Gathered around a table of cheese, crackers and sparkling water was the Oakland University Art and Art History Department showcasing its work on Thursday, Jan. 11. The event was amicably named “At Your Service” as it is the art and art history department exhibiting its work, essentially “at your service” inside the Oakland University Art Gallery.

Each professor who wished to participate was required to create five pieces for the Art Gallery and it was up to Director and Art History Chairman, Dick Goody, to decide which pieces were to be presented at the event. The art ranged from prints, sculptures, designs, videos, photography and landscapes. Around 27 professors participated in the event, including Lynn Galbreath and David Lambert.

Lynn Galbreath, an adjunct assistant professor of art at Oakland University, had two paintings, of Florence and Venice respectively, chosen for the showcase. Galbreath chose these locations because she used to take students overseas and has been to Europe around nine times.

Her creation consisted of oil paint on linen. The closer you get to her painting, the more abstract it became whereas the farther you move away, it became extremely photorealistic. It took Galbreath a couple years to create the painting. In the creation process, she lets her paint drip and run its course. In doing so, it gives the paintings a more impressionist feel.

“Bigger school exhibitions might only show full-time staff, not everyone who wanted to participate [like at Oakland University],” Galbreath said.

As opposed to Galbreath’s paintings, Lambert, lecturer in art and photography, submitted photographs for his part in the program. He had two photographs chosen but his favorite was his creation titled “Herrings and Snag, Huron River Headwaters.”

Lambert’s background is in biology and chemistry which in turn means most of his photographs are about ecological matter. The subject of the two photos chosen by the director, were of snags. Snags are the dead trees in forests or around lakes which help the forest floor decompose. He specifically wishes to glorify them and focus on their beauty and importance that is often overlooked.

“[Snags] are highly important and are signs that a forest is healthy,” Lambert said.

The reception brought together professionals with very different backgrounds within the art field to present their hard work to peers and students.

According to both professors, it is interesting for students to see what their professors do outside of the classroom. Students often forget that professors conduct research and have projects that they present to the university alongside teaching. For many professors, it’s the best way they can stay relevant in their fields.

This program will be available for viewing from Jan. 11 to Feb. 18 in the Oakland University Art Gallery.

“Come see us, come see everything we have to offer,” Lambert stated.