Art at OSU (Final part 2)
The Oregon State University Arts program, the School of Arts and Communication, welcomes majors and non-majors to contribute their artistic creativity. As a student that is not majoring in Arts, I didn’t know too much about this program and how welcoming they were, until I poked my nose around their galleries. On campus, located in Fairbanks hall, there are mixed-media galleries all filled with student artwork, classrooms and designated areas for creativity (painting studios and more), and downstairs in the basement I found even more artistic treasures.
Mesmerized by acrylic paintings, photography, and many other mixed-media pieces that the Fairbanks gallery walls are currently home to, I was lost in thought and emotion when a girl peeped her head into the area I was in and welcomed me to join the performance piece happening in 5 minutes downstairs. After about ten minutes or so of more observer to art contemplation, I decided to see what she was talking about. Far off in a distance, I could hear music so I followed the muffled tunes. Down one flight of stairs and through what seemed like an old basement or woodshop, as the lights dimmed and the beat up pathway led into a small side room which led into a larger space. The basement room, lined with musical instruments and a SpiderHarp a electronic musical device similar to a harp and resembling a spider web made by engineering students, was set with chairs, a recording camera, projector lights, and a stage where an artist was performing. This intimate venue took me out of OSU’s campus, and into some sort of compelling private show.
It turns out, this was no random show; Mike Gamble, a guitarist and OSU audio production instructor, was in the middle of presenting his Master thesis, which included a week long showcase of music shows and art installations created by students, alumni and faculty. The “Soundbox” is a series of “Woodsshop Projects” located in the basement rm 004 of Fairbanks hall and ran from June 4-8. Each day a different artist performed pieces and as Gamble says in his Zine, “Each event promises to challenge a common perceptions of music and sound in various ways.” The showcase concluded with Gamble’s performance 7 p.m. Sunday, June 10.
In the upper side of Fairbanks halls, a two part gallery is current home to many different forms of mixed mediums by student artists.
Here is a two piece acrylic on canvas series by senior Clara Herbage focusing on self-reflection and exploring imaginative worlds. These pieces push the boundaries between internal and external worlds and the result of Herbage's take on the world around her is a stream of consciousness depicted by acrylic.
Mesmerized by acrylic paintings, photography, and many other mixed-media pieces that the Fairbanks gallery walls are currently home to, I was lost in thought and emotion when a girl peeped her head into the area I was in and welcomed me to join the performance piece happening in 5 minutes downstairs. After about ten minutes or so of more observer to art contemplation, I decided to see what she was talking about. Far off in a distance, I could hear music so I followed the muffled tunes. Down one flight of stairs and through what seemed like an old basement or woodshop, as the lights dimmed and the beat up pathway led into a small side room which led into a larger space. The basement room, lined with musical instruments and a SpiderHarp a electronic musical device similar to a harp and resembling a spider web made by engineering students, was set with chairs, a recording camera, projector lights, and a stage where an artist was performing. This intimate venue took me out of OSU’s campus, and into some sort of compelling private show.
 |
| OSU arts student, Jack Baker, performing for Gamble's thesis showcase. |
In the upper side of Fairbanks halls, a two part gallery is current home to many different forms of mixed mediums by student artists.
Here is a two piece acrylic on canvas series by senior Clara Herbage focusing on self-reflection and exploring imaginative worlds. These pieces push the boundaries between internal and external worlds and the result of Herbage's take on the world around her is a stream of consciousness depicted by acrylic.
 |
| "Darkness is Coming" |
 |
| "Surge" |
Here is a mixed media piece by Shanna Roast telling a story of domestic violence. In Roast's artist statement, she says that this project allowed her to find a sense of strength and provided her with closure to move forward.
 |
| "Common Thread" |
This next piece is a 4 part series titled "Caroline" by senior Tim Hartsock. With the use of string lights, cardboard, duct tape, print, and foam core this piece is meant to permit to the viewer the possibility of both a two dimensional and three dimensional space.
 |
| "Caroline 1-4" |
This two part series is by senior Andrea Quirarte is dedicated to finding inspiration everywhere you look in life. As a mixed media artist, Quirarte encourages her viewers to be unique and a little strange.
 |
| Left to right: "I Feel You All Around Me" and "He'll Take Anything You'd Part With" |
The new arts center
Bibliography:
Gazette-Times, M. M. C. (n.d.). OSU announces arts center plans, $25 million donation. Retrieved June 09, 2018, from https://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/osu-announces-arts-center-plans-million-donation/article_0c4a5da6-0242-505e-93ec-2d3f93d353a5.html.
Oregon State University announces plans for arts and education complex. (2017, April 19). Retrieved June 09, 2018, from http://today.oregonstate.edu/archives/2017/apr/oregon-state-university-announces-plans-arts-and-education-complex.
Photos by Samantha Guy
Gamble, M. Soundbox. 2018, Zine
Comments
Post a Comment