The Gustavus Adolphus College Fine Arts Department is proud to present the Schaefer Art Gallery’s Junior Exhibition. This is a project done by art majors at Gustavus who are in their junior year as a way to celebrate their talents, both within the Gustavus community and with the public. This exhibit opens Monday April 24, with the public reception being that day from 4:30-6:30 p.m..
This is a collaborative effort with the students and the professors, with professor Priscilla Briggs being at the head of this project. Her and one of the students who worked on this project, Abigail Willis ‘24 comments about all of the work that they have put into this creative exhibit.
“The junior exhibition is an opportunity for junior art majors and minors to put on display their work from the past year as they are defining who they are as emerging artists” said Willis in terms of what this exhibit means to her, “so if you want to see some cool artwork you should swing by the Shaffer gallery”.
“Working toward an exhibition is very different from working to complete an assignment” said Briggs when asked about the importance of this exhibit. “It is an opportunity for student artists to work from ideation to presentation–many student assignments are seen as stepping stones in skill and/or concept development, but are never refined for exhibition. For the Junior Exhibition, students have to resolve the work and tackle presentation problems as well.”
Not only has it helped the students progress in their artistic skills, it has also helped them grow closer to one another. As Willis puts it, “I have loved working in conjunction with my classmates in preparation for the exhibition. We have become a little family that all push one another to produce our best work and so I think it’s safe to say that we are all really excited to see the fruits of our labor all come together.”
“The Junior and Senior Exhibitions are a great opportunity to experience the best work our students make and to support them in their process of becoming mature artists” said Briggs. “The opening receptions are a great time to discuss the work with the artists in person and find out more about the process of making. The works are also for sale, so if you are looking to purchase artworks, it is an opportunity to find some great pieces”
“We as a junior class have been working so hard and we are truly excited for everyone to see what we put together” said Willis, emphasizing what working on the junior exhibition has meant to her.
The Junior Art Exhibition will be held at the Schaefer Art Gallery from Monday, April 24, 2023 to Wednesday, May 17, 2023. The public reception is on Monday, April 24, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., and will be open to the public.