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Show Art BEST OF SHOW is part of the annual student exhibit shown at the Collett Art Gallery. Hundreds of entries were juried this year, and the finest are currently on display through next June 6. (Signpost photo: Jeff Bybee) f i ft? y ' 4t 1 f V Editorial: Kristie Jenson 1 am especially pleased to sit down and write about some of the exciting happenings of the art department. You see, this is my last quarter here at Weber State and much of my time has been spent working in the art department with the many fine instructors that are featured each quarter. In the next few paragraphs, I would like to tell you about some of the accomplishments the department is making, and why it plays a significant role in the lives of all students who spend a great deal of time there. Each instructor has his or her own appeal and insight to offer a student. It is because of these instructors and the personal attention that they give that an education gained in the art department is a success. Time spent in the art department does something more important than teach a trade in which a living can be earned; it instills the desire to continue learning, not only about art, but about the many aspects that are involved in creativity and creative living. These tools enable a person to continue growing after their formal education has ended. It is said that the most successful people are goal-oriented and are constantly striving to attain those goals. Well, the art department is no different from such successful people and has the proof that it is growing and reaching to new bounds. Two programs that have grown immensely in the recent years are the graphics and the photography programs. The graphics department, headed by Mark Biddle, is reaching out into the campus community and striving to upgrade some of the work that is generated within the college. Not only does this help the college, but the students gain first-hand experience on what is required of them as graphic designers and what their responsibilities to a project are. Another important aspect of the graphics program is the newly-acquired computer graphics equipment. This equipment is utilized by many students to accomplish a variety of goals. Color experiments that would normally take hours to do now take only minutes, and though the limitations of the software sometimes produces frustrations, the variety of work that can be produced is only limited by the imagination of the user. The photography department has been growing not only in size, but also in the quality and diversity of work produced. With three faculty members (Susan Makov, Kirk Fishback and Michael Herbert) working to expand the program to meet the needs of the students, the program is making serious strides in becoming one of the best photography programs in the West. Of course, if you asked the students or a member of the faculty, you would probably find the opinion that it is the best in the Northwestern sphere of the United States. For several years now, the art department has been host to several visiting artists. This year, despite a tight budget, the program was continued. In order to make the program benefit all students, a diverse menu of artists were brought in. They came from a variety of backgrounds practicing in different mediums and each have an equally interesting story to tell. This series plays an important role in the type of program the department is trying to build. When successful artists come in, demonstrate and discuss their art, it spawns new ideas and energizes those who attend, and with the variety of artists invited, the workshops never repeat themselves. Along the same lines as the visiting artists, Jim Jacobs, a new painting instructor this year, is building an art film series program to acquaint students with a variety of interesting topics. This year, two films were shown. Visiting artists and films are an excellent way to familiarize students with art, but equally important to the educational process is to view works of art in person. Dr. Thomas Leek, who was hired to be the curator of the Collett Art Gallery at the beginning of this year, is working toward some long-range goals that will upgrade the type of exhibitions brought to the gallery. One of the important concepts in his plan is to initiate a "Friends of the Gallery" organization. This organization, led by prominant citizens of the community, will be a source that will get the non-artist, who has an above average interest in the visual arts, involved in the participation of gallery functions. Some main functions would be in the maintenance of the permanant collection of the college and in the acquisition of new works. The group would also sponsor one exhibition per year. Though only a small portion of the exciting things happening in the art department were included here, there are always people working enthusiastically on a new concept or piece of work. On any given day you might find someone working on a weaving, a sculpture, a bronze cast, a painting, or a silkscreen-all works turning out differently because of the uniqueness of the artist who created them. |