It seems fair to say that art is something a lot of people are afraid of getting into. They look upon the work of other artists and say “I can’t do that,” and they repeat it to themselves like a mantra, saying it’s something only artists can do.
Truthfully, I’ve never met anyone who hasn’t made an art of something in their lives. We all find the art in our life, because a life without art, without some creative work that you had a hand in creating, just doesn’t happen.
When I first heard about the Ninth Annual Student Art Purchase, that was the first thing that came to mind.
For those who don’t know, every year since 2001, Campus Arts Council (CAC) has requested that students interested in having their work purchased by the University submit their pieces at the end of March. It can be any two-dimensional work (paintings, photography, etc.) that is no larger than 52 inches by 52 inches, is ready to hang and is set at a price at or below $400.
Hearing about all this, I had to ask: Isn’t this really just for Art & Design majors and the like?
“Not at all, we really aim to invite all students to participate and be purchased,” said Tara Connolly. A junior in arts applications, she’s also the student of CAC’s Student Art Purchase this year.
“We have as many of the engineers as we do design students submitting,” says Connolly. “The University purchased one by a Ph.D. Physics student last year, so no, we do not discriminate, we just look for good art.”
Not only did the art purchased last year include a Ph.D. in physics, it included two engineers, a communications major, a vet student and an art & design student who also majored in spanish.
Where does the art go if the University decides to purchase it?
“Previously purchased art hanging on the third and fourth floors of Talley,” Connolly says. “This is not cookie cutter art. Each piece has a different flavor with ranging palettes, themes, tones, sizes and mediums. It is a very dynamic collection that speaks to the diversity that each student brings to the NC State community.”
Bracken Liner, a junior in arts applications, is using this as her first opportunity to offer her artwork for purchase. She elaborates how she eventually decided to get involved.
“I received a canvas from a friend of mine,” Liner said. “It’s the first I’d ever had and I painted on it and I didn’t know what to do [with] it. So I thought I’d try my hand at entering it in the Student Art Purchase. It would be a chance to get my name out to NC State Campus, to get my work posted and a chance to sell my first piece.”
Considering the University is spending its own money to acquire these pieces, the economy was brought up between Ms. Connolly and I.
“There are budgetary concerns,” said Connolly. “Budget was reduced, almost cut entirely due to the budget crisis. We will not be able to purchase many pieces this year but we still encourage everyone to submit.”
“People keep thinking art is wasting money, they see it as frivolous spending,” Connolly says. “But it’s just another industry.”
If art is a waste of money, I challenge people to stop listening to music, to stop reading. I challenge people to stop watching movies, to miss their child’s first elementary school play. And after doing all that, I want someone to tell me whether or not that is a world worth living in.
Art is something everyone is capable of, and in between the madness of the end of this semester and the many projects you’re trying to finish, I ask that people go out and make an art thing for themselves. You can draw whatever, collage whatever, say whatever. And know that come March 30th, there’s a way to put it back into the world.