Presenting the first ever Celebration of Art at Douglas College
By Angela Espinoza, Arts Editor
As tuition-paying students, we are entitled to many a spoil that I’m sad to say most rarely take advantage of. From the weekly Arts at One concerts that run during the fall and winter semesters to the Artist’s Talks courtesy of the Amelia Douglas Gallery (both occurring in New West), these often wonderful and enlightening events are made available to us in an attempt to bring some culture to students. That said, it is also on the part of the school to give students opportunities to express themselves as well. With that comes an exciting new collaboration between Douglas College and the New Westminster Culture Crawl entitled “A Big To-DO: A Celebration of Art at Douglas College.”
The Celebration of Art offers students and faculty with artistic talents the chance to show their stuff to the student body and local community by displaying their selected works in the Amelia Douglas gallery from August 2 to September 14. This is a fantastic opportunity for any and all students who are looking for ways to express themselves artistically—without the ever-looming threat of the “bad grade.”
We all inhibit our own gifts and talents, and so the range of works that may be submitted include paintings, sculptures, photography, crafts, and any other works that may be qualified as art. This openness to style and ability should bring forth what is expected to be a brilliant multimedia exhibit, offering students from all artistic backgrounds and interests to come together in one of the most exciting ways possible.
In a school that offers such a wide range of educational opportunities, while playing host to a great gallery, this upcoming exhibit is perhaps one of the best ways to encourage a more culture-influenced side of the student body that we, again, don’t see very often. As for those who are considering perusing a more arts-focused career path, this exhibit will also of course be a chance for those to get some understanding of what goes into submitting works and organizing a gallery exhibit.
Guidelines to be entered in A Big To-DO: A Celebration of Art at Douglas College request that the artist send high-resolution images of one to four works, along with their title, date of completion, dimensions, and—if for sale—their asking price to Nassi Soofi (soofin@douglascollge.ca) by Friday July 6. A one-to-two paragraph bio and artist statement is also required of the artist, which will give both faculty and the viewing public some context behind the piece(s) and artist themselves.
I encourage all those with visually artistic abilities to take advantage of this exhibit, and to remember to have a fun time getting involved!
