By Jodi Westrick
Special to the Collegian

Allison Streett did not expect to do any sculpting while in college. In fact, she had never been a sculptor until she stepped onto campus.

Luckily for the art department, she found her niche among the clay and solid figures in the sculpting studios. Today, Streett has managed to earn herself recognition among the top young sculptors in the nation.

“The environment at Hillsdale was very nurturing. I found inspiration from the other students around me and found an atmosphere that was very conducive to being artistic,” Streett said.
“The experience here was different from going to an art school, but in a good way.”

Along with Streett, the art department has produced several other top sculptors. Each year, the National Sculpture Competition is held to recognize the outstanding, upcoming sculptors across the nation. From many applications, ten sculptors are chosen to compete in a competition. Out of the ten chosen, four were Hillsdale College graduates. During the first week of June, these four alumni, Kayb Carpenter, ’97, Sarah Hempel, ’00, Carolyn Manto, ’01, and Streett, ’02, went to Old Lyme, Conn., to participate in the competition. They were given 28 hours to complete their sculptures of a human figure and were then judged. Out of the ten sculptors there, Manto was given first place and Carpenter third.

Anthony Frudakis, professor of art, spoke highly of these artists, saying, “It’s always exciting when I see a student who is willing to commit themselves completely to an artistic pursuit.
That’s what those four students did. They are very talented, intelligent, hard-working people.
There’s no magic beyond that.”

“The art department at Hillsdale was interested in uplifting the whole department, whereas art schools are very one-person focused and are extremely competitive,” Hempel said . “The experience we had at Hillsdale helped make the whole competition more enjoyable and less stressful. We would give each other advice and had an overall sense of camaraderie. I think the other people there noticed and it helped relieve their stress as well.”

After their time spent at the competition, each went on to pursue their art in different ways.
Carpenter is currently teaching sculpture and English in China for at least a year. Hempel now has her own studio in Frederick, Md. She works on over-life-size marble figures of Joseph and the Virgin Mary. Manto can be found in Florence, Italy, studying sculpture at the Florence Academy of Art. Recently, Streett found out she had been accepted to Yale’s master program of religions and the arts. She plans to focus her study on the Sacred Arts. She currently is apprenticing with Frudakis and can be found sculpting in the art studio at Sage Center for the Arts.

“I marvel at the way each one has discovered their own unique creative voice,” Frudakis said of his past students. “They were willing to put in extra efforts and put in time to develop ideas.”

Their willingness to pursue their art seriously has helped them to succeed in the work force after leaving Hillsdale. Hempel accredits much of her success to her time at Hillsdale.

“I learned how to really think well at Hillsdale. The school as a whole, not just the art department, has helped to form the person I am,” Hempel said. “The character of the student at Hillsdale has integrity and an overall good moral character. The things I have learned and experienced at Hillsdale have helped to shape the kind of art I do.”

Many of the sculptors credit the teaching staff in the art department.

“It was helpful learning from one of the best sculptors. There are wonderful, supportive teachers here,” said Streett. “My time here was definitely a good experience.”

“Sam [Knecht] and Tony [Frudakis] are very approachable and offer their support any time you need it,” Hempel said . “I still keep in contact with Tony today and he still gives me advice.”

Recently, these four sculptors were featured in Hillsdale’s own “The Young Sculptors of Hillsdale College”. The show ran from Feb. 1-28 in the Daughtrey Gallery at the Sage Center for the Arts and featured graduated artists from 1992 to 2001.

Frudakis said, “It was a terrific show with a variety of themes and craftsmanship. It was a wonderful affirmation of the art department as a whole in the form of all these outstanding pieces. They made Hillsdale College proud.”