen because its photographs deal with studying abroad, which is big for students, Savage said. The photographs feature nature scenes – also a popular genre.
Reviews of previous shows at the gallery have been positive for the most part, Savage said. She tries not to interact too much with the people who visit because she said she wants to give them space to enjoy the art.
“It’s a lot of work,” Savage said. “You’d be surprised how much planning goes into a show. It’s difficult because, once you get it up, it doesn’t stop there. You have to keep getting students to come in and look at the art.”
Sloat said her show will give students a unique perspective of New Zealand because she didn’t take any “typical tourist tours.” Instead she “went off the beaten path” to take pictures of the mountains and views where she could see for miles around.
“I think it will be a great experience,” Sloat said. “I’ve never had a gallery show before. It will be fun to see my work displayed. Just doing the project itself was a great experience.”
“Sky, Earth, Life” will be on display in the UU Gallery through Jan. 16 with a reception on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. in the gallery.