A painter’s talent doesn’t stop at the canvas.
University painting and drawing students gathered Tuesday to relax and participate in an age-old Halloween tradition – pumpkin carving.
“It was just a random thought we had,” said Leslie Charleville, studio art senior. “We wanted to do something fun to get out of the studio for a little bit.”
Charleville said she wanted to bring a better sense of community to the painters.
“We work so hard all the time, so this is something different for us,” Charleville said.
Charleville and others set up a table in front of the studio, which faces the University’s Sculpture Garden.
This is the first year this event has been organized by the group. There are no rules or regulations.
“If someone wanted to put boobs on their pumpkin, I’m sure that would be fine,” Charleville said.
The event was open to all. Posters were put around campus, mainly in the art buildings.
While many people yearning to carve pumpkins create sneering jack-o’-lanterns, the art students created pumpkins depicting Yoda, Ninja Turtles and Dr. Who.
Mikelyn Matthews, studio art senior, carved a mask around the eyes of Michelangelo, one of the Ninja Turtles.
“He is my favorite ninja turtle,” Matthews said.
The entire carving took her about 20 minutes.
Buckets of mutilated pumpkin waste sat on the table surrounded by students and pumpkin seeds.
The pumpkins – brought with labor from New Roads – were a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and appendages.
“I saw the nasty mold stuff and lumps that looked like tumors on a burnt face,” said Emily Randall, studio art senior. “I thought it would be a good ‘Pumpkin of Notre Dame.'”
—–Contact Ashley Norsworthy at [email protected]