Rebekah Weaver
Staff Writer
College is generally all about learning together, but what about creating together? That’s what the “Take Art, Leave Art” event is all about.
When junior Annalise Williams first heard about “Take Art, Leave Art”, she says she “thought it was a great idea.”
“It’s a beautifully inclusive event, and I think people are really going to enjoy it.”
The project allows students to create a piece of art, put it in the display area, and take a piece of someone else’s artwork in exchange.
Sophomore Clari Stewart, the event coordinator, says the idea wasn’t her own.
“Last spring break, I met a friend in Chattanooga for coffee. We were walking past this building with a sign that said, ‘Take Art, Leave Art,’ and I thought, ‘Bryan needs to do this!’”
Over Christmas break, Stewart requested funding from SGA and got the project approved.
Tuesday night, several students were in Mac’s Café checking out the art exchange. While music played in the background, they browsed two tables filled with art supplies. Some students constructed collages from provided magazine scraps, other were busy discussing a famous artist or hanging up finished masterpieces. One student even sat with his laptop open, sketching a drawing he’d found online. As the artists patiently worked, they complimented each others’ efforts.
While some have expressed disinterest, Stewart encourages students to give it a shot anyways.
“A lot of times, you don’t realize what you’re capable of until you try it.” she said. “Being made in the image of God, we have the capacity to create and I just wanted to be able to give people the opportunity that maybe they had never given themselves.”
According to Stewart, she is still unsure if “Take Art, Leave Art” will be a one-time-only event, as repeating it probably depends on the interest of students and approval from SGA.
“At this point, I don’t know if we’ll do it again,” Stewart said.
However, those who believe like cartoonist Scott Adams that “creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes and art is knowing which ones to keep” will have the opportunity to do both over the next two weeks here at Bryan. Take Art, Leave Art will run January 23 to February 3 (weekdays only) from 4-8pm in Mac’s Café.