Winthrop tradition: student talent becomes campus art
Christy Mullins
Issue date: 9/6/06 Section: Arts
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"Sweet Dreams" consists of five powder-coated steel chairs that range in height from eight to 20 feet.
According to McAbee, who continues to teach part-time in Winthrop's School of Art and Design, the chairs have been understood by many viewers as symbols of education, diversity and even unreachable goals.
"I've tried to keep the sculpture open-ended so that there can be many interpretations, but I will admit that most of these interpretations are very close to my own line of thinking," McAbee said.
Much of Winthrop's public art is student-produced, as seen both outdoors and within the several art galleries on campus.
"These pieces illustrate an integral aspect of student accomplishment," said Karen Stock, art history professor at Winthrop. "Art is not something that should be housed only in a museum."
McAbee isn't the only artist on campus who values individual analysis.
Kim Dick plans to graduate from Winthrop next fall with a master of fine arts in sculpture. Her campus installment, "A Stitch in Time," was selected for display during an outdoor sculpting exhibition. Located across from the Rutledge building, "A Stitch in Time" resembles a quilt, but was formed by torch cutting, drilling and welding pieces of metal.
"[These methods are] normally thought of as a man's job, but the collection of the scraps, sewn edge lines and colors are traditionally a woman's work," said Dick. "I did not set out to make a gender responsive statement, but had more of a pushing my own limits idea."
For more information about these and other pieces, visit Winthrop's virtual public art tour at Winthrop.edu/tour/publicart or Doug McAbee's official Web site, Dougmcabee.com.
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