MC art exhibit showcases talents of non-art-department faculty and staff

Oct. 28, 2002

Works by the faculty and staff of Maryville College will be on display at the Maryville College Fine Arts Gallery from Nov. 4 through Nov. 22. A public reception for the artists will be held at 6 p.m., Nov. 4 in the gallery.

The exhibit consists of a wide variety of works including drawing, photography, needlework, quilting, tatting, painting and ceramics. Artists are all faculty and staff members who do not work full-time in the art department and represent areas of the campus that range from the president’s office (an oil painting by MC President Dr. Gerald W. Gibson will be exhibited) to the Instructional Technology Initiative.

The exhibit highlights the many diverse talents of the Maryville College community and was the idea of Mark Hall, chairperson of the College’s Fine Arts Division.

“Maryville College requires all students to take either Fine Arts 140: Introduction to the Fine Arts or Fine Arts 340: Exploration in the Fine Arts, but our students sometimes struggle to understand that the arts affect our lives beyond the classroom,” Hall explained. “The arts transcend the classroom into our lives, houses and even our psyches. Humans create and seek understanding and meaning in what we see, hear and sense.

“This exhibition gives concrete evidence to our students and the community of the importance of art as seen in the creations of staff and faculty members at Maryville College who do not teach in the art department.”

The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. For further information please contact the Fine Arts Center at 865.981.8150.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state‘s third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2012 semester was 1,093.