Following the recent Faculty Art Exhibition, the Liberty University Art Museum displayed the work of Liberty’s graduating Studio and Digital Arts (SADA) seniors for three weeks in Green Hall.
The showcase, “Threshold: Moments that Shape Your Life,” represented the apex of the students’ academic journeys and their transition into the professional world.
The Chair of the Department of Studio and Digital Arts Professor Todd Smith said, “Each semester students, faculty and families look forward to this exhibit, which showcases student conceptual and technical skills.”
This exhibition was far more than just a final project. Anna McCullough, the assistant curator at the Liberty University Art Museum, explained that the show is the capstone of the students’ entire undergraduate careers.
“This show is one of the biggest things they do as a studio art student here at Liberty University,” McCullough said. “Basically, their entire four years of being an art student here lead up to this moment, this show.”
The exhibition is a key requirement for the Design Portfolio & Self-Promotion course, a class designed to prepare students for the business side of the art world. McCullough emphasized that the value of this experience extends far beyond the classroom and is an important moment.
“It really just sets them into an amazing path leading into the art world because they get to put on their resumes that they had a professional show in a legitimate museum,” McCullough said. “Not many … 20-year-old, 21-year-old artists get to say that. So, it’s a pretty big deal.”
She also said the show is an opportunity for the students’ families to visit and see what they have been learning.
The theme was curated entirely by the students. McCullough explained that in their class, students are tasked with coming up with a theme and a name for the show. The chosen theme focused on the personal moments that shaped them as artists.
“They’re really focusing on nostalgic parts of life and things that really impact growing up,” McCullough said. “Especially being an artist … like, what’s one of the first moments they realized that they loved art or … one of the first things they drew as a kid.”
McCullough said that each student can make their own showcase whatever they want, within the larger theme. This personal concept was expressed through a diverse range of media.
“They’re showcasing their works that range from oil painting to watercolor painting to graphite ink ceramics,” McCullough said.
The show drew attention from students all across campus, regardless of their major.
Valeriy Ortiz-Merida, a biotechnology major, said she found the art museum while wandering around campus with friends. She found some anatomical sketches particularly interesting.
“It’s just like, so cool how detailed they went to the muscle like tendons,” Ortiz-Merida said.
Freshman Keziah Murphy, an interior design major, also stopped to look at the pieces. She admired the craftsmanship of a set of drawings of the human heart.
“It’s really interesting — all the details,” Murphy said.
The exhibit was located in the gallery’s front, which hosts four different shows each semester. The back half of the museum holds the permanent collection.
“One of the objectives of the Museum is to provide a context where student creativity and originality can be showcased,” Todd said. “The goal is to reflect God’s creativity and bring him glory.”
The exhibit, which ran from Oct. 16 to Nov. 6, provided free entry for all visitors of the gallery located at Green Hall room 1350. To stay up to date on future showcases, visit @libertysada on Instagram for more gallery information.
Song is a feature writer for the Liberty Champion.