Artist Rachael Huffman developed the exhibit on display at Art Affair in order to help people see their everyday lives a little differently.
“I would say on first glance (the artworks) are abstract,” Huffman said. “On second glance, they’re depictions of observations of everyday events or everyday objects. Some of them are just really gestures or ideas.”
To develop her gallery show “Extended Drawings,” Huffman created art in the forms of photography and video combined with the technique of blind contour drawing. The technique, a form of tracing, requires the artist to look at a subject and draw it, but never look at what is being drawn.
“It can be as simple as trying to convey a form made by a cloud changing,” Huffman said.
The exhibit shows some of her work on canvasses and electronically. Some are presented on the walls and some are displayed on the floor.
Student Art Affair Director Lesley Gillaspie said though the work would not be considered avant-garde for most art shows, it is a bit non-traditional compared with what is usually seen in Baldwin City.
“I think her works are really creative, and what she does she does well,” Gillaspie said. “She definitely has a vision.”
Junior Christy Taylor said she thought viewing the art was a good experience.
“It was more extreme than other traditional shows at Art Affair,” Taylor said. “Most of the time it is usually paintings and stuff like that. Because Baldwin is a small town, it is always good to have things to open people’s minds to new art and different types of artwork.”
Huffman is a second-year graduate student studying in the field of expanded media. This is her first art gallery show.
“It feels good. In experience you learn from your mistakes,” Huffman said. “For me, I gain a lot from it. In art it is something there are no rules for. It is really a place to break away, keep learning and growing.”
“Extended Drawings” will run at Art Affair through May 18. Art Affair is located at 7th and High streets in downtown Baldwin City.