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School art exhibit brings art and science together

Written by Sydney Boyd - Argonaut

Tuesday, 19 February 2008

Art and science may seem like polar opposites, but to a group of University of Idaho students it seemed like the perfect theme for a high school art competition. The two subjects will unite in the 17th Annual High School Art Exhibition starting Wednesday in the Ridenbaugh Art Gallery. The event allows 150 students from 25 schools around the state to show off their creativity, inspiration and interest in science and art by focusing on art’s intersection with science. Sally Machlis, professor of Art and Design, is head of the event this year and said the topic was chosen to be interesting and relevant, but general enough to allow students room for creativity. “Science is a creative field — you have to take risks. It’s the same thing with art,” Machlis said. “It is facilitating collaboration between science and art.” The event is sponsored by the department of Art and Design with help from the College of Education. Machlis said that the event works to utilize UI students in many ways. Students helped create and run the competition, and will jury the show. Teva Hopper, a junior graphic design major, was the lead design coordinator for the exhibition. She was part of a group that took on the project for their class, Art 491 Information Design. “We were trying to think of new ways to approach this project to reach our audience most effectively,” Hopper said. They chose the slogan, “Art rocks. So does science,” for art classes, and switched it slightly with “Science rocks. So does art,” for the science classes. Hopper said the concept to merge science and art is a unique and interesting idea. “You have some students who are more interested in art, and some more interested in science, so this provides a nice opportunity in combining science and art,” Hopper said. Art and Design professor Jill Dacey taught Hopper’s class and started the event 17 years ago. Dacey said the event is a means to reach out to high school students, a good way to recruit, but also a means of encouraging art. “Artists are some of the first people to gravitate toward new ideas. Scientists learn things from artists,” Dacey said, also mentioning artists who were scientists, like Leonardo Da Vinci. Dacey said that the project hopes to get science and art teachers involved as well as students. “Art is not just someone who is sits in the corner and paints. Art has a big role in society,” Dacey said. To encourage maximum participation, UI sends each school mailing tubes containing entry forms, a promotion poster and prepaid return mailing labels to every Idaho high school. Machlis said this is to allow each school equal opportunity by eliminating expense for any participating schools. “We want them all to have a chance,” Machlis said. “Any time a student is recognized for a skill, they think about how that skill could be used in their life.” The exhibition coincides with the Lionel Hamptom International Jazz Festival, which was done so that more students who would be visiting UI might have a chance to see their artwork on display. An opening reception will be held on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., where winners will be selected and awarded more than $800 in gift certificates for art supplies to encourage future creativity. Add as favorites (16) | Views: 241 Be first to comment this article Write Comment Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code. Name: Title: Comment: