Outside of Starbucks and the POD market in Hodges Library is a window, commonly referred to as “The Wall,” that is normally painted with bright images of leaders, Smokey or UT’s landmarks, as well as with quotes and information about upcoming events on campus and in the library. Each month, a new image is painted on the space.
This month’s window painting features well-known artist Bob Ross alongside his quote, “There are no mistakes, only happy little accidents.” The painting aims to encourage students as they prepare for their upcoming finals over the next week.
The window painting tradition began after renovations were made to the library in 2012.
A previous painting on the library window, featuring Smokey the dog.
These images are painted by the library’s staff and faculty to help encourage and inspire students or visitors as they walk past the window. The art gives students and visitors some entertainment and also shares knowledge about the library, what’s happening on campus or a historical figure.
Robin Bedenbaugh, who leads the library’s marketing team, came up with the idea of using the window as a form of communication and marketing.
As of now, the library’s faculty and staff have completed the paintings once a month for the past five and a half years. Ingrid Ruffin, the head of the library’s Learning Commons, explained that in the future, the library hopes to find a way to have students get involved with the paintings.
A previous painting on the library window, featuring famous women from Tennessee.
Dean of Libraries Steve Smith and metadata librarian Meredith Hale have both painted the well in the past. The two accredit the project to Ruffin who, as Hale puts it, “is the mastermind of this entire project.”
Hale said that she tries to complete one piece a year on the Wall, and she enjoys painting the space despite some of the area’s challenges, such its slick surface and large size.
Because Hale has a background in art, she is especially intrigued by the window in Hodges.
“As a librarian who studied illustration in my undergraduate studies, I love it when my library world collides with art. Whenever the opportunity arises to have fun developing something visually creative, I take it,” Hale said.
She explained why she finds the Wall to be such a valuable medium for sharing art.
“Painting the window in Hodges is particularly great because it makes the library space both more beautiful and more inviting,” Hale said. I enjoy the initial work of coming up with the idea and composition for the window and hope that the final product also brightens the day of those viewing it.”
Hale will be painting the window again during the upcoming spring semester.
A previous painting on the library window, welcoming Chancellor Plowman
Smith also enjoys doing art in his spare time, and he was invited by Ruffin to contribute. He compares the experience to painting the Rock, just with a window instead of a boulder as the canvas.
Smith explained the benefit of sharing information through the window paintings.
“I think the window is a great way for the Libraries to share messages and communicate with our users. We have a lot of digital signage in the library, and they are great. And we’re all tied to our screens now. So I think having something that’s different, that’s ‘handmade’, so to speak, really appeals to folks,” Smith said.
Smith said that the best part about painting the window is taking time out of the day to be creative.
“My favorite part of the experience was just taking a little time from my workday to do something hands on and creative,” Smith said. “I think creativity is important to providing life balance—we exercise another part of our brain when we are doing art.”
