A review of the Trustman Gallery’s Annual Student Art Show

By Jessie Kuenzel
Staff Writer

Year after year, the Trustman Gallery exhibits student work from its fall art classes, proving that the Simmons community is as gifted artistically as it is academically. Between Jan. 14 and 27, the 2014 student show was open for viewing, and once again, the walls of the gallery were filled with the many examples of how truly talented our fellow students are.

Although it was up for an unfortunately short time, this year’s art show was truly a sight to behold. The colorful paintings, bold drawings, and glossy photos were all as beautiful individually as they were as a whole.

It was hard to walk around the room without feeling simultaneously inspired and intimidated by the pure talent that radiated off the walls. Each art class that was held this past fall – everything from Documentary Photography to Intro to Studio Art: Color – was represented in the show.

Although it might not have been as cohesive as some of the other shows that have come through the gallery, this year’s student show was so jam-packed with art that it will definitely go down as a highlight in the Trustman Gallery’s history.

“It sure is an ego boost,” said student Anna Levitan about having her photography on display in the show. As a student of the fall 2013’s Intro to Digital Photo and Lab, Anna talked of her distinct pride in knowing her work was available for the Simmons community to view.

Intro to Studio Art: Color’s Sam Kelly, a senior who was a first-time art student at Simmons this fall, was happy that she was able to see her own art on display at least once before she graduates in the spring. “I didn’t know much about painting at all coming into the class and I was pretty nervous,” she said. “By the end, I had some pieces I was pretty proud of, and the class was more fun than I ever could have expected. Seeing my paintings on the wall was just kind of like icing on the cake.”

The art show represented all levels of artist—from long-time to first-time—and majors from across the college, and it was all the better for it.

Art is a great equalizer and whether a student was a psychology major who had never before held a paintbrush or a graphic design student who spends hours in the photo lab every week, their work was hung for all of Simmons to see and enjoy.

Maybe it has been said every year in the wake of the annual show, but it needs to be said again: it really is amazing how many talented students are here at Simmons.

It is examples like the Annual Student Art Show that make it easy to truly appreciate how lucky we all are to be attending such a gifted school.

For more information about the Trustman Gallery, and to see information on their upcoming shows, visit simmons.edu/trustman.