Every week, the Haggerty Museum of Art opens its doors and art materials to students who are ready to collage, decorate ornaments and participate in various activities on the agenda for Art Club that week.
Art Club was founded around 24 years ago, according to the Haggerty’s curator for academic engagement and Art Club advisor Lynne Shumow. While Shumow assists with gathering materials and coming up with meeting ideas, she said it is a student-run organization. The club meets on Fridays from 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences and College of Education and Art Club President Eric Vacek took over this semester for the last president, Lucy McGovern — a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences — who is currently studying abroad.
“I thought it would be cool to help facilitate the activities… I thought the last president did a really good job,” Vacek said. “I wanted to keep it going with someone who had seen what she had done and knew how to replicate it.”
Last semester, Art Club hosted a variety of meetings with different, unique activities every time. Students could make clay magnets, felt crafts and gratitude cards.
Vacek said art is his hobby and started attending Art Club second semester of his first-year. He said he thought about making an art club at his high school but never did, so when he found one here, it was perfect.
“I just really enjoyed the atmosphere of being provided art materials to work with, because I did not have a lot in my dorm and it was kind of hard to bring them from home,” Vacek said. “It’s really nice because it’s a soft start to the weekend, or a wind-down from the week.”
Vacek said the materials for the meetings come from the Haggerty’s own stash of art supplies, occasionally dipping into the student government fund or the Haggerty’s funding when needed.
Recently, Art Club offered a Stamp Printmaking Workshop, where students learned how to make their own stamps using linoleum blocks. Other events include zine-making, felt crafts and clay magnets. Students are welcome to take their work home after they complete it.
“Some people will bring their own little sketchbook and do that every week, even during other events… some people will sit quietly with their headphones on, some people will go with their friends,” Vacek said. “It’s a good way to get a break from academic work.”
The only visual art-related field of studies Marquette offers is a Graphic Design Minor or a Fine Studio Arts minor, which students can complete in collaboration with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.
“It’s a really cool way to get involved with the art community at Marquette because I’m not necessarily in that academic space,” Vacek said.
Shumow said Art Club is open to all students, regardless of experience.
“You don’t have to be a great artist or anything like that, but just to have an interest in creativity and meeting new people,” Shumow said. “Our club is open to anyone.”
Click here to learn more about Art Club and its upcoming events.
This article was written by Annie Goode. She can be contacted at [email protected]
