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Marie Luther finds beauty in her surroundings. As an accounting clerk in the College of Visual Performing Arts’ Office of Budget and Operations, she’s inspired by the little things that go unnoticed around campus, like the specific architecture of the Syracuse University’s buildings.

“When I came to the university, my whole world of artistic expression opened up,” Luther said. “I now had access to metalworking, ceramics, sculpture, glass and more!”

Luther’s glasswork piece “Two Water Lilies” is currently displayed in Syracuse’s Everson Museum of Art as part of the 50th anniversary of “On My Own Time,” a program that showcases the artistic talents of locally employed individuals who explore art “on their own time.”

According to the CNY Arts website, the exhibit “links the business and cultural sectors of Central New York to spotlight amateur artists, promote an appreciation of visual arts and recognize creativity in the workforce.” It was founded in 1974 by CNY Arts in collaboration with the Everson.

Steffi Chappell, assistant curator at the Everson, hopes the exhibit can inspire a new group of artists in the central New York community. She said the “On My Own Time” displays show people they don’t have to be full-time artists to express their creativity.

“‘On My Own Time’ provides a venue for members of our community to show off their creative skills to their coworkers in a way they might otherwise not have the chance to do,” Chappell said.

SU has been an instrumental part of “On My Own Time,” with over 1,800 faculty members participating in the exhibit since 1982.

Traditionally, before being judged by the Everson, the art of those who participate in the program is spotlighted at their place of work. Last spring, Hendricks Chapel hosted an on-campus showing of 34 pieces by 17 of SU’s faculty and staff members.

Cassandra Roshu | Photo Editor

Aiming to inspire new artists in the Syracuse community, ‘On My Own Time’ shows that it’s possible to be creative without being a full-time artist. The Everson provides a venue for this work to be displayed to the public.
Cassandra Roshu | Photo Editor

Margaret Voss, an associate professor of nutrition and food studies at Falk College and creator of the jewelry piece “A Rococo Homage,” is one of the artists featured in Hendricks Chapel.

“Art is a means of communication, intended to be shared and appreciated by others,” Voss said. “For those of us who aren’t professional artists, displaying our work in Hendricks Chapel provides an outlet to share this aspect of our lives. The joy it brings to those who see it also sustains the artist’s spirit.”

Voss recalled the Honors Award ceremony in 2016, which featured one of her paintings. While waiting for the ceremony to begin, some of her students discovered one of her paintings and took the chance to snap a few photos of it.

“Those pictures mark a special moment in their life journey, and I cherish the fact that they admired my work enough to include it,” Voss said.

Voss and Luther are among six artists recognized from SU and selected to display their creations at this year’s 50th-anniversary final exhibition. Of the six, five artists were chosen by CNY Arts judges while the other, Marie Butler, was nominated by members of the SU community. Butler also won the People’s Choice Award.

Austine Emifoniye, a graduate assistant in VPA, prioritizes creating art outside of his work routine. In his eyes, art is recreational and an activity that brings the perfect amount of intensity to his life without putting pressure on his well-being.

Exhibiting his metalwork piece “Royal Procession” in Hendricks Chapel provided an opportunity to show another side of himself as a creative person; an identity that is further aided by SU’s environment.

“Seeing my artwork at the Everson Museum in exhibition is like a crown on my creative efforts, as it provides a window for a wider audience in upstate New York,” Emifoniye said.

Published on October 22, 2023 at 8:58 pm