Ohio Wesleyan’s Ross Art Museum Launches 3D Tour of Current Exhibit
For art lovers feeling a bit deprived these days, Ohio Wesleyan University’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum is serving up a new visual – and virtual – feast.
“In this moment of global change and uncertainty, it is so important to connect to things that bring us inspiration, insight, and joy,” said Erin Fletcher, director of the Ross Art Museum. “Even though the doors to our building are closed, the Ross Museum staff are still at work. We encourage everyone to be safe, stay well, and follow us on Facebook.”
New for the museum’s Facebook friends to enjoy is a 3D tour of its “From the Studio” exhibit, featuring works by Ohio Wesleyan’s fine arts studio faculty. Their creations include works in clay, metal, painting and drawing, fabric, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
The virtual tour, created by assistant director Tammy Wallace in collaboration with Ohio-based Blue Maple Photography, is accessible at www.facebook.com/RossArtMuseum. In addition, the page is featuring individual pieces from the exhibit and from the museum’s permanent collection with more details about each work.
Fletcher, who continues to teach her upper-level “exhibition practice” class via remote learning, said her students will be creating the museum’s first fully virtual exhibit using the Omeka content management system and digital collections from OWU’s Beeghly Library.
“Look for the link on our website by the end of the semester,” Fletcher said. “It will be a great opportunity to see student work and will be a celebration of OWU past and present. I won’t say more until the students get their new assignment – but I’m very excited to share the class’s work with our community.”
In addition, the museum is working toward the virtual launch of an “Adopt an Artwork” webpage, which Fletcher described as “an online porthole where anyone can choose an artwork to sponsor for conservation.”
Fletcher also is working with professor Jim Krehbiel, chair of Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Fine Art, to determine how and when to showcase the creations of the department’s 18 graduating seniors. Typically, the museum’s final show of the academic year is the senior show.
“As things are developing and changing quickly, we are still trying to find the right solution for the senior art show,” Fletcher said. “I hope to have more to share soon.”
Along with the Ross, many other museums around the state, nation, and world are reaching out to share their awe-inspiring images with the public, Fletcher said.
This includes the Ohio Museum Association, which has created a list of online offerings at www.ohiomuseums.org.
“Museums represent our cultural heritage and artists contributing to our culture today,” Fletcher said. “Many are doing an incredible job of offering programming online. I’d encourage everyone to take advantage of these offerings!”
