By Bryan Sullivan

The walls of the Upton Hall Art Gallery will be taken over by the students of the Art Education Department when the department’s Juried Exhibition begins Feb.18th.

The exhibition, which runs until March 14th, will feature 57 pieces looking at a variety of art forms and issues.

Expanding Our Visual Horizons is the 24th annual art education juried student exhibition.

The exhibition focuses on styles that express the artist. Forms of art in the exhibition include crylic painting, photography, collage and pen and ink.

The exhibition explores issues including divorce, but also looks at the aesthetic of a Japanese Tea Ceremony.

“There are as many ideas and interests as there are artists represented,” said Diane M. Koeppel, assistant professor of museum education. Koeppel teaches a museum education class to graduate students. Koeppel’s students have been learning how to design and install an art exhibition.

“In class we covered a variety of theories about how people learn about art in informal settings such as a gallery,” Koeppel said.

Koeppel worked in museums before coming to Buffalo State College. She believes the exhibition is an excellent teaching tool.

“I am challenged by the idea of creating class work that moves my students, most of whom are also teachers, out of the classroom and into real world situations,” Koeppel said.

“Teaching them the simple art of designing a beautiful and interesting exhibition that was also a showcase for their friends and colleagues seemed ideal.”

Kelly Smaszcz, president of the college’s chapter of New York State Art Teachers Association, coordinated the exhibition. Smaszcz wanted to learn how to run an exhibition.

“I’m going to learn the stages, the processes, showing a show, what kinds of things you have to consider,” Smaszcz said.

The Upton Hall Art Gallery is open Monday to Friday.