Light refreshments were served and easels stacked at the back of the room, as artists and professors alike opened their studios and classrooms last Saturday to the Fort Collins and CSU communities.
It was the first time in over a decade that the art and art history department at Colorado State University has held an open house, a grand opportunity to see the work being produced daily on campus.
The art and art history department holds open figure drawing sessions every Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. They are free and open to anyone. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
While pondering on the complex relationship between humans and animals, Adam Jones, second year graduate painting student, opens up his studio to visitors during Saturday’s open house. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
Dylan Trinkner, undergraduate drawing and computer science major, in his studio. Trinkner began his artistic career doing flash animations, which led to a love of programming as well as art. “I’m into drawing for the money, computer science is just for fun,” he said, jokingly. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
Each room featured a different class or department’s work hung on the walls, with the fibers department holding an outdoor indigo dyeing workshop, at no charge to participants.
The graduate students had the honor of their own group show, all the while engaging with the visitors throughout the two hour event. Some undergraduates where present as well, although all studios where open to the public.
Colin Ruff, drawing instructor, shows off his newly dyed scarf during an indigo dyeing workshop. The white and blue pattern on the scarf is achieved through a Japanese method known as shibori (colloquially known as tie dye). Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
April Burroughs, fibers concentration undergraduate, shows Dr. Livingston, professor of economics at CSU, how to rinse out a freshly dyed scarf. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
Detail from Kyle Singer’s work “Go Visit Dick Head! or He Only Does It To Make Himself Look Better.” Singer is a Graduate Drawing major. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
Detail from the fabrics studio at CSU. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
Alex Queen in the printmaking studio. Queen is a CSU chemistry department alum currently taking classes in the art department. “There’s a lot of science people in the arts. You wouldn’t think it, but there are.” Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
Kyle Singer, graduate drawing major, discussing his work. Having worked at a liquor store, Singer used to write down the inventory lists on the back of cigarette boxes he now uses to create the red and white stripe patterns of the American flag. Photo credit: Priscilla Vazquez
