“The past and the future meet in the present day classroom-studio where the pursuit of beauty in creative expression can become a doorway to a lifetime of joyful discovery,” reads the introduction to “Joyful Discovery,” the Hillsdale College Art Department’s new faculty publication.
Hillsdale’s art department will host an exhibit Sept. 28 through Nov. 15 at the Sage Center for the Arts featuring artwork from each of the faculty member’s media specialties. In addition, a publication featuring the best of professor and student work will accompany the Joyful Discovery exhibit.
The department arranged the art show and book publication date in conjunction with Hillsdale’s upcoming Rebirth of Liberty and Learning Campaign Gala.
“When the art faculty was informed last year of plans for the upcoming gala, we were asked what we could do that would be special for the gala,” Professor of Art Sam Knecht said. “Our thoughts turned both to a faculty art exhibit and to supplement it with some kind of publication that would feature current art faculty and also put the spotlight on at least two significant art professors in the past.”
Each professor’s work is featured on four pages, excluding part-time professor Katharine Taylor who has two, alongside 26 students whose exceptional pieces were also chosen to showcase the best of Hillsdale’s art department to potential donors and students.
“We trust that the book will help inform donors that Hillsdale is a complete liberal arts college with strength in each an every department, including art,” Knecht said.
“Professor Knecht brought up the idea of putting together a faculty publication last November at a faculty meeting and everyone thought it was a great idea,” Professor of Art Barbara Bushey said. “And the publication turned out to be a really nice physical representation of the quality of work in the department.”
After professors submitted the pieces which best exemplified each discipline from their own portfolios as well as those of students, Professor of Art Bryan Springer began organizing and designing the book.
“The design trick was to let the artwork speak for itself,” Springer said. “We wanted to celebrate the department’s mission and this book is manifestation of that.”
The name of the exhibit and publication, “Joyful Discovery,” is derived from the book’s introduction, written by Jodie Shull.
“We gave her information about the department and showed her the artwork,” Springer said. “From there, she crafted the introduction, and based on her writing, we created the theme.”
In her introduction, Shull uses the mission statements of both the college and the art department to craft a beautiful description of the purpose of the arts at Hillsdale and introduce the reader to the context with which students and faculty created the showcased pieces.
“Doubly blessed are those who come to Hillsdale for training in the visual arts. They find a welcoming home among teachers who love their calling and revere their connection the tradition of the history of man’s endeavors to better understand himself and his world,” the dedication to “Joyful Discovery” reads.
While the publication’s price has not yet been decided, Knecht hopes the book will be well-received at the gala and will eventually be available for purchase at the college bookstore.
