ISU Bengal

Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Linafelter, Karen

The three art galleries on campus and the Idaho Museum of Natural History were all open from 7:00-9:00 p.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, in the first of what will be a monthly event at ISU. Featured artists included: Kristol Coker, Susanne Forrest, Molly Hill and Matthew Irving. The works displayed included sculptures, paintings and photographs. The museum showcased newly exhibited fossils, as well as other items.
The opening reception was held in the Pond Student Union Building Transition Gallery, where those in attendance were greated with refreshments and live music by a harpist and a flutist/oboist. The Transition Gallery held the works of Coker and Forrest. Forrest's paintings were a series entitled "Going Home" and included scenes of Sweden and Finland. One particular painting of interest, called "Drottningholm 2," showed a gateway with a door in the background and greenery.
"It suggests mystery," Everett Goodwin, an art lover who attended the gallery walk, said.
Coker's bronze sculptures embraced the female form while expressing some kind of emotion or thought. The middle of the room holds "Spirit Contemplated," a woman frozen in time completely absorbed in her thoughts. She appears to be pondering something fiercely important. Other sculptures showed light-heartedness, dancing and more.
The John B. Davis Gallery, located in the Fine Arts building held the paintings of Molly Hill. This painting collection was entitled "Reunion." The paintings were mostly of muted tones. They showed life scenes from another country. For those interested in meeting the artist, there will be a closing reception with Hill on Friday, Sept. 19.
The Mind's Eye Gallery is located in the Rendezvous. Irving's photograph series, "Asian Influence," was on display. If interested, visitors should pick up a pamphlet Irving put together. This makes each picture more personal, as the story behind the photo is given to you. The pamphlet lets the viewer see the photograph as Irving sees them. Take time to see the pictures once and then read the pamphlet and see each picture again. This allows for a deeper understanding of what is being seen.
"I started seriously into photography about two years ago," Irving said. "In 2006, I took a trip to Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. I bought a camera right before, read the manual on the plane and took pictures."
The art works will be displayed for a few weeks, but next month the gallery walk will transition to new works for all to enjoy. "I really like 'Walking for Salvation,' because of the contrast," Kristi Belnap said. "This is similar to something you would see every day but not take note of. We see things more in a movie sense rather than a moment at a time. This puts it out there in front of you and forces you to pay attention."

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