The love for art is reaching new heights. Haskell Indian Nations University has a variety of art courses that are offered throughout the Fall and Spring semesters. Students are able and encouraged to participate based off the general education requirements in the Humanities and Arts section of a two-year degree checklist. Various courses go beyond this requirement — ceramics, drawing, and painting.
The finished products from all these art courses are displayed on HINU’s campus, but a new platform has the potential to showcase these art pieces. HINU’s Antonio Martinez and David Tittterington, both art instructors for these classes, have decided these students’ talents needed to be shared with more people.
An Instagram page was recently created by Martinez called hinuarts that includes “all things art” for HINU and already has an astonishing 635 followers. This page displays student art pieces themselves, guest indigenous artists that visit campus and HINU alumni art as well. This allows the opportunity to be interactive with current HINU art projects, speakers and students as well as indigenous art throughout the country.
Having the scope focused in on the art can let Instagram views get an inside look of what indigenous art can fully encompass. Some interesting posts illuminate the artists in action working on their pieces. Allowing social media to embark on this realm of HINU’s indigenous art can really demonstrate a better understanding for what indigenous art truly signifies and represents. Art Instructor Titterington says, “Our students are so amazing, and their visions and voices are inspirational and benefit everyone.”
The most recent posts on the Instagram page have been the current Spring 2020 semester students’ unfinished art pieces. Because the university decided to transition into online classes, students were not able to fully complete their artwork. There will be additional upcoming posts that will display students’ artwork as they are sent in to Martinez and Titterington. Even though the separation keeps students away from the studio, productivity of the art is being accomplished. The art and ceramics rooms are at a stand-still, but once the new Fall 2020 semester comes around, they will be filled with our hard-working students and their professors once again.
Featured Image of empty artwork with half finished painting. Photo by Jared Nally.
