Five pieces of student-produced artwork recently found new homes in campus buildings that operate as auxiliary enterprises.
The University Center, Campus Recreation Center, Public Safety Building, Student Housing Village and the Upper Lodge will display five examples of student art for the next year. The displays are part of an effort to better connect campus buildings to students and campus academic art programs, according to Susan Szpyrka, senior associate vice chancellor, Administration and Finance.
“The directors of the campus auxiliary departments got a preview of the senior student art show last spring,” Caitlin Green, co-director, Gallery of Contemporary Art, said. “It took about 90 minutes for each of them to select a piece they wanted to display.”
The artwork selected represents a variety of styles and techniques. A triptych of acrylic paintings by Samantha Rapp is displayed in the Upper Lodge while a series of photographs by Melissa Hunting are displayed in the lobby of Monarch House. A three-dimensional installation by Amber Marchlowska is on the top floor of the University Center while a sculpture by Deb Zelenak can be found in the Campus Recreation Center. A mixed-media piece by Clarianne Medina is exhibited in the lobby of the Public Safety Building which houses the police and parking departments as well as the Student Health Center.
Hunting and Rapp are senior visual and performing arts majors. Marchlowska, Medina and Zelenak are all members of the class of 2011, graduating with degrees in visual and performing arts.
“By law, publically funded buildings such as Columbine Hall, Dwire Hall or Osborne Center must have artwork,” Szpyrka said. “And while that law doesn’t apply to auxiliary-funded buildings, we thought it important to both support student artists and to connect with the academic arts program.”
The students received stipends that allow UCCS to display their work for the next year. After a year, the students can negotiate the sale of their work, extend another lease, or take their pieces back, Green said.
“We are excited to celebrate student artwork on campus,” Green said. “Seeing new work every year is really exciting.”
— Photos by Tom Hutton
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