 "Photo: Mark Rosen")
With the seven deadly sins taking over its meetings, the Blanton Student Guild is incorporating the use of "edutainment," an inventive and fun way to bring art into the mainstream and to help students and the community enjoy and understand it.
The next few guild events are themed after the newest exhibit opening at the Blanton today, "The Virgin, Saints, and Angels: South American Paintings 1600-1825 from the Thoma Collection."
The guild is a student organization responsible for Blanton activities that will draw in a crowd. They participate in several activities that offer the opportunity to evolve their own appreciation of art as well as that of other students, said Dhruti Deshpande, guild president and an economics and business senior. Members of the guild explore the exhibit, prepare mixers, give free tours and work with the community.
"The guild is important because we have a new perspective as far as the student body goes because we are part of the student body," Deshpande said. "We work together to find a way to cater to the students."
The guild gives students the opportunity to get involved and learn about art in a fun atmosphere, said Suzanne Moore, Blanton program adviser for the guild. "The guild helps meet the Blanton's mission specifically with students," she said. "We provide a place where students can learn but also have fun."
The Blanton's mission is to connect art and ideas by creating novel experiences for visitors and reshaping what people expect out of a museum.
"Some people are intimidated by art because of the old image of museums as a mausoleum - we want people to enjoy themselves," Moore said.
The Blanton offers many activities, some of which the guild helps with, including yoga in the galleries, live performances, art activities and tours where the docents incorporate discussion in the galleries rather than listing off facts about old paintings.
The guild has student docent members who give free tours similar to those of the Blanton docents.
"Our tours are very discussion-based," said Katie Cline, docent chair of the guild and marketing senior. "Docents ask questions like 'Why do you like or not like this piece?' or 'What do you think the artist is trying to do?' It's a good way to get past the initial 'Well, that looks cool' reaction."
It's more meaningful if a visitor can share his or her own thoughts, Moore said.
The guild's biggest and most popular event is the Mix and happens about three times a year.
The event resembles the Blanton's B-Scene events except it's free and targeted more toward students, Deshpande said. The upcoming Mix is on Feb. 28 with the theme "Seven Deadly Sins" based on "The Virgin, Saints, and Angels" exhibit.
"We have activities to go with each sin like chair massages for sloth and tango dancers for lust," Deshpande said. This mix will also have a photo booth for vanity, "coveted door prizes" for envy, desserts for gluttony, tours of wrath in art and a penny collage for greed.
While coming up with themes and activities for Mix can be difficult, Deshpande said the most difficult part is advertising and actually getting people in the door. The guild recently decided to offer advertising rights to each organization at Mix that brings five or more of its members.
"It's good for us because people come in and it's good for them because they get recognition, too," Deshpande said. "It's a good way for student organizations to work together."
On Feb. 4, the guild is offering an art appreciation seminar that anyone can attend, said Cline.
"The event is open to anyone who wants to come. We will be giving visitors the basics of how to look at art and just help to make it more approachable."
As a diverse group of students not only interested in art but also the business and community aspects of the Blanton, the guild has several other activities to make art appealing to different types of people.
Art Builds Community takes on several different tasks including reading books about art to children in the library and then participating in activities with them. This semester's community project is a mural at the Texas School for the Deaf.
Moore said a parent arranged for the company he works for, Accenture, to sponsor the mural. Guild students will work together with a commissioned artist and the school's students to paint in the mural.
Be the first to comment on this article!