Art department opens its doors

Raven van Noordan, a graduate graphic design student, was excited Friday. She finally got to try a Bedazzler when she was decorating her T-shirt at one of the art department's Open Studio events, a design -yourown- T-shirt contest.

"I had always seen it advertised on TV and thought it couldn't be that great, but I was wrong" she said. Noordan's enthusiasim for the Bedazzler paid off when she won one of the prizes for the contest.

With the Open Studio, the art department hoped to educate the Terre Haute and ISU commuity about what the art department has to offer, said Alden Cavanaugh, the interim chair of the art department.

"We want people to know we're here," Cavanaugh said. The Open Studio allowed people outside the art department to experience firsthand the workings of the art department. The public was allowed to come into buildings that housed the art department studios. They got to make their own Christmas cards and their own decorated Tshirts.

Along with the artdepartment, Kappi Pi,the ISU art fraternity, helped work the event. Kappa Pi also sold hand decorated Christmas ornaments and cards featuring caligraphy, said Jared Robertson, a senior art major and member of Kappa Pi.

"The proceeds from the sale will help fund our activites and events," he said. Rachel Purpura, a junior art major and member of Kappa Pi, was working the Tshirt decorating booth.

"People get to be creative and have fun," Purpura said. "People who didn't come missed out on the Bedazzaling fun and didn't get to see what goes on at the (art department)." Audra Meyer, a senior art major, took pictures of people and turned them into personalized Christmas ornaments.

"We work hard, but we have fun," she said. Several student art exhibits were open to the public, including "Teascapes" by Chuck Pate, an ISU graduate art student, "Show Some Identification," a student art exhibit and "Help Wanted," the senior art exhibit.

"We hope to make this a once-a-semester event," said Melissa Vandenberg, the director for the University Gallery. "We hope to hold the next one in March."

"It's a good experience for people," said Laura Shull, a freshman art major. "People get to see what happens (in the art department) and to be a part of it." "Art is essential," Noordan said. "Without it, you only live a half life."

"The art department rocks; (the community) just don't know it yet," Meyer said. "They need to find out."