By Kris Brackmann '17
When asked at a Roberts Pavilion Dedication planning committee meeting last spring if CMC’s Student Art Council would like to be involved in the grand opening, I said, “Absolutely, yes.”
In addition to serving as home of CMS Athletics, Roberts Pavilion has so much potential as a CMC gathering place. In reflecting upon the success of the grand opening and Art Council's involvement, I hope to see Roberts Pavilion playing host to more events that tap into the diverse interests of our student body.
Art Council didn't plan much in the spring, other than contacting a few artists to save the date on their calendars. But as soon as Fall classes started, we went into full swing, contacting artists, coordinating musicians to perform, and figuring out logistics for interactive canvas painting.
As attendees entered Roberts Pavilion, they were greeted by an array of musical performances that echoed throughout the building and provided a nice backdrop to people painting upstairs. Kimaya de Silva ’17 and Alex Balin ’20 opened the show with a vocal duet and guitar accompaniment by Balin.
“It was amazing to be connected with such a talented artist at such short notice,” de Silva said. “We enjoyed playing together and hope to do so again in the future.”
For anyone who made it to the start of the event, it may be hard to believe Balin and de Silva met for the first time just days before performing together. Balin had contacted me with his interest and we were able to connect him and de Silva. It just goes to show how much underground talent there is among CMC students.
Up the stairs, attendees walked through the Art Showcase, which featured work created in a variety of mediums submitted by 11 students, the majority CMCers.
“As someone who has taken art classes throughout my time at the other colleges, it’s great to see the work of other students from my own college, a place where art is rarely discussed and almost never displayed,” said one of the artists, Grayson Gunner '17.
Gunner also submitted some of his photography to Art Council’s Art Showcase in the spring. He is one of many CMC students who have been able to show their work through Art Council, a unique opportunity on campus.
Art Council is a fairly new student-run organization at CMC, but we have already made an impression on campus by providing opportunities to students to express their creativity. I am so glad we were able to be a part of the grand opening at Roberts Pavilion and I can't wait to see how CMC takes advantage of the facility in the future.
Kris Brackmann ’17 is a CMC senior majoring in anthropology and psychology. In addition to being a member of the CMS women's basketball team, she is co-president of both the CMC Student Art Council and CMS Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.