Posted November 15, 2020
Even with students back on campus, there are still many who have had a difficult time adapting to the changes caused by the pandemic. The Art Department at UW-River Falls might understand this more than others.
“We aren’t scheduling anything in the gallery (Gallery 101) for this year,” said Eoin Breadon, the department chair. “Other than the bachelor of fine arts thesis exhibits, we haven’t scheduled any outside exhibits and don’t plan to this year.”
This is a change of pace for the department considering it usually brings in regional and national level artists throughout each semester and even world-class artists a couple of times a year. The Walker D. and Helen Bryant Wyman Visiting Professorship is among programs canceled this fall. However, even with these changes students are finding ways to adapt and continue their education in art.
Amanda Herzog, an art major at UWRF with a concentration in printmaking said, “I think that the art professors are doing very well at making sure we still get the same opportunities as we would in a normal semester.”
With online exhibits and somewhat in-person classes, the Art Department has been finding ways to try to help students return to normalcy.
“Well it does have its challenges, it has allowed for some interesting innovations and reassessments of the way we’re doing some of the things we do,” said Breadon. He said he believes that when it’s time to fully open back up the art department will be evolved and stronger than ever.
Herzog said, “From the statistic standpoint it doesn’t look like the virus is going anywhere anytime soon and I think it’s just gonna become our new normal, unfortunately. Hopefully, in the next couple of months to a year, we can finally have a normal class again.”
The article may be found online at https://uwrfjournalism.org/2020/11/art-students-at-uwrf-adapt-to-pandemic-conditions/.