Patricia Nelson stood in the back room of Art and Journalism Building Room 123, dipping her gloved hands in a tub of sulfuric acid. Her yellow latex gloves and tattered denim shirt showed the wear and tear that comes with working as a metalsmith nearly seven days a week.
Her hard work does not go unnoticed. Her work is displayed in the renovated Atrium Gallery. The “Three Plus One” exhibit showcases the work of four recognized women metalsmiths.
Tomorrow at 4 p.m., all of the artists will be at the Atrium talking with visitors about their work. President Jo Ann Gora will also be there to speak.
Mary Lee Hu, one featured artist, submitted work from her personal collection. Through the pieces, she showcases her evolution as an artist. She submitted various pieces that deal with wire twining.
“Pat was the one that came up with the idea of showing work that shows the changes we have been through with our career,” Hu said.
Nelson knows a bit about change.
As she grew up, Nelson wanted to be a fashion designer. Once she started taking art classes in high school, she changed her focus. She left college with a nursing degree but continued to produce art as she worked as a registered nurse. She went back to school and earned a degree in metalsmithing from the University of Washington. After graduation, she moved to Muncie.
“Since then, I’ve been rooted here at Ball State in the program,” Nelson said. “Well, we changed buildings in 2001, but other than that, I’ve been in the same place.”
Nelson came to Ball State more than 30 years ago and has been the only metalsmith instructor since the early 80s.
“I accepted the job for the fabulous Indiana weather, obviously,” Nelson said. “But really, it was a great opportunity, and I didn’t want to pass it up.”
For more than 60 semesters, Nelson has watched every metalsmith major come and go through her classes and watched how metalsmithing has changed over time.
For students, Nelson is more than an instructor.
As she dipped her hands into the tubs of chemicals, she explained the process to Noelle Wiegand, a sophomore metals major. Wiegand followed her lead, dipping insect wings made of aluminum.
“She’s always around to help us out if we need it, even on weekends,” Wiegand said. “This is only my first class with her, but I am excited to take more. She has a really good bond with the older metal majors, and I can tell it’s a great program.”
The show is the first of an annual series to show the multiple concentrations offered by the School of Art, said Thomas Riesing, director of the School of Art.
“We recently changed the art program’s name to the School of Art, which is more descriptive,” Riesing said.
This exhibit is the first of 11 that will showcase and publicize the programs available through the School Of Art. Nelson was a no-brainer to start off the show, Riesing said.
“As someone who has been with us for over 30 years, she is a great representation of the School of Art,” he said.
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