Eight Art + Design studio classes displayed their work on the walls of the Jordan College Annex. Photo by Darcy Leber.
ELLA HALL | STAFF REPORTER | erhall@butler.edu
The Butler Art Department celebrated the upcoming end of the semester in its own vibrant way: a spring student art showcase. “Art Now” took place on April 3 in the Jordan College Annex, spotlighting work from students in various Art + Design studio classes. It will reopen on April 10 from 5-6:30 p.m.
“Art Now” allowed students to turn class projects into a real gallery experience. The walls of the Annex displayed creativity in various media, including paint, string and sculpture, creating a colorful space where artists were able to engage with the work of peers in different classes.
Adjunct art instructor Emma Landwerlen explained how powerful it was to witness her students’ work transform from a classroom atmosphere to a professional one.
“It’s really different from seeing [a piece] in front of you in the classroom or even during critique,” Landwerlen said. “Seeing it up with the label and sometimes your artist statement in the context of other works is a nice sense of closure. It gives you a sense of accomplishment to have [your art] up on the wall. I [prioritize] the artist’s journey over the destination, but it’s nice to see it arrive at this moment of completion. Being able to step back and say, ‘This piece is successful,’ is so important.”
Sophomore English major Tia Jones found a turning point in her own artistic journey through the methods used in Landwerlen’s professional practices class, particularly by pushing herself outside of her comfort zone.
“[I started] working in media that I don’t normally work in, specifically charcoal,” Jones said. “I hated charcoal before. It’s really messy, but now I feel really comfortable with it and I found my own style. I’m really happy that I was able to further my ability to learn different mediums and push back at boundaries.”
Jones was also able to experiment with gold leaf, a technique she hadn’t used before, in her piece for “Art Now”, a memorial for her uncle and dog.
Landwerlen’s class was among the eight courses featured in the show. Her evident faith in her students has inspired many of them, in addition to her frequent questions and conversations about the motivations behind art.
Junior arts administration major Laurence Apple credited Landwerlen with pushing his artistic vision further.
“I’ve been focusing on the balance that grief has within me, both the joy and negative feelings that come from it,” Apple said. “It allows me to explore a lot more of myself, so I’ve been working on a lot of self-portraits too.”
Apple’s piece, “A Thankless Job,” explores these concepts in the unease of the painting and the poem about his uncle’s death which accompanies it. The interactive painting encourages viewers to step outside their comfort zone by touching it, embracing the balance between safety and vulnerability.
The spirit of productive discomfort moved beyond the paintings and to the show itself. As the start of spring brought Butler’s campus its fair share of weather mishaps, the Jordan College Annex experienced an unexpected power outage, plunging the striking artworks into darkness. Thankfully, those in the arts are no strangers to innovation, and they were quickly able to revamp the show into a candlelit experience, illuminating artwork with flashlights. Though the show was a success with this new, moody atmosphere, it will open again on April 10.
