SPRING ART EXHIBIT IS A THREE-WAY COLLABORATION

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio— 10 February, 2006 - This exhibit is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the college’s creative writing class, the graphic design classes and a project sponsored by the Poets and Writers League of Greater Cleveland. The exhibit features works created by Notre Dame students, the Poets’ and Writers League and artists from American Institute of Graphic Arts.

The impetus for the show grew from conversations art department chair Rachel Morris had with Poets’ and Writers League executive director, Darlene D. Montonaro during the summer of 2005. The Poets’ and Writers’ League conceived the idea to develop 12 posters featuring poems and images intended for 700 RTA buses in greater Cleveland. The project began with a poetry competition and twelve poems were eventually selected from all the entries then reproduced for the bus posters. The illustrations accompanying the poems were designed by members of the American Institute of Graphic Arts -Cleveland Chapter. Morris saw a set of the 12 posters on a visit to the Poets and Writers League and inquired about their purpose. The project entitled Moving Minds: The Verse and Vision Project was such a success that the Poets’ and Writers’ League held another competition during the fall, 2005 and selected twelve more poems again intended for 700 RTA buses. Morris loved the idea of collaboration with the Poets’ and Writers’ League, faculty and students at Notre Dame.

She presented the idea to both the art and English department faculty and the idea of a springboard exhibit based on the original League concept was born. “It is a three way collaboration,” says Morris. The first set of posters will be displayed in the Performing Arts Center beginning February 2.

Students in Amy Kesegich’s creative writing class are developing a series of short verses that will be critiqued by Dr. Kesegich and sent to Dominic Russo’s graphic design classes for illustration. “We have some very talented and advanced design students who will select a dozen poems to illustrate. They can use any format; illustrations, photos or mixed media to illustrate the poems. It gives the students the opportunity to make creative decisions and collaborate with students in other classes” Morris comments. The poems are designed to compliment the original set of posters from the Poets’ League. It allows these student designers and poets to see the product of their collaboration displayed for public view and it reinforces the importance of collaboration, deadlines and a finished product.

Students often see their course work as assignments to teach a skill, or develop an idea, this venture certainly fulfills course criteria but it also allows them to see what happens when a creative project leaves their hands and is passed to another person in the creative process. “They may be delighted or disappointed to see how the artist interpreted their poems.” But they have input along the way and it gives them a great opportunity to work across disciplines and for a specific outcome.

After Spring break, students, faculty and staff will have a chance to see the finished results. Twelve new posters created by Notre Dame graphic design and creative writing students will hang side by side with the original set from the Poets’ League. To celebrate this collaborative endeavor, a reception and evening of poetry and dramatic readings by faculty, students and invited guest poets is planned for March 14th from 7 to 9 pm. The college and general public are encouraged to attend.