Gionna Bean, Aquinas Reporter
A free, easy way to experience the unique art Aquinas students and faculty have to offer is through attending one of the many art shows throughout the year.
The Faculty Art Show displays faculty art, while aiming to engage Aquinas students. “We usually have one once a year or once every other year, and it’s basically a chance to show the students what we make professionally,” Art Department Chair, AMC Gallery Director, Professor of Art Dana Freeman said.
Aquinas community members mingle during Faculty Art Show-Photo Credit: Dana Freeman
Freeman included some of her own pieces including Black Holes, No Singularity, a piece that uses lights to cast shadows onto the wall behind it. She encourages students to visit the display, because it’s a great way of connecting the community and experiencing what the faculty does outside of educating.
Black Holes, No Singularity by Dana Freeman- Photo Credit: Dana Freeman
This was Professor of Art Hannah Mabie’s first year participating in the Faculty Art Show, and she was excited to show off some of her most introspective work.
“I’ve been teaching at Aquinas for just two years now, and when they asked if I’d be a part of it, I decided it’d be a good idea to show some of my paintings. I’ve also been in ArtPrize and a few other art shows here, so I’ve had some experience,” Mabie said.
Much of Mabie’s inspiration for her pieces came from the concept of how humanity aims to tackle the unknown. “Two of these tackle the afterlife, and then one is more to do with ideas of process and recreation,” Mabie said.
Celestial Anomaly by Hannah Mabie- Photo Credit: Dana Freeman
Network Inferno by Hannah Mabie- Photo Credit: Dana Freeman
Many of the professors took weeks or even months to produce their works. “It probably took like a month on and off, but like in actual work time, over like two weeks,” Professor of Art Laurel Dugan said.
Other pieces showed similar depth, for example, the work of Emeritus Faculty Ron Pederson stood out for its deeply personal nature. Pederson was the Chair of the Department of Art until he retired ten years ago.
His wife, former Professor of English Miriam Pederson, recently passed away in 2023. “She was one of my oldest friends, too. Her poem’s actually on the wall, too- one that she wrote before she passed away- and inspired the beautiful piece we see here,” Freeman said.
“The frame for this piece was just lying around, and then when I thought about Miriam’s poem, it all started to come together. She was my muse,” Pederson said, “It’s supposed to symbolize the journey to the afterlife. This is the boat that Charon from mythology would use to take people across the River Styx.”
The piece, Next, named after the poem it was inspired by, is just one of the many pieces in the show that require viewers to look further into the story behind the creation.
The Faculty Art Show is open and will run until Oct. 25 at 4:30 p.m.. The show includes pieces by Laurel Dugan, Dana Freeman, Danna Fuller, Chris LaPorte, Nate Lareau, Hannah Mabie, Rebekah Sweda and Ron Pederson. Check out the artwork our faculty has to offer, and get to know the stories behind them.
Next by Ron Pederson- Photo Credit: Dana Freeman
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