For all those looking for a bit of cultured relaxation this winter, the Bridge Gallery in Brodie Hall is currently home to the stunning 22nd Annual Student Calligraphy Exhibit. The exhibit features the work of students who have recently taken one of Geneseo's calligraphy courses, and is an example of the art form at its best.
Students submitted writing samples on a number of topics from poetry to religious verse to famous quotations. Sophomore Amy Valenti, for instance, wrote out a section of the classic Mickey Mouse Club theme song set against a music score. Senior Caitlin Fawcett, in one of her pieces, printed some famous quotes about beer including ones by Plato and Benjamin Franklin. Sophomore Tiffanie Gasiecki re-created a Bible passage from the second book of Kings. The craftsmanship of these pieces is undeniable, and the passion of these students is obvious.
Along with their writing samples, students often added detailed pictures alongside their words. Sophomore Caitlin Morrison, for instance, did a stunning re-creation of the "Ring poem" from the classic book and movie series Lord of the Rings, complete with English translation as well as the 'Elfin' writing originally designed by author J.R.R Tolkien. Another example of such visual creativity is senior Daniel Moran's piece in which he sets a Christian quote against a pastel rendition of a white dove flying towards a turbulent blue ocean. The scene includes a vibrant background of purple and black mountains with a pink and orange sky. Finally, for all Star Wars fans sophomore Carli Abiuso has created a powerful rendition of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker standing side by side with the phrase "Someday I will be the most powerful Jedi ever," between them. In short, all of the pictures that accompanied writing samples were well done and in many cases added a new depth to the words of the artists.
The 22nd Annual Student Calligraphy Exhibit is being held in the Bridge Gallery of Brodie Hall from Jan. 19 through Feb. 2, 2007. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All students are encouraged to attend for a truly enjoyable artistic experience.