It’s another cold day in Michigan, and you are in the second half of the semester, trying to keep up with all your assignments and projects while also trying to keep yourself sane and not melt down. As you study hard, you reach a point where your mind is screaming for a break. You think of how to have a restful break—perhaps by scrolling through social media? It's pretty risky, as you could lose track of time. Taking a nap? If you are in a place where you can do it, sure. What about a walk? Maybe, but the weather is windy and freezing, and the trees are losing their leaves. Then you get an idea: What about visiting the campus’s Art Gallery?
While it is not as big and impressive as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) or the Louvre Museum, that does not mean there are not exciting works of art in the Andrews Art Gallery. The Harrigan Hall Art Gallery serves to showcase works made by artists connected to Andrews. As long as the building is open, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, you can wander and walk as you please.
When I visited the gallery, I was impressed before even getting to the gallery itself: There were photographs taken by students and alumni hanging on the walls. One such awe-inspiring photo was positioned halfway up the stairs and depicted a girl with an owl, taken by Brian Powers (alumnus, photography). Once I got to the second floor, the vibes utterly changed. It felt cozy and elegant simultaneously, and I felt small compared to the pictures showcased on the walls. Between classrooms, I saw various photographs: some portraits, others portraying futuristic concepts, and some capturing particular moments in time—like when a soap bubble exploded.
Once I found the gallery, the door indicated that faculty and staff created the pieces showcased at the moment. The first piece that confronted me was by David Sherwin, assistant professor of photography. The photograph, which was of pink tulip flowers wrapped with brown, was entitled “Bouquet” and was from his “Still Life Series.” Seeing it wrapped in paper made it look more intimate and delicate. Other photographs taken by Sherwin that were showcased in the gallery were pictures of pipe wrenches and tools for traditional printing.
Another photographer showcased was Daniel Weber, chair of the Department of Visual Art, Communication & Design (VACD). His most recent photograph in the gallery, “Dynjandi Waterfall,” was taken in May of this year in Iceland. The photo shows a person standing next to a waterfall, capturing a moment of brilliance and exposing how big the world around us can be.
Someone’s work that seemed quite ambiguous to me was Greg Constantine’s paintings with acrylic on canvas. The three works by him— “Misty Landscape,” “Guilin” and “Tuscany”—use the same palette of colors between green and blue, with few uses of reds and yellows. Most of them depict what seems to be valleys and mountains but without other elements. It may need some extra context for someone to understand—which I would recommend the gallery include for all the showcased pieces in their next season.
A piece that included some explanation was Diane Myers’s “I cling to my imperfections as the very essence of my being.” In a panel next to her work, Myers, assistant professor of graphic design, explains she made it during her second-to-last semester in graduate school when her advisor encouraged her to research and write more than create new work. Therefore, the giant wall of text shown in the gallery results from her research, with the word “perfect” being highlighted in light red that is almost pink. As I observed the piece, from top to bottom, seeing the word “perfect” several times reminded me of how much some people strive for that word, for that quality.
Other works are exhibited at the gallery, too, such as “Solar Eclipse, April 8th,” by Alyx Halsey, assistant professor of fine arts. The piece is based on the eclipse earlier this year and is composed of stoneware clay on bats. It illustrates the different phases of the eclipse.
Additionally, there are paintings by Rod Church, a staff member at Lithotech, and Zech Ray, assistant professor of painting. Their paintings, based on locations in nature, were made not only to reflect a moment but to bring feelings and sensations with them, such as the sound of the water in Church’s “Splashes of Color,” and a depiction of a downhill creek and the freezing wind in Ray’s “Winter Landscape,” which represented a dry valley with some left-out snow.
Finally, the gallery includes pottery by Brooks Bouwkamp, assistant professor of ceramics. Her pottery designs, such as “Black Death,” a black and thick vase, portray delicacy and deep thought processes. I wish to have something like it in my room, only to observe it and let my mind wander as I take a moment to disconnect from the world and relax.
As I left the gallery’s floor through the same stairs I came in, the origami birds attached to the ceiling gave me a message of hope, a message of trust and peace. It was as if they were saying to me, “Do not worry; everything will be fine.” Visiting the gallery recharged me with inspiration and creativity, and I was ready to continue my daily routine. As I look forward to the gallery’s future expositions, I keep thinking about this: As simple as they might seem, you should never underestimate the power of the arts.
Consider taking some time to visit the art gallery at least once this year. Having a space like this fosters creativity and community for everyone, but especially for those in the VACD. It provides a space of free expression and communication beyond the studio where the pieces in the exhibition were made. You will never know when your teacher or classmate will be the next world changer in the arts, and supporting them now is as important as cheering for them when they reach the top.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.