A glimpse into The Eye, Colorado State University’s art club, reveals a community of diverse students putting aside time for creativity. The Eye dedicates itself to being a welcoming space for students interested in art, regardless of their major. No prior education is needed to become part of this hands-on group.

Typically, The Eye hosts studio circles on the first Tuesday evening of every month. Studio circles have themes, allowing students to get creative with the media chosen for each meeting. Whether it’s painting or making zines, participants are able to leave with their new artwork.

“The very nature of creating something really interesting in this visually saturated world, it often does mean that you have to reconnect with material, reconnect with each other (and) … just be together in a low-stakes environment that’s not about perfection but really just experimentation and play,” said Anna Bernhard, The Eye’s faculty adviser.

“It is hard to find those spaces where there’s not as much academic pressure (and) where there’s no grades behind what you’re doing, but it’s still engaging and you can enjoy it without having that pressure of what grade you’re going to get or if you’re going to pass the class.” -Olivia MacLeod, The Eye former president

Materials are usually provided, and many recycled materials are used. No matter how wide someone’s access to supplies may be, those interested are encouraged to join.

“It’s really striking how diverse it is in terms of the students that show up for the studio circles,” Bernard said. “We have students from the College of Natural (Sciences), we have engineering students, we have business students, and I think those students are just looking for a creative outlet.”

Not only does the club provide nonart students with a creative community, but it also offers a safe place for students involved in the art department to engage with what they love.

“It is hard to find those spaces where there’s not as much academic pressure (and) where there’s no grades behind what you’re doing, but it’s still engaging and you can enjoy it without having that pressure of what grade you’re going to get or if you’re going to pass the class,” said Olivia MacLeod, former president of The Eye.

The Eye allows students to get their foot in a door that otherwise might seem difficult to enter. Outside of usual academic coursework, it serves as a low-pressure addition to a student’s schedule.

“I know a lot of people have complaints about the art department, that if you’re not an art major you can’t really get really into any art classes,” said Gabby Reiland, current president of The Eye. “So providing that opportunity for people to still be creative and meet with other creatives (is important), regardless of what you’re pursuing as your major.”

While this club has grown into something very interactive, it started off as just a mere idea. 

“I had a phenomenal student, Katrina Clasen, and she’s the one who started The Eye conceptually,” Bernard said. “She was thinking about doing an arts journal, and that was kind of a core practice, and since then it’s evolved dependent on our student presidents.”

Sprouting from Clasen’s original idea, The Eye became what it is today as a result of the passion of the students attending.

“Freshman year, which was 2021, I wanted to become more involved in the art department, and Cory Seymour connected me with Kat, who used to run The Eye,” MacLeod said. “She kind of started it as her senior thesis project, and we had talked for a while, and then I took over my junior year.”

Studio circles were introduced as a way to further deepen the connections within the club.

“There wasn’t a lot of talking and interacting and conversation happening between disciplines, especially between art history and the studio majors,” MacLeod said. “So I introduced studio circles, where we basically had art supplies and invited people to come do a craft with us.”

It became a place where people could hangout and work on something that did not have to meet rigid expectations. It was a time shared and enjoyed among members.

Once more, the leadership baton was passed on, inviting a new range of ideas to be implemented into the club.

“The most recent presidents were leaving and graduating,” Reiland said. “They were looking for leadership, and I was like, ‘I want to make sure this club continues. I enjoy it, and I don’t want it to fall apart while I’m still at CSU.’ So I wanted to continue what they started.”

Reiland said she is looking forward to the future of The Eye and encouraged interested students to attend the meetings.

“It’s going to be fun,” Reiland said. “Last semester, there were no meetings kind of in that transition period where the old presidents were leaving and I was getting leadership. So I’m just excited to kind of have meetings again. I hope people will come and have fun at them.”

Reach Janaya Stafford at entertainment@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.