The opening of the Faculty Art Show on Nov. 10 will “bring the museum to the students,” says Art Department Chair Cynthia Patton.

“We’re in a relatively small place so we don’t have access to a lot of museums easily,” Patton said. “The big faculty and student shows are a way of celebrating all the richness of the work that’s happening here.”

The opening is from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Norman R. Eppink Gallery and Gilson Room in the Bruder Theater lobby of King Hall until finals week.

Roberta Eichenberg, assistant professor of sculpture and gallery director, said the galleries will be open from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The exhibit will feature art by current and Emeritus faculty members. Eichenberg said the show is a great opportunity to see artwork by local faculty who are also professional artists.

“It’s one time a year and you get to see work done by our faculty, some of which are also nationally known artists,” Eichenberg said.

Artwork of all mediums like photography, engraving, graphic design, glass work, ceramics, painting, fiber work and drawing will be represented in the show. Patton said there will be about 10-12 artists in the show, giving students the opportunity to see many different kinds of work.

Photography Professor Larry Schwarm will have three landscape photographs in the show, including two photos of the prairie fires that happen every spring in the flint hills.

Schwarm said people have an interesting relationship with fire because it is beautiful, but at the same time it is dangerous.

“I realized there’s an underlying kind of collective conscious that everybody is connected to fire because that’s part of our civilization,” Schwarm said. “It heats our homes but it also can destroy our homes. It cooks our food but it could kill us.”

Some of Eichenberg’s work is in the show, including a piece entitled “Hog Heaven” which features a glass pig sculpture on  two plaster pillows.

“It’s kind of a reflection of American society today a little bit,” Eichenberg said, “over-fattened and a little piggish when you compare it to other cultures.”

Graphic Art Instructor Pamela Harlan, Professor of Life Drawing and Printmaking Dan Kirchhefer and Assistant Professor of Engraving James Ehlers are also among the artists participating in the show.

Schwarm said the show is a good opportunity for students and other faculty to see what the faculty are doing throughout the year. He said it’s a way to watch people grow artistically.

“It’s a chance for students to see what their teachers are doing and to see that, in fact, their teachers or instructors are active artists and they are as passionate about the work that they say they are,” Schwarm said.

Lauren Walbridge/The Bulletin