Art student Olivia Krueger and Dean Barratt.

At the end of spring semester, the Department of Fine Arts and Art History used Classroom 102, their student-run gallery, to exhibit the work of our budding artists.

I was particularly impressed with the work of art student Olivia Krueger, who used a cement pillar as a canvas for her work. She covered the pillar with receipts collected randomly from her roommates, students at other universities, and her own wallet. The resulting exhibition is a fascinating reflection of, and comment on, our big and small purchases and transactions where no money was exchanged. Her installation won third place in the Fine Arts and Art History Department’s 2010 Annual Award Show.

I was so taken with Olivia’s project that I invited her to display her piece on the pillar in Columbian College’s main office for the summer. It is a provocative piece that has inspired a variety of interesting responses in its first few days of installation. I’m proud to say that I participated in the creative process and contributed a handful of my own receipts as Olivia reassembled the piece. I love this unique update to our office—please stop by Phillips Hall, suite 212, to see it.