Kwantlen Art Collective Re-Launches After Brief Hiatus
After several months of inactivity, the Kwantlen Art Collective has begun holding meetings again. The collective’s new president, Kia Eriksson, says she is proud to offer new and experienced art students at KPU a chance to meet up and hone their craft.
In the past, the collective has held a number of high-profile events such as movie screenings, drawing nights, and city-wide pop-up art shows. They also regularly hold exhibits that showcase the work of their members on KPU campuses.
The first meeting of the revitalized Kwantlen Art Collective took place on March 13 in the Spruce building on KPU’s Surrey campus.
The goal of the meeting was to begin establishing the club’s priorities and to choose a vice president and treasurer. Afterward, the attendees of the meeting discussed future projects and field trips, as well as how to promote art pieces and art creation.
Eriksson hopes that the members of the art collective will feel safe and secure while attending classes and furthering their passion for art at KPU.
“It is important to have a support system,” she says. “When you’re initially starting out, you don’t know what to do, so it’s good to have some peers to help out.”
Currently, the Kwantlen Art Collective only has a small tableful of members. As the school year progresses, Eriksson is hoping to expand the collective, especially with new students arriving throughout the year. She also hopes to attract “anybody who is enthusiastic about art and wants to practise their craft” to join the collective.
“I’m also happy with people who just arrive once and awhile, but a core group of people would be preferred,” she adds.
Maintaining a dialogue between art students is an important aspect of the group. Through dialogue, different issues surrounding art and freedom of expression can be discussed at club meetings.
The history of art, the metaphoric and symbolic meanings behind different paintings, what can be classified as an art film, and what motivates artists to go beyond the ordinary are all highlights of the Kwantlen Art Collective’s discussions. While conversations will be a main part of their activities, embarking on art exhibitions, as well as exploring the rich history of some of the greatest artists around the world, will also be on their agendas.
KPU students with artistic inclinations who wish to express themselves through their work can join the Kwantlen Art Collective by attending Wednesday meetings in Spruce 152 or by visiting the Facebook page.
