As Indiana University Kokomo’s Art Gallery intern, Mary Schrock wants people to feel that emotion after attending Polestar, the exhibition she is curating. Drawing from her love of the natural world, she wants people to be inspired to slow down and find themselves.
“I feel that, as an artist, I have the responsibility to make a social change, and I think a big social change right now is to be present,” the Kokomo resident said. “If we could learn to do that, we would be less stressed out, we could focus more, and just be happier. And that’s important to me.”
The exhibit continues through Saturday, March 4 in the Gallery, in the IU Kokomo Library Building, 2300 S. Washington St.
“There is an interactive piece made of stones with words written on them, and you can take a word that means something to you personally, but in turn you have to leave a word that has meaning for someone else,” Schrock explains. “It’s like a living, breathing, exhibit for everyone.”
Above all else, she wants to give people a gift.
“I want to give people the gift of remembering to slow down and notice things again, and be present. For me, nature is my safe place; it’s where I go to slow down. It’s my greatest inspiration for my artwork and it’s also my identity.”
The exhibition is free and open to the public, and free parking is available on campus.
The IU Kokomo Art Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. It is closed Sundays and Fridays.
Please visit the Art Gallery’s website for any additional information, IU Kokomo Art Gallery.
Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.
Story written by Reid Clingenpeel. Reid is a student writer in the Office of Media and Marketing.