Reporting And Writing Class Fall 2010: Fundraising for the Arts

Students display and sell their art in the Lower Hobson Union

By Rhea Wawrzyniak

Word Count: 847

Story #7

This artistic black and white

picture of a tree was the entrance to the

Art Associations art sale.

The students of BSU hustle to get their food from the Lakeside Food Court. While trying to find a seat in the chaotic room they spot a sign that reads “Art Sale This Week, Lower Hobson Union.” The sign has a white background, and the rest is different shades of black that form a unique tree. They walk through the door way and find a room filled with tables. There are tables along each wall and two in the middle all filled with art work made by BSU students. In the far left corner some artists sit behind a table collecting money and some mingle and talk about their art with people passing through.

There was an annual fundraising sale put on by the BSU Art Association this last week. BSU students displayed and sold their art work in the Scandinavian Room in the Lower Hobson Union. Students that were on their way to and from class, or just getting done eating stopped by the art sale to check it out.

The ceramic dishes in this picture
Iten made during an internship over
the summer.

“I think this is really cool because I am not artistic,” said Maggi Stivers, BSU sophomore. “It is cool to see that BSU students are artistic.”

The room filled up fast; there were tables aound the outside and one big one in the middle leaving not much room to walk. Different kinds of art work filled every table.

One of the artists, Emily Wendland a BSU sophomore, likes to see everyone’s art all together in here. “It is neat because everyone has kind of their own style,” said Wendland. “There is a lot of great stuff in here,” said Jake Iten, BSU senior.

The art sale for the Art Association is
a way to get art for a good price and
support the art students at BSU.

Wendland has been designing shoes for a couple of years. She buys cheap white shoes and draws on them with sharpie markers. “They are fun to make,” said Wendland. “People like them because I can do them custom.”

“I like the shoes, because they are really cool,” said Stivers.

Another one of the artists is Cody Bartz, a fifth year student at BSU about to graduate with degrees in art and design. The bulk of his work right now is screen-printing which he has been doing for about two years. He uses mostly recycled imagery which means he takes art that is already in the public and makes it his own.

Emily Wendland, BSU sophomore made

the shoes that were sold at the art sale.

“Cody’s screen prints are really cool,” said Wendland. “He has a ton of them.”

Jake Iten is another one of the artists. He works mainly in ceramics, but he also made some of the t-shirts in the art sale. Some are painted, and some are made with stencils and diluted bleach solution.

Some colorful, some black and white – Paintings leaned against the walls on tables. BSU sophomore Michaela Willer was just walking through and stopped by to see the art. “I really like the paintings,” said Willer.

Shoes that were designed by Emily
Wendland a BSU sophomore.

The people who buy this art are not only getting some fun art work for themselves, but they are also helping out the Art Association.

Some of the profits go to the artists, and the rest of the profits go to the Art Association. With the money raised, the Art Association does events, trips, and orders supplies.

Cody Bartz, fifth year student at BSU, graduating

soon with an art degree and a design degree.

Bartz is standing by some of his screen printed art.

Not only are the sales helping out the Art Association they are helping out the artist also. “It is just a chance for us to get our stuff out,” said Iten. “See if we can sell a few things.”

More than just students attended. There were people from the community buying art as well. “I always try to present art here,” said Bartz. “It is a great sale.”