Art works collected with the Gazette's help over the past
     15 years will be on display in UW's gallery starting next
     week.
 
          The Gazette Student Art Collection is finally big
     enough to more than fill the Modern Languages gallery, where
     selections from the collection will be on show to mark its
     15th anniversary.
 
          The curator of UW's art gallery, Joe Wyatt, is busy
     tracking down the artists and inviting them to be at an
     informal opening reception, scheduled for October 29 at 4
     p.m.
 
          The Gazette Student Art Collection isn't well known on
     campus, although we're proud of it.  It's the only part of
     the university-wide art collection that is steadily growing
     -- 62 paintings, drawings and other items have been added
     over the years.
 
          The project started small.  In July 1977 the Gazette
     decided to set aside some of the money brought in by its
     "Unclassified" advertising column to buy works of art by
     fine arts students -- usually chosen from the annual
     exhibition by graduating students.  That first year the
     newspaper purchased three pieces of art.
 
          Since 1977, the Gazette has paid $16,221 to student
     artists to buy their works, the records show.
 
          And the purchases continue, as each "Unclassified" ad
     in the Gazette means another $1.50 in the art fund. The
     other half of the advertising revenue goes into the
     newspaper's own printing budget.
 
          The artworks become part of UW's permanent art
     collection and bears a permanent label indicating title,
     artist's name and date of purchase from the Gazette Student
     Art Fund. Usually they can be spotted hanging on the walls
     of departmental offices around campus.
 
          None of the works in the collection so far represent
     the early art of somebody who's become a household name. But
     there's still hope, and meanwhile the collection does
     reflect young artists who've gone on to many kinds of
     success.
 
          Some have earned master's degrees in art, some are
     teachers in high schools, some are heads of art departments,
     some have done unusual things such as taking a PhD in
     English or a Masters in mathematics, and others are
     practising artists.
 
          Local artist David Hunsberger shows his work across
     Canada while Liz LePage has just received a Canada Council B
     grant and has her work at the Nancy Poole Gallery in
     Toronto. And Denis Bolohan, UW's former fine arts
     technician, shows extensively and wins ice sculpting
     competitions.
 
          "Any graduating show varies from year to year," says
     Wyatt who came in January to be the curator of UW's three
     art galleries.  The collection contains many media and is,
     he says, "too diverse, too uneven, to give a simplistic
     overview. . . . When dealing with graduate students'
     artwork, you can't read where the students will be in ten
     years' time. . . .
 
          "The whole purpose of the Gazette Collection is to add
     to the fabric of campus life. It's a good opportunity for
     graduating students to have their work recognized.  The
     works are displayed across campus for the enjoyment and
     appreciation of faculty and students."
 
          At one time the Gazette staff took a direct role in
     choosing artworks to be acquired, but in 1985 Gazette handed
     the fund over to the fine arts department. The department
     now manages the fund and selects the works of their most
     accomplished graduating students (or ex-students within a
     year of graduation or departure from UW).
 
          Long-time fine arts professor and former chair of the
     department Art Green says the Gazette Collection "is quite
     representative of the students UW attracts . . . but it
     doesn't replicate what is happening in Canadian art." The
     emphasis in the early years was on drawing.
 
          "It's generous of the Gazette," he adds. "The money is
     well spent. It's used to add to the general art collection.
     Without it, it would have been difficult to buy that much
     original art. It may have encouraged some students to
     continue" with their art work.