From Nov. 4-11, Tarleton State University College of Liberal and Fine Arts students will host an exhibition of their work at the 4 North Event Center in Comanche.

“While it is in part the work of the Tarleton Art Society, the exhibition is an art department-wide endeavor,” Annalea Nelson, President of the Tarleton Art Society, said. “Any [Art and Digital Media Studies] major can submit work.”

Submissions of professional documented art work can be made to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 18.

“We require professional documentation of the artwork, which means taking the piece to the production room and taking photographs with a mounted camera and contrasting backdrop in place behind the artwork,” Nelson said.

After the deadline, a committee comprising of members of the Tarleton Art Society will review and select several applicants who will have their work displayed in the exhibition.

“As a student is selected, they will receive a detailed email specific to their work of art and its displaying requirements, need-to-remember dates, addresses and contact information,” Nelson said.

If an artist is selected, they are expected to be in Comanche on Friday, Nov. 3, to prepare for the show. Students will be expected to be at the closing reception on Nov. 11 to help take down the show afterwards.

“The most important aspect in submitting work to our show is that the artist be professional,” Nelson said. “We want to be sure that all the students accepted are going to be reliable on the day we hang the show and the day we take down. We are all learning from this experience, and in presenting ourselves as professional artists, we will earn a great deal of hands-on knowledge and earn some credibility along the way. We hope that the artist takes pride in their work so that we can produce a cohesive show full of good representation of our community’s creative talents.”

“My expectations are for our students to gain the invaluable experience of organizing an art exhibition. They will learn the hard work it takes beyond just producing the work, but preparing the space, spotting the work, hanging, press release and reception,” Timothy Harding, Assistant Professor for the Art Department, as well as the Faculty Mentor for the Tarleton Art Society, said. “I’m incredibly excited for them.”

Planning for the Texhibition began when Sloan Northridge, owner of the 4 North Event Center, reached out to Harding during the spring 2017 semester for the use of the center for an art show. Throughout the summer, Nelson discussed with Northridge over the idea, and came up with Texhibition.

“I really want this exhibition to be about the students, and allow them the unique opportunity to form it in their own vision.” Harding explained. “I keep an eye on what is happening and make myself available for consultation whenever needed. I maintain a distance to not inject my voice in their project, but stay close enough to step in if needed.”

Harding hopes that, “this exhibition will be influential in exposing our students to the tasks associated with being a young artist within a growing arts community. Ideally, this will be a moment they can reflect on and recall as the first of many events as they
pursue their careers in the future. Art doesn’t just have to happen in large cosmopolitan cities; perhaps we can inspire and challenge the communities of Stephenville and Comanche as well.”

Nelson, as well as the members of the Art Society, hopes, “that we learn some critical, career-specific knowledge from this experience. While some student artists have professionally displayed their work before, many have not, and their college career and future would benefit greatly from this opportunity. Aside from learning together, we hope that our Tarleton artists will gain some exposure from this event, possibly even make a sale or two. Above all else, we are hoping to have a great time enacting what we have been learning under our supportive professors.”

“Be proud of your hard work and take yourself seriously,” Nelson said. “This show is solely in our hands; no one is requiring this of us. The pressure of a successful show only comes from the level of integrity we hold ourselves to. This means we have to consider ourselves adept, professional and creative young adults.”

Harding said, “I sincerely hope all of our art students, regardless of where they are in their studies, participate. It will be a great experience.”

The exhibition runs from Nov. 4-11, Monday to Thursday 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday to Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The closing reception is Nov. 11, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

4 North Event Center is located at 122 N. Austin St., Comanche, TX.