Mesa Campus Artful Awakening

There are times while traversing the Mesa campus that I see true expressions of the creative souls of its students, either in passing or within the class environment, but I see very little of it displayed for public enjoyment as it should be. Mesa College has a dizzying number of talented students bursting with creative and artistic ideas, be they paintings, sculptures, music, drama, or otherwise. I propose that we embrace the creative side of our campus and allow it to blossom for all to see.

You will find attached a series of images illustrating one example of how Mesa College might accomplish this. I suggest that we begin by erecting students' art at each of the entrances to the campus, indicating to our students and visitors that they are entering a place of creative and intellectual freedom and progress. These will help to set the tone of the experiences our campus' inhabitants will have within its boundaries. Even for those who exit the campus, these monuments will be a marvel to look upon, instilling within them the desire to return. I feel that by following the example of UCSD and their arrangement with the Stuart Foundation and other organizations, we could effectively express the true soul of our great campus and of the students who make it so. Upon completion of the first stage, I believe the next step would be a more progressive one, embracing the ideals of artists like Barry McGee & Margaret Kilgallen who see true art in that which we, in passing, perceive as benign. By internalizing this ideal and expressing it within our campus, it would serve as a lesson to passers by to slow down and pay attention to their surroundings – to see the beauty inherent in all things.

By the end of this movement of expression at Mesa College, I believe our campus will attract many more students as well as funding for general improvement of facilities by proving to the public that we are a campus of worth housing students of genuine and exceptional quality.

by Ed Stroh