Studio opens doors for art majors

By Maria Jennings

About 1,000 people gathered together at the Reynolds Building Friday for the College of Fine Arts’ 20th annual open studio.

The studio showcased a multitude of student art projects that included printing, performance art, installation art, fiber art and ceramics, while providing entertainment that included live portrait paintings, ceramic bowl sales and live jazz.

Nicci Gilland and Erica Sanko, both art seniors specializing in photography, said the open studio is a payoff for all the hard work they do throughout the semester.

Gilland displayed 19 photos of men and women to promote healthy body images. The photos represented how people want others to see them and how they see themselves.

“I personally feel strongly about body image. Young women’s hair, clothes and body should be trivial,” Gilland said. “But it shows how people treat you and how you treat yourself.”

Like Gilland, Sanko used her art to try and change the thinking of her peers, but in an unconventional way.

Sanko hung photos of garbage in a dumpster outside of the Reynolds Building.

“My project isn’t political or about waste problems. It’s about visuals,” Sanko said. “About getting people out of the box — not all art is black and white and hanging from white walls. I want to push my peers to think in new ways.”

Travis Shaffer, third year fine arts graduate student, said organization of the event began in the beginning of the school year. Shaffer said participants met biweekly to prepare the exhibit.

“This exhibition gives students exposure,” he said. “Some have even sold work to exhibition in Chicago.”