Supporting one’s fellow students is an important part of the culture here at Mt. A. It is always good to see and help your fellow students succeed, but it is even better when doing so is fun for you too. The Fine Arts Student Show and Sale is one of the best opportunities to show support for your fellow students while finding something nice for yourself or anyone left on your Christmas list.
Occurring once a semester, the most recent iteration of the Show and Sale was on November 24. Lydia Paterson, a student organizer of the event and fourth-year Fine Arts student, said that “the next one will be around the middle of March.” She also explained that “the students participating in the Show and Sale are in the Fine Arts Program, and we recruit them through word of mouth or via email.” Effectively, the show gives Fine Arts students the chance to both display their work to fellow students and staff, as well as attract potential customers. .
The way the event works is simple. Artists have their work laid out on numbered tables with listed prices for potential buyers to look at. You can bring anything you want to purchase up to a table where students will take payment in cash and mark off what was sold from an inventory sheet.
According to Paterson, “the planning process involves booking the space, organizing table
delivery and pick up, and promotion. The Fine Arts Society is responsible for the planning of the event, so the roles are often distributed amongst the society, i.e. posters and promoting the
event.”
Ranz Jaren Tayo Bontogon, a fourth-year Fine Arts student, sold some of his work at the event. He was “selling framed darkroom photographic prints that [he] took from [his] home country: the Philippines,” and had about fifteen of them on offer. He got involved in the event “because I have my artworks that I recently exhibited and I just want to see if people want to buy artworks!”
It is easy to see how this event is a great opportunity to both support developing artists and find unique pieces. While attending the sale I saw a variety of goods available. There were pins and buttons—including some done in beautiful cross stitch, printed t-shirts and tote bags, crochet goods (including hats, bags, and plushies), and more prints, posters, and paintings than you could hang in any dorm room. It was fun to look around and I even purchased a tee shirt and a bookmark.
Beyond the surface, having events like this are important for Mt.A students. Paterson said that “I think having events like this is important so that students and individuals on and off campus have the chance to buy artwork made by students in the fine arts program. The Show
and Sale is also a really great opportunity for students to learn how to price their work and
promote it.” Bontogon noted that “it is very important, because it supports upcoming and emerging artists and it gives the Fine Arts students like me the chance to expose and network with other people.”
So, next semester stop by the Fine Art Student’s Show and Sale to support young artists and find some cool stuff!
