Writing term papers, studying for finals and trying to figure out what to get your family for the holiday seasons can be very stressful. When considering a different method to detox, check out the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, where its newest exhibition from student artists, Small and Flat: Work Within Limits, is on view.

The title comes from the restrictions each artist had to use in order for their pieces to be considered for this show. Paintings and other hand-drawn media had to be under a certain frame size, while photography and other digital media were limited to another. Each piece was up for winning a prize from juror Greg Bell of 4Culture, an organization dedicated to preserving artistic and cultural programs throughout the greater King County area.

The works were created by students of all different specialties within the School of Art at the UW, and were dynamic, inquisitive and full of originality. Although a majority of the art submitted was from students in the School of Art, there are some pieces from students in unrelated fields — for example, there is a piece by a bioengineering student.

The artistic dynamics presented in the exhibition are expansive. There are small intricate figure etchings from artist Taisha Atkin who won a Greg Bell Honorary Mention. Artist Chris Layman displays a dilapidated ceramic chicken that, in turn, presents a large mural of a face painted multiple times, entitled “Self Portrait.” There are some interesting non-traditional pieces like the metal choker by Dorothy Cheng — the collar is made out of human hair (presumably the artist’s own).

A large detailed sketch of the ocean waves, a threaded frame twined around an abstracted sketch and oddly shaped rings made out of coffee filters combined with a molding medium showcase the various artists abilities to create work both lovely and new.

The point of this collaboration is not only to reward unique and hard working artists, but to recognize the art students, not only here at the UW, but beyond the campus and into the Seattle community. While working with representatives and jurors from 4Culture, the students were able to meet with other artists and collectors from around the area and talk about their art.

When looking for a mental recess from all that cramming and writing, the Small and Flat exhibition in the Jacob Lawrence Gallery in the Art Building is the perfect way to not only take a break from the books but also view some creative and thoughtful artwork created by your fellow schoolmates. Who knows, one of these students might become a famous artist and you could say “I saw his/her first piece at my college.”

— Ben Schock