Art for Awareness Exhibit Opens at Meadows Gallery

 By Ephraim Viadex

Chan Shun Centennial Library’s Meadows Gallery hosted the opening night of the Art for Awareness Exhibit on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Marcela Wall, professor of fine arts at SWAU, serves as director of the art exhibit, and the gallery showcases the work of her students this semester. The theme for the gallery is reading, which the university currently promotes through its QEP Knight Readers.

The inaugural night started with special piano music by Dr. Jonathan Mamora. Mamora played How Fair This Spot, a piece by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and then followed it up with a sonata composed by Alexander Scriabin, a Russian composer who was also a poet.

Guest speaker Dr. Renard Doneskey spoke about the importance and impact that reading has on our lives. Following Doneskey’s opening statements, the gallery was opened for viewing. 

Art Professor Marcela Wall coordinated the art display.

Uniqueness in art styles is evident between pieces. There are works of realism, expressionism, and surrealism, pieces done with pen and pencil, some with watercolors and paint, there are pieces displaying interesting motifs, such as faith, adventure, and even escapism. Each piece of artwork is accompanied by a short description from the artist describing what the viewer was looking at, as well as the meaning and the inspiration behind the piece.

Wall explained that each student was encouraged to create a piece expressing their own representation of reading. One of the student artists, Rebecca, whose work was on display in the gallery, said that she’s an avid reader, and her love for reading inspired the art she created.

“Every book you read is like walking through a portal,” she said. “It takes you to the world of the book. So not only are you reading; you’re actually experiencing it.”

Rebecca’s piece was an expressionist image of a row of library bookcases with a vivid, dreamlike portal, in the middle of some of the books. The bookcases were painted a dark brown, with the books within the cases also being dark in color. The portal however was painted vivid colors of blue and purple, with swirls that contrast the mundane bookshelves. The difference in colors represents that way books can make one feel like you’re in another world, a feeling that's achieved through reading.

Pieces of art such as Rebecca’s blanket the walls of the gallery space, and spectators in attendance were graced with works that culminated an entire semester of art students who diligently crafted their perspectives of reading. When touring the gallery, the consensus among viewers was awe. One student said she didn’t know our school had this many “talented artists.”

Wall is grateful for the turnout and the positive response from everyone in attendance. This exhibit is the first one she’s put together since Covid forced her to stop back in 2020.

“Before Covid, we used to have an art exhibit every year. Now, I plan on having one every semester,” says Wall.  

“I'm so proud of these students and what they can do. Some of them don’t even realize what they can do, but do it. I would love more students to participate in future exhibits.”