SHENECA SHARPE
Staff Writer
With a new semester taking place, it’s time to get back into the college routine, whether that be classes, clubs and maybe even work. Despite all of the things boggling every college student’s brain, an idea can spring up in the most stressful of situations.
This was the case with Jodie White, a senior music education major, and Donny Malone, a senior animation and illustration major. From White’s expertise in music and Malone’s knowledge in arts and graphic design, an idea sparked to “bring harmony across the arts,” White said.
The upcoming WM Installation (its name derived from “White” and “Malone”) will help to bring art and music together by creating art pieces influenced by both majors. These pieces will be created by Fredonia’s art and music students to help them experience what it’s like to showcase their work. This installation is available to all art and music students no matter their year.
“Incoming freshmen art students have the opportunity to realize that their work can get displayed for all to see. They can have their work displayed for all four years,” said White.
The artwork must follow the guidelines created by Malone, so that each piece follows the rules Mason Hall has set in place. Every semester, the art pieces will be changed so new artists and musicians can display their work.
Everyone will get to see the end result of the installation, but only White, Malone and a couple of faculty members understand the sweat, blood and tears that were put into making this thought a reality.
“There was just a lot of meetings with the faculty and the [Department of Visual Arts and New Media.] Also, there were many doubts about it all. It’s a process,” Malone said.
Getting this installation to be the best that it can be and giving students a chance to make something of their four years here in Fredonia is certainly going to take time.
There is definitely incentive to join something this big with the addition of a scholarship to a participating VANM candidate worth $500.
In order to submit a piece, one must either email Jodie White or Donny Malone by Sept. 8 at 11:59 p.m. to ensure that the art piece is following the guidelines put in place.
“I was sitting in my practice room, and I thought [that] the room need[ed] something…so why not art created by students,” White said.
Now that the Rockefeller Arts Center is connected to Mason Hall, it’s not two completely separate entities anymore. It’s creating a connection through the arts, building lifelong business relationships and possible lifelong friendships right here in Fredonia.
Not only students, but faculty and community members can come and see how hard the art and music students have been working on their pieces. It’s a way to connect the art and music majors, but also connect SUNY Fredonia with the community. A date has yet to be determined about the opening of the art installation, but keep your ears and eyes open for the amazing art Fredonia students have to bring.