By SAM ELDRIDGE
Staff Writer

Recently, the Athens campus Introduction to Art class took a field trip to the famous Hotel Indigo on Prince Avenue. The Indigo is a part of a larger group of hotels that reflects the local neighborhood activity, wherever they may be built. Since the Indigo is located in Athens, its features are mainly formed by the surrounding art community. The hotel’s exhibit curator, Didi Dunphy, says that the Indigo “reflects the talent of Athens artists.” Dunphy displays exhibits and shows quarterly and works to promote a theme for each time of the year. This quarter’s exhibit, which was shown to the art class, was titled “Wonderland.” Dunphy believes the title to be very appropriate, saying that when picking pieces for the show, she had the thought of “adventure” which is displayed in very “psychedelic works” created by local talent. Dunphy also believed that this type of excitement in a show would bring people in the doors, away from the “dead of January,” the opening month of the exhibit. Although a variety of art forms and styles are displayed at Indigo, Dunphy believes that they all work to “enrich the community” for “art spans the entire world from culture to professions. So why not have a little fun and look good doing it?”
When asked why it was important for the Piedmont students to attend this field trip, Assistant Professor of Art, Brian Hitselberger, had two reasons. Hitselberger said, “There is a philosophical reason and a practical reason. The philosophical reason is to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to something out in the real world. The practical reason is to break the monotony. Students get tired of the same thing every time they meet for a class. It’s fun to get out there and learn something new a different way.” Hitselberger also urges anyone who isn’t in an art class to visit Hotel Indigo as well. “The way they have the exhibit set up is very welcoming. They understand that art gets a bad reputation and they want it to be as enjoyable as it can be, while also trying to sell some work.”
Crystal Underwood, a student in the class said the hotel was “very nice and well organized. The exhibit was fun and colorful and anyone would enjoy it.”