SRU banner project draws inspiration from Colombia
Chloe Matrascia, a junior art education major from Pittsburgh, works on her banner. Photo by Maizee Zaccone, English major from Butler.
Sept. 21, 2016
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Traditions. Slippery Rock University is steeped in them. From saying hello to everyone you pass on campus to green and white Fridays to firing the cannon following an SRU touchdown and rubbing "the rock" for good luck, SRU is heavy with time-honored customs.
Beginning in 2010, SRU art students added to the University's list of rituals by waving farewell to the summer season with the hanging of handcrafted banners across campus.
While these banners have typically displayed autumnal images, Barbara Westman, associate professor of fiber art and printmaking, and her students have chosen to "pumpkin" spice up the six-year old project.
According to Westman, this year's theme, "Global Cultures," will add some zest and youth to the project as students weave the colors and expressions of the South American nation of Colombia into the fiber of their banners.
"It is always a positive experience being able to introduce new things at SRU," said Westman. "Being originally from Poland myself, the opportunity to expose other cultures here on campus was very near and dear to my heart."
Westman says she decided on Colombia as this year's theme in honor of Melissa Teodoro, associate professor of dance and a Colombian native. Teodoro contributed to the project by speaking to Westman's students about her native land; however, the design of each banner was based upon the artistic interpretation of the information by the student artist.
"I see Colombia as a celebration," said Chloe Matrascia, a junior art education major from Pittsburgh. "Everything is centered around community and color, and these things are what inspired me as I painted."
Matrascia's banner, which depicts a festival dancer in traditional garb, incorporates vibrant reds and yellows, which are also familiar shades of a Pennsylvania autumn. Other banners feature soft flowers, elaborate costumes and mesmerizing patterns to exhibit the South American emphasis on intense and beautiful colors.
The banners will adorn the lampposts along the pathway between the Quad and Art Building.
"I think this project has taken us all beyond Slippery Rock, and I fully intend to continue the theme next year," said Westman.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maizee Zaccone | 724.738.2091 | mxz1016@sru.edu