At times, students forget that professors are not just people who grade papers. The current exhibit in the Dreitzer Gallery in Spingold Theater proves that the lives of the people who teach us day in and day out are interesting beyond what we see in class.

JustArts: Brandeis Faculty/Staff Art Exhibition, sponsored by the Office of the Arts, features original works of art from current and former Brandeis faculty and staff, showcasing what they do in their free time.

Art pieces range from intricate fabric designs to mixed media paintings, sculptures and a multimedia presentation featuring two short films that appeared perpendicular to each other. There was even a children’s book titled The Brie That Brought Sunshine to Chicago by Prof. Martin Levin (POL)—a witty tale describing the journey of French cheese to America.

Other pieces showed off hobbies such as knitting, jewelry and scrapbooking. In an interview with the Justice, Jennifer Wolff ’07, a research specialist and lab manager in the Neuroscience department, said that she was encouraged to submit her knitting and jewelry pieces to the exhibit by a friend who had organized this exhibit in the past. Wolff says that for her, knitting is a hobby that is “fun and soothing.”

Monika Bach Schroeder, assistant director of marketing and communications at the Hiatt Career Center, is a freelance photographer who does portraits and weddings. Every so often, she accompanies non-governmental organizations and international organizations on trips to developing countries to help them document their journey. The exhibit featured photos of children and babies from her first trip to Malawi. The beautiful photos reflected the everyday life in the country and the interesting people who live there.

Some of the most beautiful works in the exhibit were impressionist style paintings by Jane Lin, former budget analyst at the University. Lin wrote in the description about her paintings that when she retired she wanted to focus on her art and her garden, painting Monet-like paintings of her garden. Her paintings are bright and colorful and transport the viewer into a technicolor universe.

One of the more unique pieces in the exhibit was entitled “What Remains” by Prof. Karen Klein (ENG). Klein started her career at Brandeis in 1964 and is now a professor emeritus. She taught literature at Brandeis for 37 years and then made her second career as a modern dancer. “What Remains” depicts a fish skeleton made out of a tree stump and its bark. The very uniquely textured design helps emulate the movement of the fish.

David Weinstein, communications specialist for the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life, got his second grade daughter, Ava, involved in his art. They each create pictures that draw inspiration from her drawings and his photographs. The results are filled with depth and shadow and show off the similarities in light between two types of visual media.

Carla Underwood, exhibition committee member, said in an interview with the Justice that the purpose of the exhibition was to show off the hobbies of faculty and staff. She mentioned how it was nice to see how a “biologist can be an artist.” She enjoys how this exhibition shows the different sides of Brandeis’ faculty and staff.

The exhibit showed how unique art does not have to be made by people who are artists by trade. Art can be made by anyone with a passion for creativity.

The JustArts: Brandeis Faculty/Staff Art Exhibition will be in the Dreitzer Gallery in Spingold Theater through 26.