Pulling nails, plastering and painting walls, senior Lesley Gillaspie and sophomore Stephanie Klise began preparations for the next opening of the Baker University Art Affair.

“People don’t realize there’s a lot more work that goes on behind the scenes,” Gillaspie, student director of Art Affair, said.

The Art Affair holiday show opens today and will remain open until commencement in December. The opening will be from 5-8 p.m. to showcase new artwork.

Gillaspie said the artwork would be a collection of different pieces from a community of artists in Lawrence.

“When you’re in college, you live with a bunch of other artists,” she said. “A bunch of artists got together to recreate that environment.”

The art on display for the second showing will be more functional, Professor of Art Inge Balch said. She said the pieces wouldn’t be tied together by any single thought or idea.

“It’s very hard to make a theme with different pieces,” she said.

Balch said there would be wooden furniture and bowls, photography prints, glassware, ceramics and a collection of handmade postcards on display. Tables, cabinets, clocks and kitchen utensils would also be a part of the showing.

“There are a lot of different pieces and mediums,” Gillaspie said.

Gillaspie said Art Affair is fundamentally a business, and the pieces on display are all for sale. She said the new pieces, along with lower prices for the upcoming showing, should draw more people to the Art Affair.

“The holiday showing is usually well-attended,” she said.

Klise said the opening would be a good place for interested students to come see the art of local Baldwin City and Lawrence artists, as well as provide the opportunity to ask the artists about their pieces. Don Gaughtier, Marge Banks and Vernon Brejcha are three local artists who will be displaying their work.

“Don’s work is shown very often,” Gillaspie said. “He and his wife are really great patrons.”

Baker alumnus Michael Johnston resides in Baldwin and teaches photography at Blue Valley High School. He said he’s featuring photographs he took in Italy and France.

“(The photos) are traditionally printed,” he said. “They have a more textural painting like feel. Straight photographs don’t have that feeling.”

Despite the efforts put into the Art Affair and the quality of the artwork on display, Balch said attendance continues to be an issue.

“We wish more people would come,” she said.

After the opening, Art Affair will resume regular operating hours. Visitors are welcome Mondays-Wednesdays and Fridays from 3-6 p.m., Thursdays from 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.