Artists create through lockdown

CSC art students had to use creativity to work through the 2020 spring semester without the materials or tools that they began the semester using. 

Not only students had to channel creativity, CSC art professors also found themselves having to change assignments to fit different materials that students had at home.

“We really had to revamp the assignments and projects that we had planned,” said Mary Donahue. “We had to think about what materials students had with them in quarantine to work with.”

The gallery was put together by the CSC art faculty Mary Donahue, Laura Bentz and Trudy Denham. The three teachers put together the gallery to show the work that the students did despite the challenges. 

“We thought students deserved recognition for their hard work” Donahue said.

Student projects vary from sculptures to drawings and from graphic designs to ceramic pieces. Near each piece there is an informational flyer about the student and the piece. Each flyer also includes the idea behind the design and what the student used to make it.

Donahue feels that the pieces show how the students felt while in lockdown and shows some of the frustrations of remote learning. 

“Art is a very hands-on major,” Donahue said, “Students had to use what they had on hand and it can be challenging to do that. I think that most of the pieces are a reflection of how the students felt while they were in lockdown.” 

The student works from the spring 2020 semester are on display in the main art gallery in Memorial Hall. The gallery is open to the public, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.