First day of school at Columbia College Chicago

Well, today was my first official day at Columbia College Chicago as a student, although I have been on campus almost every day this week for something or other.

Graduate Seminar is my first class of the year. The first day was supposed to be fairly laid back, with the students just presenting the work that they have been involved with for the past several years, how they got to Columbia, and what they plan to be working on while they are here.

Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb Presenting

However, Judy and Ross (our instructors for the course) had a small surprise. Alex Webb and his wife Rebecca Norris Webb were in town for a show of Alex’s work at Stephen Daiter Gallery and were nice enough to stop by and chat with us / present their work to us.

That’s how our day started. Then we broke for lunch, and we did that early enough that Alex and Rebecca were able to join us. Half the group ate with Rebecca, and the other half had lunch with Alex.

Lunch with Alex Webb

Then it was time to head back and for the next four hours we presented work to each other, and although it is not the work that most of us will be involved with while in the program here, it was nice to see where everyone was coming from.

Then we had a short break, where most of us went back to the Graduate Photo Room, before heading out to the gallery openings that were happening. I went to two of them. I stopped by Alex’s opening first to say hi and take a look at the work in person instead of just on a screen. Although I had seen the work before, there were pieces that I hadn’t, and I made a note to stop by again when things weren’t so busy.

Kelli Connell at Double Life Opening

The other opening I attended was Kelli Connell’s opening of Double Life at Catherine Edelman Gallery. Kelli is a professor at Columbia College Chicago, so there were lots of current students and professors in attendance. I had a nice chat with her about the work.

That was it for me for the evening. It was a long but enjoyable first day.