Pumpkin carving and costume contests were just a few of the new additions to this year’s Art Bash held over the Halloween weekend. An annual celebration of the visual arts programs at the School of Art + Art History, Art Bash featured a wide array of projects by UF art and art history students. With nearly 500 people in attendance, the event encouraged attendees to participate in the demonstrations, exhibitions and interactive projects from both academic and studio areas.
Visiting Assistant Professor Eleanor Laughlin, and one of the event’s organizers, feels the contests engaged students in a new way that the participants found inspiring. With approximately 20 costume contestants and seven pumpkins, the turnout amongst entries and participants was strong.
“The contests created a venue for students to not only showcase work from within the subsets of their respective departments, but also to come together as a community and to create something directly related to the holiday and the event,” says Laughlin. “There was a great deal of enthusiasm for the contests among viewers.”
Among the attendees this year was Linda Fuchs. She met students and interacted with numerous areas, including WARP students and their giant telephone inflatable. Senior English major Bailey Benningfield also attended this year’s Art Bash for the first time. She was amazed to see what the art students are creating and the vastly different mediums they utilize. Making her way through each building and around the outdoor activities, she viewed everything from the photography exhibits to the still-life exhibits.
“I really enjoyed the print-making station,” says Benningfield. “I got to learn how prints are made, roll a print through the etching press and I got a couple of free ones to hang in my room. They look great, and the work of the students was really impressive! It seems like Art Bash had it all!”
