By Erianne Lewis | Arts and Life Editor
Rooted in Fashion is a month-long exhibition that will appear in the garden level of Moody Memorial Library beginning Nov. 15. The exhibit is a project created by students in a visual merchandising class in the apparel merchandising department.
There will be a grand opening event from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Monday, where students can speak with faculty members about their work.
Boulder, Colo., senior Avery Ortiz-Hunt said the fashion exhibit is a way to showcase some of the incredible, talented professors Baylor has to offer.
“Throughout this exhibit, you are able to really see how our faculty is just incredibly impressive and we are so appreciative to be learning from them,” Ortiz-Hunt said. “We have so many amazing pieces that we are able to show off from our faculty and it really just dives into their design experience and their art experience. I think it exceptionally shows us current students, but also prospective students, how important and how rare it is for us to have phenomenally talented and gifted faculty members.”
Tyler senior Anna Negem said Baylor does a great job of celebrating its students, but this event transfers the attention over to the faculty members.
“I think this is such an awesome way that we can, as students, give back and say, ‘We are so lucky to have such talented and amazing design and merchandising professors,’” Negem said. “I’ve seen a lot of the designs that they’ve done, and they are spectacular.”
Negem said the theme for the exhibit was carefully crafted based on a concept attempting to unify all the works from various professors.
“We came up with this garden theme to kind of showcase how, whenever you think of a garden, you think of unique flowers and plants and birds and bees and all of that coming together to create one beautiful thing, even though they are all different,” Negem said. “I’m just excited to see it all come together since we have been working on it all semester.”
Lecturer Jane Jarrell, a visual merchandising professor, was a spearhead of the exhibit, according to her students. Jarrell said her role was to guide students and encourage their ideas throughout the process and she is excited to see it all come to fruition.
“I am looking forward to seeing how the students respond to having an opportunity to work with such talented professors,” Jarrell said. “I have enjoyed getting to do hands-on work alongside the students. It offers a chance to get to know each student personally. Baylor has some amazingly talented students.”
Jarrell said this event provides an exclusive look at design through a Baylor lens.
“Attending our event will give the attendee a glimpse inside the world of design,” Jarrell said. “It truly is an invitation to see professors’ style, artistic talent and brilliance.”
Ortiz-Hunt said she is most looking forward to hearing the inspiration behind the designs.
“I have seen all of [the designs], however, having the actual faculty there on that actual night I feel is something so special,” Ortiz-Hunt said. “Being able to ask them questions, ask them why certain pieces are so important to them … I think that it will be an entire launch of all of these creative ideas that will just be inspiring.”
Dr. Sheri Dragoo, interim dean and professor in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences and chair of the human sciences and design department, said the library staff has been a tremendous help with planning the details and sharing their space.
Ortiz-Hunt said she would urge the Baylor community to come out and experience this unique Baylor event.
“If you are a Baylor student, then it doesn’t get more Baylor than this,” Ortiz-Hunt said. “We have a faculty-student collaboration in this major art exhibit that just shows really what type of work that we all put into the classroom and what we get out of it. So, if that doesn’t prove the Baylor spirit of being a community and really showcasing what we are learning on a daily basis and who we are learning from, then I don’t know what does.”
