On Mar. 12, Furman University Student Activities Board called all art majors, hobbyists, and novices alike to take part in a paint-to-the-death mural competition— ok, it wasn’t that intense, but it was high-stakes. 13 students had 72 hours, some paint, a small piece of plywood, and their imaginations to create something truly outstanding that could win over the judges, aka their peers. With no set theme and a world of options, the contest was an open opportunity for student ingenuity, ultimately creating a beautiful sense of freedom amidst a semester of restrictions.
Starting Sunday night, students transcended the monotonous routine of the academic day to instead enter a world where their creative side took front and center. Competitors were free to come and go from J300 — where the paintings were housed over the three-day contest — whenever they pleased, providing the perfect locale for art and relaxation alike. There, the murals quickly came together and by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, when time was called and paintbrushes put down, the room was decorated by a collection of beautiful masterpieces.
The following Friday afternoon all 13 murals were put up on display outside Trone for spectators to peruse. Given the open guidelines, each works’ subject matter provided a different viewing experience — abstract shapes, Furman-themed painting, social commentary, and a multitude of other genres were represented. With the murals laid out open for voting, visitors were given one ticket to carefully cast their vote for their favorite mural. Like most FUSAB events, there were also prizes involved — onlookers could enter themselves in a raffle for one of the several items up for grabs.
When the final voting ultimately ceased and the tickets tallied, the mural winners were announced:
1st- “Hate is Not an Option” by Sophia Schaffer
2nd- “Fragility” Noah Barnes
3rd- “Bell Tower in Purple” by Annie Reigel and “Belinda the Swan” by Izzy Pippen
Win or lose, it is undeniable that the mural competition was overall good for all those involved. Whether you were a student artist whose week was livened by the fun competition and creative outlet or a voter who simply got to enjoy the beautiful works , the activity provided a much-welcomed addition to the daily routine.
Participants:
Grayson Jarrell: “Duality”
Renee Ballou: “My Back Porch”
Elena Gutierrez: “Keep It Simple”
Izzy Pippen: “Belinda The Swan”
Olivia Pulliam: “The Adventures of Sir Omar and His Steed Apollo”
Molly Jennings: “Furman University Christian Knight”
Sophia Schaffer: “Hate Is Not An Option”
Josephine Geraghty: “SV Guppy”
Annie Reigel: “Bell Tower in Purple”
Keldon Hemingway: “The City Eyes”
Noah Barnes: “Fragility”
Sophia Scheibler: “Furman Lake at Sunset”
Nikoleta Testa: “Beyond”
