As part of the ongoing festivities throughout the month for “A Month to Celebrate You,” the Looking Glass Gallery is hosting an ongoing collaborative art project called Sheet Art- Paint It, Wash It Away.
The first of the series of three events where students paint bed sheets was cancelled Monday due to poor weather conditions. Despite these complications, coordinators have high hopes for the next two sessions.
“We invite students to paint or write images or messages that they wanted to rid themselves or cleanse themselves of, so that we can symbolically wash them away.” said Dianna Loughlin, senior art management major and head coordinator of the event.
The paint is then washed off and the stained sheet will be dried and framed.
The project is the first of its kind to take place during the annual Month to Celebrate You festivities. Celebrate You is a venture that takes place on college campuses nationwide as the result of a campaign based on the messages of documentary “Beauty Mark,” a film written by Diana Israel that supports healthy body image.
“When we began to expand the programs we decided that we wanted to deepen the [Celebrate You] events with the arts and specifically the expressive arts.” said Courtney Pearce, co-coordinator of the event who worked on the film with Israel to help get the campaign to colleges.
The Sheet Art project itself is the same concept of self-acceptance and positive body image that the film promotes.
“It’s a great way to share beauty, something you find beautiful about yourself or someone else or what you’re seeing in the world.” Pearce said.
Unlike other events taking place during the month, Sheet Art will create a lasting visual reminder of the healing process.
“Through expressive art, you not only build community, because everyone is involved, but you also build a piece of beauty that the entire campus gets to look at.” Pearce said.
Due to the cancellation of Monday’s event, coordinators are encouraging students to take the extra effort to be a part of the next two instances of the project in the coming weeks.
“Even if you just paint one word or a stripe, we just want as much of the community to participate.” Loughlin said.
With weather permitting, the next two events should take place on Monday, Oct. 8 and Monday, Oct. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. on Sanford Mall.
Story: LOVEY COOPER, A&E Reporter