From crunching numbers to painting pictures, Walt Bailey, special assistant to the president for development of the arts, started out as a math major.
Bailey switched his degree to art after taking a design and color course, taught by former Baker instructor Don Louthian. The shift might seem drastic, but Bailey insists that math and art are closely related.
“People miss that,” Bailey said. “The architecture of a painting is essential. It’s very mathematical.”
Bailey, who has instructed art at Baker since 1965, was one of about 25 current and former faculty members with a piece of art on display at this semester’s first Holt-Russell Gallery showing, which took place in Parmenter Hall Tuesday. Louthian also had a piece on display.
The theme was “Celebrating Our Visionary History,” and the art ranged from 1865-2007. The oldest pieces were the work of Ada Brewster. Brewster was a professor at Baker from 1865-1867, as well as a nurse during the Civil War.
One piece was submitted for each of the 25 participants, which resulted in an eclectic mix: watercolor paintings, ceramic sculptures, a quilt, photographs, a collage and sketches.
One selection was a sumi ink brush painting of bamboo on handmade paper, produced by Art Adjunct Instructor Patrick Emerson. Emerson said the painting, an intricate arrangement of black lines and tiny designs, represents a person that has been thrown by the forces of nature, but is not broken. Emerson has been tinkering around with paints and brushes since he was a child.
“I have been interested in art as long as I can remember,” Emerson said. “I gain great satisfaction in creating images, whether two dimensional drawings, paintings and photographs, or three dimensional jewelry, ceramics and sculpture.”
Art Department Chair Lee Mann had a digital photo of a building and its exhaust pipes on exhibit.
“It demonstrates new techniques in photography, which are possible with the use of digital photography,” Mann said.
The art show served as a reunion for some. Baker alumnae Sue Miller and Janice DePalma of Lawrence traveled to the show to support Bailey, their former adviser.
“I think (the show is) absolutely fabulous,” DePalma said. “It’s wonderful that someone is cataloging all of this art.”
DePalma and Miller were Bailey’s students in the late 1960s. The Holt-Russel Gallery used to serve as their art studio.
DePalma pointed to the southwest window, identifying it as her perching spot for painting. She said she always brought a coke to class. Once, instead of drinking from the coke bottle, she accidentally took a hearty swallow of turpentine. The three exploded with laughter at the memory’s mention.
“(Bailey) was a hard task manager,” Miller said. “He whipped us all into shape.”
Both DePalma and Miller went on to teach art for several years after graduating from Baker in 1970. They said their experiences would have undoubtedly been different had Bailey not invested himself into the arts 50 years ago.
“That’s when I realized that art was something you could learn,” Bailey said. “I discovered that it wasn’t just a magic act.”
From 1865 to 2007, Baker has served as a fertile ground for artists.
“That Baker has been able to teach art, in all of its forms, for 1 1/2 centuries, that is a truly remarkable achievement,” Mann said.
The art displayed Tuesday will be available for viewing again from 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Students are encouraged to attend, and some of the featured artists will be present.