Ingram Library Reopens and Spotlights Students’ Artwork

Abbie Klein

At the beginning of this year on Jan. 18, the third floor of the Ingram Library reopened after a long period of undergoing a remodel. With the reopening of the third floor the UWG Art Gallery was once again open to the school. At the beginning of February, multiple art students at UWG had the privilege of displaying their art in the gallery for the Annual Student Exhibition.

UWG Art Student, Hailey Jackson, was one of the many artists who had work displayed in the gallery. Jackson’s pieces were all centered around things she has struggled with as a student, specifically in her high school career. 

“I focused on topics like how it’s important to know you’re beautiful on the inside, the outside doesn’t show your worth,” said Jackson. “As well as the stress I felt my senior year regarding SAT and college applications, and the addiction to technology people face nowadays.”

Her paintings on display are both self portraits. One shows her standing in front of a wall of flowers and pulling the skin of her abdomen apart like a curtain to show the muscle underneath, showcasing her belief of self-worth and beauty coming from the inside.

Another painting shows Jackson in her room clutching her head in stress while staring at a laptop screen. The rest of the room is cluttered with study tools and other objects important to her such as an SAT textbook, a sketchbook, snacks and headphones. Her idea of the overwhelming stress students feel during testing periods is displayed here with the elements she used in her work. 

“I really love painting topics like these because it allows me to vent some of my thoughts and feelings,” said Jackson. 

The art department at UWG uses opportunities like the student exhibition to share students’ work and jumpstart their career while still in college. 

“UWG has helped my art career so far by bringing to light some new opportunities I didn’t know existed like exhibitions within the school and events with the Carrollton Center of the Arts,” said Jackson. 

The UWG art department consists of not only passionate students but passionate teachers as well. The main goal for art professors at UWG is to grow their student’s skill sets while continuing to inspire and nurture their passion. 

“What I love most about being an art student here is the faculty,” said Jackson. “Pretty much all the professors here want nothing but the best for you and it shows. Whether they give you critiques on how to improve or just push you to try new things. It really helped me broaden as an artist so far.”

To see Jackson’s paintings and other UWG art students’ work, visit the third floor of the Ingram library from now till the end of February. Student art is also displayed at the Vault Gallery in the Wadsworth Auditorium at the Newnan campus.