Faculty and Staff Show Artistic Side

The Georgia Tech Arts Faculty and Staff Art Exhibit opened Jan. 13 and runs through Feb. 23 at the Ferst Center for the Arts.
All Roads Lead Home, oil on canvas, by Mimi Lewis, academic program coordinator, Georgia Tech Professional Education. The concept behind the work is that everyone is invited. The circle represents a spiritual place, and the lines going toward the circle are roads. (Photo by Allison Carter)

All Roads Lead Home, oil on canvas, by Mimi Lewis, academic program coordinator, Georgia Tech Professional Education. The concept behind the work is that everyone is invited. The circle represents a spiritual place, and the lines going toward the circle are roads. (Photo by Allison Carter)

Georgia Tech faculty and staff hail from varied backgrounds and often have artistic talents that are largely hidden at work. The Office of the Arts is showcasing some of that talent during the Georgia Tech Arts Faculty and Staff Art Exhibit, which opened Jan. 13 and runs through Feb. 23 at the Richards Gallery in the Ferst Center for the Arts.

Sixteen individuals from across campus submitted 27 entries for consideration. One piece from each applicant was then selected, including paintings, photography, and multimedia pieces.

Previously held in the fall, the art exhibit was moved to spring semester to give faculty and staff more time to create works that fit this year’s “Welcome Home” theme.

“There is a lot of ‘newness’ within the university — a new president, some new leadership at the college level, and our department has a lot of new people,” said Ben Dostal, operations manager for the Office of the Arts. “The theme of ‘home’ kept coming up, and we decided to tie it to the show. Home isn’t necessarily meant as a physical house, but as what makes you feel welcome, included, and part of the community. It allows the artists to go in whatever direction they want.”

Kelly Pierce, marketing manager with the Office of the Arts, said it is interesting to see everyone’s interpretation of home.

“We wanted the artists’ works to be personal, and not tied specifically to their work at Georgia Tech,” Pierce said. “It was nice to see them take that step.”

Entries came from all over campus including the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Tech Professional Education, the Department of Housing and Resident Life, the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Institute Communications, and the School of Literature, Media, and Communication.

“It is interesting to see the creativity on campus — people who are technical by profession but also have this awesome creative side,” Dostal said. “As we talk about the future of Georgia Tech Arts and the plan to further integrate art across campus, it’s nice to see there’s already a foundation that leads to the spark we’re trying to create.”

The Faculty and Staff Art Exhibit is free and open during normal building hours of the Ferst Center for the Arts (Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and during performances). An artists’ reception will be held Thursday, Feb. 20, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Richards Gallery.

 

 

 

 

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