11/02/07With an array of eclectic artwork ranging from early Native American pottery to Southwestern paintings, the Holt-Russell Gallery was open for all to see Tuesday as the show provided students and faculty with a variety of art pieces.

Walt Bailey, special assistant to the president for development of the arts, said putting together this particular show was a wonderful learning experience for him in regards to the different artists and being able to research the styles and cultures their work portrays.

“When you think in terms of images provided in the gallery, you can think in terms of time frames,” he said. “There are so many artists that have history to what they donated to us, and it is amazing to get to see it all come together in one room.”

Bailey said taking a number of extreme differentiations of artwork, assembling them into one room and making them look presentable, is not something just anyone can do.

“If you walk around the room and look at the show, how it is put together is almost as important as the pieces themselves-that is what I do,” Bailey said. “Curating entails spotting where you think different pieces will go, and you do not stop until everything comes alive for the audience.”

Being a ceramist herself, Professor of Art Inge Balch said she did not favor one piece over the other because every single artwork had something distinctive to it.

“I was absolutely enthralled by the Native American pots. The Picasso piece was outstanding, and the Judy Garland piece was just fun-it is lovely to see someone that has a sense of humor while creating art,” she said. “You can’t just have one favorite piece because they all are so diverse and have so much work put into each one.”

Lee Mann, chair of the art department, works in the Holt-Russell Gallery and said she loves being able to go to work and see all of the artwork on a daily basis.

“It’s wonderful to have an office in here because every day I get to walk through the gallery and every day I’m still amazed at what is here,” she said. “Walt did an amazing job of hanging these images together. He really has a good eye for what goes with what.”

Besides just having the artwork stay in the gallery, Bailey said he wants to have students learn about the different pieces and who created them.

“This particular art show was chosen for its diversity of style and the mass media it portrays,” he said. “There will be a lot of use in the classroom regarding studying the images and learning about the characteristics of each.”

Balch said she thought the show was outstanding, both the artwork chosen and the gallery itself.

“It’s fun to see what people donate to the university, and it is nice to see the artwork that has been hiding finally come out of the closet,” she said. “I hope to see more in the future, and I would love to have them displayed around campus year-round for everyone to see as they pleased.”

The “Celebrating Our Generous Friends” art exhibit will be displayed through Nov. 16.