A photography student is putting the finishing touches of her final student exhibition, opening Nov. 15th in the Harris Fine Arts Center in gallery 303.
Stephanie Jarstad, 24, a senior photography student, enjoys the art of photography and calls it her passion.
Her final exhibit, entitled, “Innocent eyes,” is filled with portraits of blind individuals, and photographs portraying what they view as beautiful with their other senses.
“There’s value in seeing through other people’s eyes and other people’s perspectives,” Jarstad said.
She explained that people are often overloaded with visual images, and there starts to become a trite concept of what beauty is. Jarstad wanted to take on this special project to experience beauty through individuals who can’t see through their eyes, and show others there’s beauty in everything.
Jarstad currently has an exhibit entitled, “To grow old with you,” in the family history section, level two, of the library. This exhibit is open now until Nov. 30th.
In this exhibit, Jarstad captured photos of older married couples outside the temple, who have grown old together, and spent much of their lifetimes together.
“Their love is the purest form,” Jarstad said.
Jarstad explained that she wanted to photograph couples who had been through life’s difficulties together, and were still madly in love.
Roger Layton, a library administrator, discussed the importance of having positive art with so much negativity in the world today.
“People smile when they talk about this new exhibit. I think it gives them hope,” Layton said.
Christiane Ramsey, the fine arts librarian, helps students through the process of getting their art work displayed in the library.
Students wishing to have their work displayed need to submit a proposal, and then the Arts in the Library Program committee reviews proposals, and then selects students whose work they feel will inspire others, and serve the mission of the program.
“Stephanie is a great photography student…supporting her work is really important,” Ramsey said.
Upon graduation, Jarstad wants to work as a commercial photographer in Seattle and expand her current business photographing weddings, couples and families.
Jarstad is having an opening reception on Nov. 16th at 7:00 p.m. in the foyer of gallery 303 in the HFAC. Students are encouraged to attend and check out the new exhibit.
Jarstad’s current exhibit, “To grow old with you” will be open until the end of the month in the library, and “Innocent eyes” will open Nov. 15th, in the HFAC, and stay open until Nov. 29th.
