As I walked up the stairs, my head got level with the second floor, and I could see a uniquely large group of people crowding around the table where so many other clubs have their events. 

Last Thursday, Feb. 15, the Visual Arts Club held a Bad Art Sale.

About 20-25 students were around the area chatting with club members, and checking out different works that students have created, ranging from ceramics, zines, small prints, large prints, buttons and live one-minute portraits. The smaller works ranged from $1-5 while the ceramics were $15. 

There was a large lead-up to the sale as students got the chance to create art as a group in Hunthausen Hall on Feb. 10. The club encouraged students to turn in any work they had, whether it was unfinished, a work in progress or a throwaway. They wanted to have as much to sell as they could; all funds are going to help fund the club’s events and outings. Roughly 15 students turned in work for the event. 

There were intricate prints and small art that might be considered “bad,” but the love for the work was felt, and to see so many different groups of people checking out art at the sale was refreshing.

Fourth-year French and Spanish Double Major Evelyn Rouse, the co-president & co-founder of the club, talked about why artists might be hesitant to have peers view their work. 

“I feel like a lot of artists have ‘bad art’ they don’t show off so it sits around and collects dust, we asked people for their art so we could fundraise for the club,” she said.

She was also happy with the turn-out, even in the first few minutes. 

“There were people interested, I could see when we were setting up, people were looking around reading the sign and now there’s a little swarm of students,” Rouse said.

Ashley Miya is a fourth-year photography major, minoring in studio art, and is the social media manager for the club. She also voiced why the artists should have turned in work even if it was unfinished.

“Artists have different unfinished drafts or what they can see as the preliminary stages of their work but we still want to give an outlet to those voices regardless,” Miya said.

While setting up for the day, she expressed why she was happy, but there were already a bunch of students around at that point.

“Before we even opened people were waiting for us to get our register all set up so now that we do, we should be able to handle it,” Miya said.

Some people were just passing by, but got to be there at the right time to see all the art, and there were others who were there to buy their friend’s art to support them and the club. 

Xena Clarke is a fourth-year management major who was there to support her friend Ashley, and bought out a few of the paintings on the larger canvas.

“My roommate is in visual arts and this is all her art, I just bought it out for me and a couple other of my friends to decorate our places because we love her and we love her art,” Clarke said.

She then went on to describe one of the many paintings she had in her arms, an abstract of two goldfish. 

“An abstract depiction of two goldfish swimming in a pond, it’s very circular, there’s a lot of motion in the painting, lots of blues and greens, it’s gorgeous. I’m giving it away but I claimed too many already so I had to give that one away,” Clarke said.

The club was able to raise over $400 at the sale, a success for them. This money will be able to help the club buy more supplies, hold more events and prepare for their upcoming gallery.