Faculty talent on display at “Creative Arts Complex”

When attending an art exhibition, one might not expect to see art designed to be sat upon. However, the Helen E. Copeland gallery in Haynes Hall featured a polished walnut bench that provided a prime vantage point to view different pieces of art created by MSU’s faculty.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the “Creative Arts Complex” (CAC) which comprises Haynes Hall, Cheever Hall and Howard Hall. The three halls are home to the School of Art, School of Architecture and School of Music. These, along with the School of Film and Photography, comprise the College of Arts and Architecture (CAA).

On Oct. 10, the CAA hosted an all-faculty exhibition at the Copeland Gallery. This is the first exhibition presented by the CAA that includes submissions representative of every school. “It’s one of the unique opportunities that all four schools have actually done something together,” said Gallery Director Caleb Fey.

Some of the pieces represented at the gallery included political caricatures, shots of flaming stunt cars, soundscape backgrounds and metallic architectural models. A projector was set up to display art from the film department.

Tori Burchill got her Master’s in Fine Arts at MSU in 2019 and has been teaching metalsmithing since. She submitted a sterling silver belt she made to the CAC. The belt — formed from more than two pounds of silver — features ovular disks with flower reliefs connected by silver chain links. She said she wears the belt “all the f***ing time.” While designing the belt, she said she was inspired by Montana’s local flora. The flowers depicted on the belt thistle, purple aster and Indian paintbrush.

Regarding her creative process, Burchill said that she takes inspiration from the classes she teaches to start her projects. “Every process is different, but this one, it did start as an assignment I gave my students.”

The infrequency of faculty gallery events was noted by Burchill as well. “The four schools, we don’t cross paths very often. It’s been really important to bring the [CAA] community together,” she said.

The CAC brought together not just faculty from the CAA but from other colleges at MSU. Economics Professor Christiana Stoddard attended the show. Stoddard heard about the exhibition because she has taken ceramics classes on campus. According to her, she showed up to support the faculty and her colleagues. “The department has been pretty welcoming and supportive,” she said. “It’s good to remember what it is to be a learner.”

Fey also appreciated the value of an all-faculty event for the instructors, artists and professors who don’t often get the chance to see work from the other colleges. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for faculty in the other schools to see what their peers and colleagues are doing in the other departments,” he said.

He explained that he wants students to get inspired by pieces of work outside their own discipline. “When the architecture kids come over to see the work of the architecture faculty, they’re also seeing the paintings, the drawings, the photography, the musical performances and the films,” Fey said.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for the students in all the colleges to see the faculty work of the different departments,” he said. He also wants to honor the 50 years that the complex has housed most of the CAA. “[It’s] to celebrate the history of our faculty, our students, our alumni, staff, everybody who’s come before us,” Fey said.

The gallery is hosting the exhibition until Oct. 25. To find out more, visit https://art.montana.edu/copeland-gallery/index.html.