By Matthew Dooley Staff writer
Fifteen Susquehanna students’ photography is to be shown in Williamsport Gallery 425 from March 3 until April 5.
“The photographs were selected from student work over the past several semesters based on images that reflect the theme ‘Learning to See,’” said Gordon Wenzel, adjunct faculty member in the Susquehanna art department.
Wenzel teaches the digital photography class at Susquehanna, during which the featured students originally took these pictures. The photos used in the gallery span from three semesters in his class.
According to Wenzel, under his guidance, the students learned about how “creating an exceptional photograph is… about seeing the world from a unique vantage point and being able to express that visually.”
“A photographer must open their eyes and minds and break down a scene to what is not just obvious or familiar,” he said.
According to Wenzel, Gallery 425 will give the Susquehanna students a new experience.
Wenzel said, “Susquehanna University students have the distinction of being the first to exhibit in this space.”
“The exhibition is meant to display how we as students use our unique viewpoints to create visually compelling images,” senior Jean DeBiasse said.
She added, “Everyone sees the world differently, and through our photographs we can allow others to look through our eyes and see what we see.”
DeBiasse’s photograph will be featured in the upcoming gallery.
Junior Yaling Yu, also featured in the gallery, described her experience with photography.
She said, “When you have your camera on your hands, things are going to look different than what you see outside of a camera lens.”
The exhibit is giving the students a chance to showcase their work and the art department at Susquehanna.
Junior Yu Zha said, “[The gallery is] a good way to demonstrate the quality of Susquehanna’s art education.”
According to the exhibition’s flyer, Judy Olinksy, the gallery owner said, “In partnership with Lycoming Arts, this new space can be used for special art projects done by the regional art professors, public school art teachers and non-profit groups.”
Olinsky also said that she is “very excited to be able to host such exhibitions in our downtown gallery.”
Wenzel is hoping to use the gallery for future student work.
“Gallery 425 intends on using this space exclusively for student and non-profit exhibitions, so hopefully there will be future opportunities,” he said.
For those interested in the gallery, it is open to the public from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and it is located on 425 Market St. in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
