Hillsdale art goes on Web site designed by student
Mark Hensch
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: Arts
The Sage Center for the Arts is no longer the only place Hillsdale College students can view art on campus. With the creation of www.hillsdaleart.org, Hillsdale's art is now available on the Web.
"We needed to have an external Web site outside of the Hillsdale network to offer all we could," said Bryan Springer, instructor in art. "This is a marketing piece for our art department. It is a chance to show off a lot of gallery work in many different categories."
Senior Mark Willard, one of the site's designers, said work on the project began during the spring semester of 2007. Envisioned by Professor of Art Sam Knecht and Art Instructor Patric Fourshé, Willard said work on the page stalled following Fourshé's death in January 2008. Released in the spring of 2009, Willard said the site archives the art department's output while maintaining a Hillsdale-friendly interface.
"The focus is on publishing the artwork of the teachers and students," Willard said. "The various Hillsdale network links are there to make students feel at home. I think the art students should be happy as everyone can see their work."
Senior Cassandra Bacon said she hopes her work will appear on the site. Possessing a repertoire of still life and portrait paintings, Bacon said she is assembling photos for posting. In the meantime, she said she is excited about the opportunities the site provides for current and future campus art aficionados.
"This provides an opportunity to see what your friends in the art department are doing all the time," she said. "If we have a good Web site showing a solid selection, it will attract artists to the school."
Springer said the site currently features student, alumni and faculty categories. He said visitors to the site can click on the images to see high-resolution stills of the works. Sporting his own pastel painting and computer graphic design galleries, Springer said the site will function as a catalog of Hillsdale's art.
"With any sort of Web site, it is like a living, breathing thing," he said. "This is a showcase of what is going on here. It really gives you the ability to view some of these images in detail."
"We needed to have an external Web site outside of the Hillsdale network to offer all we could," said Bryan Springer, instructor in art. "This is a marketing piece for our art department. It is a chance to show off a lot of gallery work in many different categories."
Senior Mark Willard, one of the site's designers, said work on the project began during the spring semester of 2007. Envisioned by Professor of Art Sam Knecht and Art Instructor Patric Fourshé, Willard said work on the page stalled following Fourshé's death in January 2008. Released in the spring of 2009, Willard said the site archives the art department's output while maintaining a Hillsdale-friendly interface.
"The focus is on publishing the artwork of the teachers and students," Willard said. "The various Hillsdale network links are there to make students feel at home. I think the art students should be happy as everyone can see their work."
Senior Cassandra Bacon said she hopes her work will appear on the site. Possessing a repertoire of still life and portrait paintings, Bacon said she is assembling photos for posting. In the meantime, she said she is excited about the opportunities the site provides for current and future campus art aficionados.
"This provides an opportunity to see what your friends in the art department are doing all the time," she said. "If we have a good Web site showing a solid selection, it will attract artists to the school."
Springer said the site currently features student, alumni and faculty categories. He said visitors to the site can click on the images to see high-resolution stills of the works. Sporting his own pastel painting and computer graphic design galleries, Springer said the site will function as a catalog of Hillsdale's art.
"With any sort of Web site, it is like a living, breathing thing," he said. "This is a showcase of what is going on here. It really gives you the ability to view some of these images in detail."
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