Art by UND professor of sculpture Patrick Luber hangs in the Chester Fritz Library. Photos by Nick nelson/The Dakota Student

There are three art shows at the Chester Fritz Library right now and another on the way.

On the third floor, the teachers at the art department have their annual show. Every teacher of the department displays one or more of their recent works. Also on the third floor is the “Farmer’s Choice” exhibition. This exhibition presents artists from around the state and university that have made made art that relates to North Dakota landscape and farming communities.

A similar show to the teachers’ is the graduate students’ show, which is being displayed on the second floor. The upcoming “smART” show will be hung this Thursday. It is art by undergraduate students that relates to the essential studies curriculum for their capstone class.

Part of an art professor’s job description allows them to pursue their passion for art making. During spare time or on days off, they continue their careers as professional artists. It’s nice to be able to see the work they do which otherwise would be in galleries. It also is interesting what kind of work they decide to show this community.

Art anyone creates often is very telling of the maker. The professors have rubrics and schedules to keep while teaching, but in their own work they can do whatever they want. It is like a door into a place of total freedom, only limited by one’s abilities and time to be there. The show allows students to see into this place through the window of the artwork. Professors’ thought processes, techniques and abilities are on display for students and coworkers to evaluate.

While I viewed the show, I was very impressed by the professors’ works and became prouder of the training I received from them.

The “Farmer’s Choice” exhibition was entertaining as well. There were many different artmaking approaches to describe aspects of life in this farming region. Some work presented the flat calm landscape of the Red River Valley. With all the different weather in the paintings, the show could have been called “Season’s Greetings.”

On the second floor the graduate students had a show of their own. Framed and well prepared, I have not seen their work like this too often. This is because I am usually snooping around looking into their studios while they are away, to see what they’re working on. The work looks totally different when it is prepared and hung on a wall.

Replacing the “Farmer’s Choice” exhibition is the “smART” exhibition on the third floor. For the art department’s capstone class, students were assigned to make art related to one of the four branches of essential studies or to find out how their art might fit into one of the branches.

Essential studies are meant to create well-rounded, educated individuals in a diverse world. Artwork comes from any expressible experience in life and so by the broad curriculum of essential studies art can create a visual understanding of these subjects. This teaches the young artists more about their work and it helps non-art major students better understand how essential studies relates to the world around them.

The exhibition will have its reception on May 4 on the third floor of the library.

The library over the past few years has become more and more integrated with the art department at UND. They have assisted with providing the space to display artwork which is obviously crucial to the livelihood of art.

Images are often forgotten and stored away in dark rooms, but through the help of organizations like the Chester Fritz Library, art can breathe and be displayed for the enjoyment of everyone.

Bill Rerick is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected]