The Fine Arts Show and Sale has become an anticipated event for Mt. A students. Every semester, fine arts students showcase their work while making a profit. The event never disappoints, as students produce unique works that are unlike any other; they are a reflection on pop culture, students’ interests, and the local community. Afterall, there are very few places one can get a giant worm on a string to call their very own. This year, 26 students participated and showcased art in a variety of mediums, from miniature and large rugs to sculptures, prints, and even t-shirt designs.
“We’ve seen an increase in student participation each year that I’ve participated in or helped organize Show and Sale. It’s great to see more and more students become confident in pricing and selling their work,” said Daisy Graham, one of the organizers of the Show and Sale. The event is planned by the Fine Arts Society each semester. Graham describes it as a “collaborative process” that gives people a chance to play to their strengths when it comes to organizing the event. Additionally, according to Graham, this is the first time in nearly a year and a half that the Show and Sale has returned to what it was pre-COVID. “[Organizing the Show and Sale] has been a learning curve to get back into smooth operation without the more experienced members to show us how.”
For some, this was their first Show and Sale at Mt. A. Will Davis, a first-year fine arts student, expressed that “[I]t’s really cool for so many people to see our art. […] It’s like a reminder that the rest of the world exists, and that they also enjoy looking at art.”
At the sale, Davis explained that many of his works were made in, or for, classes. Much of the work was based on printmaking and sculpture, which requires work in the studios at the Purdy Crawford Centre for the Arts. When asked what inspired his work, Davis noted that recently, butterflies captured his interest; “[Butterflies] have been a theme in my life since I was little.” Davis describes his piece “Waiting” as “the experience of knowing you’re trans but not quite having accepted it yet. The butterflies are the parts of my mind and soul that understood what was happening long before I’d fully grasped it, the chrysalis was the last piece that had not fallen into place.” A powerful idea and a truly captivating piece.
Another participating fine arts student, Lily Beamish, created small, tufted flowers and fruits and small acrylic flower paintings in frames and posters based on their past works. “I was inspired to create the tufted pieces as I am slowly getting into tufting and love exploring all that I can make with it,” Beamish said. She expressed that she loves the opportunity the Fine Arts Sale provides to showcase her art as well as see what the other fine arts students are doing.
When asked about what an event like this meant to them, Graham described it as “community building” for fine arts students. Many of the students traded work with each other after the event was done. It gives students the opportunity to see the works of students they don’t have class with, and for the broader community to appreciate and purchase the hard work of the students. “The society fundraises any money from the event. It’s really designed for students to be able to sell their work, and experience what it might take to make a living [doing] so,” Graham stated.
If you missed the Show and Sale and are in dismay, fear not, there will be another in the fall semester. Support the arts and attend student shows, they deserve praise and recognition for their hard work.
