Filled with colorful artwork and students visitors, the Archer community welcomed The Eastern Star Gallery’s first exhibit of the year, “The Source,” on Tuesday, Oct. 24. The show displays work from artist Elizabeth Huey. Her paintings are a compilation of her own photographs as well as a collection of Google Snapshots and historical research.

For this exhibit, Huey created work that explores the role of widowed women in Archer’s freemason history as well as the Maypole, highlighting her interest in the acknowledgement of unknown histories and the accomplishments of women.

“I was interested in thinking about the women that have been in this building over time and how the Maypole is also a symbol of fertility. In some ways fertility is a metaphor and a big part of creativity, bringing something in to life and the energy of the Maypole as people dance around it,” Huey said during an artist talk. “This particular painting involves photography, drawing and painting. It connects these different mediums as well as these different histories and different women within the same space using the ribbon of the Maypole.”

Huey earned her B.A. in Psychology from George Washington University, and she also earned a MFA from Yale University.

“I like to consider how I can paint what can’t be seen. For the Maypole, I thought about the ribbons and the intangible, etherial kinds of emotions or feelings that connect people and things,” Huey said.  “I do consider the works on paper to be ritualistic and that they can cultivate a sense of love, prosperity and magic in people’s lives. I also think about how imagery can have a psychological impact on us.”

This is the last exhibit in the Eastern Star Gallery before construction for the new campus plan starts in the winter and the space turns into a classroom.

Although the construction on campus will restrict the gallery from being used as an art space, the gallery will continue to exhibit artwork in The Lodge LA in West Hollywood.

“It’s pretty exciting to get to do something impactful with [the Eastern Star Gallery] space. We think we did a good job of working with the space and implementing different mediums and levels to it,” Gallery Director Lucia Barker ‘18 said.  “I hope we did a good job of paying homage to this space before it turns into a classroom.”

Barker wants people to feel inspired by Huey’s work. She hopes girls that come to the gallery can relate to the show on a personal level because the work relates directly to Archer.

“I hope people feel like it is really personal and can relate to it since there are Archer elements in [the show]. There’s a lot about women and source materials, which is super fascinating,” Barker said. “I hope people come feeling inspired by her work and the message and what she is trying to say with her work.”