The long-running Notre Dame Art Sale has broadened its focus this semester, exhibiting the work of a wider variety of students and faculty members. This year’s “Holiday Sale” began in the second-floor gallery of Riley Hall on Tuesday.
The sale had traditionally been pottery-oriented since its inception in the 1970s by professor emeritus William Kremer, but this year has been expanded to include everything from ceramics to prints.
The event was coordinated by teaching scholar in ceramics Coleton Lunt, whose goal was to expand the sale to the whole Art, Art History & Design (AAHD) department.
“It was a lot of work to change everything, because we had all this infrastructure set in place, but I think it’s working out well now that we’ve got it all set up,” said Lunt, “It’s really nice to have all the mediums represented.”
Lunt, who completed a master of fine arts at Notre Dame before joining the faculty, also credits the new department chair, professor James Collins, with providing new energy to the department. “He’s come in from film, television and theater, and he’s making a lot of really great, positive changes. He’s making a real positive impact on our department, so we’re really grateful,” Lunt said.
The sale displays both abstract and practical art. Bowls and platters, fired in both wood and gas kilns, are showcased around the edges of the room, while in the center sits a colorful series of non-figurative 3D works.
Also on that central table lies a packet of Oreos, or so one might assume without taking a second glance. While the objects definitely bear an uncanny resemblance to Oreos, they are in fact meticulously sculpted from bronze. The cookies are the work of Keith Kaziak, teaching scholar in sculpture at the University.
This is the first time associate professor Justin Barfield has been involved in the art sale. He contributed a series of prints that examine the effects of human consumption, many of which were informed by his experiences observing the impact of pollution on wildlife in his home state of Louisiana.
“We ended up saving a few animals,” said Barfield. “That event kind of stuck with me, so I started making prints as a way to show people the effects that you have as a person, [that] what you do with your trash has a domino effect.”
Barefield was sitting at the sales desk during the first few hours of the event on Tuesday. He was joined by Kristoffer Johnson, teaching scholar in photography. “Oh, it’s been great [so far]. Great traffic. We’re selling lots of pieces,” Johnson said.
One of the many who stopped by the Riley Gallery on Tuesday morning was Russ Blaschko, whose wife is an Inspired Leadership Initiative student. He shared that she has found a new love for art through the program, so he wanted to stop by to show his support for the department.
“The ceramic is just beautiful,” Blaschko said, “It’s just amazing what’s in everyone’s creative abilities.”
He thinks he might get involved in art at some point himself. “There's something inside me. I don't know what it is. [It’s] probably pretty rough and pretty rudimentary, but there’s a piece of art in all of us," he said.
The Art Sale will continue Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the second-floor gallery of Riley Hall. All proceeds go directly to the artists.
