As students, with paintbrushes in their hands, looked at blank canvases, members of the (CCF) asked, “Where do you see beauty in the world?” and “How do humans contribute to or detract from that beauty?”
The 24 participants in the Open Canvas event, sponsored by CCF, were invited to reflect on those questions and through painting, respond.
“It was open to interpretation in order to encourage personal, original work,” explained Angela Mesko ’09, a CCF member and the Open Canvas organizer.
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| The IJʿ Christian Fellowship asked students to paint their visions of beauty on canvas. The Open Canvas artwork is on display at The Barge until the end of February. (Photo by Andy Daddio) |
Typically, artistic events such as Open Canvas encourage self-expression through writing or spoken word performance. Mesko hoped that by giving students an “open canvas,” they would be able to visualize a deeper level of beauty — beyond the surface — to develop a different way of viewing the world.
“That in itself can be a religious experience,” said Mesko. “It may not necessarily be part of a specific religion, but it is still spiritual on a deeper level.”
Encouraging a fresh religious perspective is a common goal of CCF. The proclaimed vision states, “Students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed.”
This is usually accomplished through weekly meetings, philanthropy events, and the distribution of hot chocolate on the Academic Quad on Fridays.
Open Canvas provided CCF with the opportunity to expand its outreach beyond the IJʿ campus.
As the resulting artwork now hangs on the brick walls of , the IJʿ-owned coffeehouse in downtown Hamilton, through the end of February, visitors have the opportunity to appreciate the creative efforts and inspiring vision of IJʿ students.
“We wanted the members of the Hamilton community to be able to participate in the results of this project, read the artist statements, and understand the works,” said Mesko.