Steamroller Prints are now on display in the Sherrod Library.The prints are a product of the hard work of students enrolled in last fall’s freshman level studio foundations program in the department of art and design at ETSU and was sponsored by the Sherrod Library and several local businesses, said Anita DeAngelis, associate professor in the art department.

The Sherrod Library proposed the idea to the art department to help decorate the bare walls in some of its media rooms.

“The library originally wanted some murals,” DeAngelis said. “I talked and brainstormed some ideas and they wanted student participation and this allowed a lot of students to find out what it’s like to have a patron for artwork.”

The prints get their name from the way in which they were made, by actually driving a steamroller over them.

“We had 12 classes and around 100 students involved in this project,” DeAngelis said. “Each class had to come up with a design and they were limited in their theme. It had to celebrate this part of the country, East Tennessee and Southern Appalachia. They could choose from music, wildlife, industry and that type of subject matter.”

Once each class had their designs together they had to carve the images onto a four-foot by eight-foot piece of plywood.

When all 12 had been carved they were taken to the Sherrod Library loading dock area where black paint was dropped on them, cloth was placed over them and finally they were driven over by a steamroller.

This process took students about six hours one Saturday last Homecoming weekend.

“It’s really a simple relief printing process,” DeAngelis said. “We just did a really large scale one.”

DeAngelis said that a lot of hard work, dedication and research went into making the prints and she is very pleased with the outcome.

“We found out that we had to be very accurate with the designs. Students really had to research their content. Authenticity became a big issue for all of us,” she said.

“I am very pleased, not only with the quality of the students work but their effort and sense of community. They worked very hard and came up with good designs,” she said.

The staff of Sherrod Library also played an important role in the outcome of the prints.

“Ms. DeAngelis thought it would be interesting because a lot of students don’t research their heritage so it made sense to pick an Appalachian theme,” said Stephen Patrick, ETSU professor and head of the documents, law and maps department.

“I did several classes and told them about different online resources and gave them assistance on finding something appropriate,” Patrick said.

For students this project was more than just a grade or requirement to pass an art class, it was a chance to learn a lot about the region.

“We looked into the history of how media portrayed the area and found that most portrayals were negative. Our intent was to go the opposite way and say wait a minute; there is a very intelligent and resourceful people here. It was good for all of us to realize the heritage of this area,” DeAngelis said.

The Sherrod Library is also pleased with their new artwork, and the way it was created.

“The library was hoping to fill some of our blank walls and thought it would be good to use student work,” Patrick said. “I think they did a good job of exploring Appalachian themes and I’m impressed.”

The prints are on display in Rooms 118 and 309 in the Sherrod Library.

Patrick said he’s grateful for the artwork.

“For those of us who lecture in that room (118), starring at that big blank wall was scary,” he said.

The library staff only chose four of the prints for display and the rest are available to go in any department on campus.

“We still have eight of the 12 images and some of the other offices on campus have expressed interest in displaying them,” DeAngelis said. “I’m hoping by the end of summer we can have all of them displayed on campus.

Author