New gallery puts spotlight on IWU students

New gallery puts spotlight on IWU students
Displays of art for sale draw more eyes in new Student Center
BY RACHEL KIPP
rlkipp@marion.gannett.com

Indiana Wesleyan University senior Eric Helvie is always looking for an opportunity to show his work. He and other students are getting the chance to expose their art to the campus and local community through the 1920 Gallery, a new addition to the school's recently renovated Student Center. "I think any opportunity to show is great," said Helvie, who, along with four other students, is part of the first group to have their art on display at the gallery. "To have it in the Student Center like that is good because not so many people come through the art department like that. The fact that the school is wanting to show work in the Student Center, where there is just a lot more traffic, and in the IWU community, I think it's great." The gallery, named for the year when the school (then called Marion College) was founded, is also being run by a student, senior Rachel Henderson. "I pretty much serve as curator, doing all the tasks that that includes," Henderson said. "It's a wonderful opportunity; my dream is to one day have a gallery of my own, so this fits right into what I hope to be doing in the future." A grand opening last weekend featured acrylic paintings by Helvie and student Ben Hubbard and photographs by students Katie Collins, Ben Swygart and Chris Whonsetler. The works will be on display for three weeks before making way for a new group of artists. "We've gotten the word out through e-mail and posters and word-of-mouth that we're always open for students to submit their work," said Henderson, who also hopes to include alumni and faculty in future shows. "They can pick up information sheets and submission forms, and then there is a review process of the artwork." Henderson said she and others choosing artwork for the gallery, which is open to the public, are looking to include a range of different mediums in each showing. The work shown is for sale with prices set by the artist and a commission going toward running the gallery. Regular hours for the 1920 Gallery are 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. Originally published September 21, 2006

SOURCE: http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/NEWS01/609210329/1002