Hanna McCauley; Guest Writer; mccaulha@plu.edu
Pacific Lutheran University’s Gallery is currently featuring a sabbatical exhibition of one of PLU’s own professors. The exhibition, titled “Finding Tacoma: The Changing Faces of the Northwest Environment,”features Associate Professor of Art and Design Bea Geller’s latest work in photography. Geller’s exhibition will take place from March 7 until April 4.
As a member of the PLU community, Geller uses her skills in photography to create change. In fact, Geller was the first woman to be tenured in the Department of Art and Design at PLU and has held her position as a professor of Photography and Digital Imaging for 33 years. When asked about her experiences during her time at PLU, Geller said, “I am fortunate to call my past students colleagues and friends.”
Her photography focuses on the shift in Tacoma’s surrounding areas. “The underlying impetus is to convey the changing atmosphere of our Northwest environment,” she said. The work featured in her exhibition was drawn and completed during her most recent sabbatical.
I couple these images with photos of people and events that I encountered from this journey.
– Bea Geller, Associate, Professor of Art
Geller describes scenes of inspiration that encompass the Northwest, including “the deserted appearance of some areas surrounding our industrial spaces and chemical plants.” Geller focuses on these environmental changes and combines them with photography. While talking about her sabbatical exhibition, Geller states, “I couple these images with photos of people and events that I encountered from this journey.”
To view the exhibition on Tacoma’s environmental changes, visit the University Gallery in Ingram Hall during its hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays or by appointment.
