Dudley Hall's latest art gallery, "Sketch: Drawing Inspiration from the World Around Us," gives students a fresh, new feel to architecture and design projects.
"Sketch" spans 25 years of artists Bruce Dupree's travels and projects.
The estimated 250 works display Dupree's acute attention to even the most mundane details.
"Just different things catch my eye -- water, an architectural element, a curve, a color, an expression and that can all be changed or modified by the mood, attitude or the time you have to spend on something," Dupree said. "I walk by a lot more things than I think to stop and draw."
The exhibit gives students a chance to see the value in sketching. Dupree said sketching is good practice for architecture students because if that particular sketch doesn't work that's fine because they can just tear the sheet out and start something else.
The wide range of pieces makes it possible for the gallery to serve as a means of educating architecture students about not restricting themselves when it comes to their art.
"A lot of students, especially those who are in arts related areas, they need to know about hand skills," Dupree said. "They need to know about drawing, about getting messy. They need to know how a pencil feels in their hand or how colors collide to make other colors and just a sense of craft."
The Friday reception from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. gave students the opportunity to speak with Dupree and get inspiration for new ideas for their own sketch assignments.
"This is very encouraging to get out there and just sketch," said Lauren Prosch, a sophomore in architecture. "Obviously some of the stuff he does is big, some little, some really quick and on the spot. So it's definitely a big part of architecture."
Dupree allows several pieces of his exhibit to contradict the general rules and limitations involved with sketching architecture.
This allows students to tweak or modify the guidelines believed to be set in stone.
"It's very important in developing an idea, you can start sketching an idea, but you need background," said Stephan Brockett, a sophomore in architecture. "It's great to look at examples for someone who can sketch on the spot with such artistic talent."
Dupree was born in Ozark and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama and master's degrees from both Memphis State University and Syracuse University.
After teaching at Samford University for six years, Dupree came to Auburn to teach graphic design and illustration.
He is now a graphic designer with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University.
Dupree's work has been featured in The Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts, as well as Queens' College in Cambridge, England.
The "Sketch" exhibit will be on display in the Dudley Hall gallery until Oct. 4.
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