By Geoffrey Baker & Isabelle Beardsley

On November 6th, the Leepa-Rattner museum was filled with fun from its 5th annual Art Break. The Art Break is an event held for students in order to get them invested in the arts. It offered food, drinks, live music, and a social space with art activities for students to partake in. It was a great way for students to explore the museum, be exposed to all the artwork on campus, and enjoy the many exhibits on display. Music was performed by an SPC student on a small stage by the food area. Since they wanted the event to be enjoyed by only the students, they held the event on a Monday, which is when the museum is closed to the public.

The event had multiple exhibits with numerous pieces on display.  The Leepa-Rattner Museum is celebrating its 15th anniversary with its new exhibit “Fall into Greatness”. The exhibit features artwork of all kinds; some artwork is vibrant and others are earth toned. The exhibit also has a mix of sculptures, rather than just paintings on canvas. The sculptures vary from metal to wood, and some are even made from glass. This exhibit is definitely worth seeing; the variation between the artwork makes it interesting and fun. Another exhibit, Habits and Habitats, contains pieces from Rattner’s painting supplies and his desk. This exhibit is set up in a glass box and has all his supplies laid out on the desk as if he was just working on a painting; it is amazing to see. It also includes drawings and journals from Rattner that offer an inside look into his mind and his thinking.

The Art Break highlighted not only the art, but also the students. During the event, students were able to walk through the various exhibits, like the Florida exhibit, which showcases pieces from artists in Florida, and the permanent exhibits, like the Gallery: Rattner’s Contemporaries in Paris. Autumn, a student that attended to the Art Break said, “I thought it was a great experience and [I] learned a lot about the history of the museum.”

The event also offered an exclusive look at the inner workings of the museum and the exhibits by giving students a tour of the offices and the vault, which holds the museum’s collection of around 6,000 pieces of art. The behind the scenes tour took students downstairs to where the art is stored and curated. Students were shown the step by step process of how art is brought up to the museum to be displayed to the public. Along with storing some of the most precious art pieces, the downstairs level acts as the business part of the museum. The Leepa-Rattner staff works with other museums all across the nation to import exhibits and works for the public to enjoy. 

The event definition succeeded at encouraging student interest in art. Don’t miss out on the next Art Break, or stop by the museum any time to see what it has to offer. Admission is free with a student I.D.