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Printer-Friendly ModeGroup promoting art in community
Art majors form 'The University Artistry,' plan to hold events on campus
April 17, 2006 —
The University Artistry has just been formed on campus for students interested in art.
"This group is needed by the art department," says Paolo Pedini, graphic design major and president of the UA. "It's going to be really good for getting our ideas out into the community in a positive way."
Pedini, a junior, was the brains behind forming the organization. He began thinking it up last year, and he recently wrote the proposal to the University so that the UA could be a registered student organization.
"Professors have always told us that if we take the initiative, then we can make things happen," Pedini says. "This is proof of that."
As president, Pedini is in charge of such things as presiding over meetings, delegating responsibilities to all members, and creating all agendas.
He is hoping for the UA to create mural projects, host guest speakers, put on art shows, book local studio spaces to showcase student art, work with non-profit organizations, and take part in charity art auctions in the future. The UA even has plans for its own softball team.
"This is a huge step in the right direction," Pedini says. "It will allow interaction between our university and the community."
The UA's most recent charitable endeavor has been in support of this week's display of the AIDS Quilt.
Members made 12-inch square panels, which were assembled into one large grid comprised of over 45 panels of varying artistic designs.
Two other members, secretary Erica Kowal and Howard McLean, went to work on creating their own large mural in support of AIDS awareness.
Both the panels and the mural will be displayed all week in the Ryder Center alongside the Quilt.
One very unique future goal of the UA is to design logos and corporate identities for non-profit organizations that cannot afford to pay a professional design agency.
"This is a win-win situation," Pedini says. "These charitable companies will get their design work, and our members will get real-world experience in the art field."
Although the UA is comprised largely of art students, it stresses that it is an organization for not only artists, but students with an appreciation for art in general.
"All students interested in art can join, not just art majors," Kowal says. "We even have a history major signed up."
The UA prides itself on being non-discriminatory when it comes to its membership.
"We want to work with all types of creative students," Pedini says. "We want to show how these different people can work together and make good things happen."
The UA is organized by elected student officers, which comprise the Executive Committee. The current Committee is made up of a group of volunteer art majors appointed by Pedini. However, beginning in the fall, Committee members will be elected on Blackboard. A majority vote will be needed by the membership before any future Officers can be appointed.
The four-person student Committee includes president Pedini, vice president Loren Garcia, secretary Kowal, and treasurer Meg Gotham. Associate professor of art Shaun Bangert acts as the faculty advisor of the UA.
The term of office for UA officers is one full year, from October through September.
"I'm just really proud to be able to do this," Pedini says. "I'm also glad to have such a strong team backing me up."
Funding for the UA is provided through student fundraising.
"We're just like most student organizations," Pedini says. "We'll have to do bake sales and can drives."
Over 130 people are signed up on Facebook as members of the UA, but only about 35 people attended the first meeting last week.
The UA is currently and tentatively meeting in the Alumni Lounge at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month.
"We don't think we need that many meetings," Pedini says. "We are mostly all art students, so we see each other in the halls anyway."
The organization plans on meeting through the spring and summer semesters.
"We really want to get things organized," Pedini says. "We just started up and we need to do some planning this summer."
The UA is hoping to gain quite a large membership.
"Just come out and take a look," Kowal says. "This organization is for people who just want to express themselves."
For more information, contact Kowal at elkowal@svsu.edu.