The Christine Price Gallery of the Fine Arts Center offers a creative space for every student.

The Christine Price Gallery of the Fine Arts Center at VTSU Castleton has always created a welcoming and creative environment for students, faculty, visitors and the Castleton community alike.  

The space is ever-changing and vital to showcasing the current works of students. The gallery regularly morphs exhibitions from paintings, sculptures, mixed media, fashion and more.  

The space is well-traveled, and passersby will often stop to appreciate the creations. Many students, however, are unaware of the history of the gallery.  

Christine Price was a beloved Castleton resident and published author and illustrator. Her artwork and writing were heavily influenced by her travels to Africa in the 70’s and ancient cultures. Her drawings beautifully capture the essence of people, often depicted in organic movement. Her research, travel, and passion for the fine arts is inspiring to say the least.  

The intent for the Christine Price Gallery is just that: to inspire.  

Price’s final work was her book, “Dance on the Dusty Earth,” emphasizing the beauty of dance in primitive cultures around the world. A copy sits in the office of Oliver Schemm, art professor and director of Fine Arts at VTSU Castleton. Inside the cover is a written note from Price herself, gifting the book to Schemm’s grandmother in 1979, just a year before Price’s passing. Schemm’s goal is to keep the gallery a place that continues Price’s legacy.  

“I really try to showcase the talents of Castleton,” he said.  

Schemm reflects on the transition to showcasing student work rather than featuring solo shows by local artists. Treating the gallery as a communal space has helped to give light to the current projects of students in various departments of the Fine Arts Center, he said.  

It also encourages and inspires students to take more art classes.  

Schemm claims that there has been a correlation between students outside of the Fine Arts program being inspired by projects and then signing up for those classes.  

“There was one semester I had a bunch of nursing majors for that reason,” Schemm said.  

Schemm’s outreach extends beyond the gallery, simply out of passion for creating dynamic space among the Castleton campus. From the sculptures hanging in the Student Center, to the experimental light projects in the Calvin Coolidge Library, the overall goal is for students to have pride in their work.  

Azure Wood, now a student at Maine College of Art and Design, was a part of the fine arts community through the early college program the 23’-24’ school year.  

Wood participated in the Arts Institute on the Castleton campus through the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont and was later presented with a Congressional Art award by U.S. Representative Becca Balint.  

“It’s always cool to see your art exhibited among so many types of mediums,” Wood said.  

In her speech that year, Balint emphasized the importance of the arts. Specifically, her efforts to make art therapy more accessible. Wood claims art therapy is what her current pursuit is in her studies.  

“Art in its simplest form is about connection, so I’m not surprised I’ve made such great connections at these programs and spaces,” said Wood.  

Other students also feel this sentiment towards the Christine Price Gallery. Emerson Jolliffe, who is graduating this spring, will miss the space and keeping up to date with the projects of other fine art students.  

“As cliche as it is, it feels like home. It genuinely does,” Jolliffe said.  

Jolliffe said she will cherish the memories the gallery holds, including just sitting and talking with friends.  

Overall, the Christine Price Gallery clearly holds great importance to the community. The effort the students and faculty put into making it a captivating space does not go unnoticed.  

“I really feel strongly that a dynamic space can and will create dynamic thoughts,” Schemm said.