Muleskinner

Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Features

Lost Art - Jeremy Ruzich, UCM photography major, used grants from the Honors College to fund a project of massive proportions. This photo, next to the Wood Building, was taken in Monument Valley, Ariz.

When photo major Jeremy Ruzich was looking for an Honors project, he thought big. He has an enthusiasm for art and in particular photography and sculpture, and he was able to join the two passions for his Honors project this past semester.

About the time the first winter storm hit campus, Ruzich's bigger than life photographs were placed on easels near major buildings on campus. One had a butterfly and another was a self-portrait of him standing on a canyon's ledge.

The development of the project took a lot of planning and support from others.

Jeremy Ruzich took most of the pictures outside of Missouri to have a variety in style and color for the backgrounds.

Some were taken in northern Minnesota, while others were in the Grand Canyon. Only one of the pictures was taken in Kansas City.

"The good people of the Physical Plant helped with making the project," Ruzich said.

He took careful consideration in the picture that would go by the buildings he chose.

"The images were printed on vinyl sheets. I sent them to Color Max, a Web-based company that specializes in banners for small businesses and put on wooden frames that were 8-by-10 feet. I paid for the supplies with the Honor College's grant," Ruzich said.

"The goal was to have the community actively engage with the pictures and to think about conservation issues, and the size of the pictures and the fact that they were outside on campus, they couldn't help but think about it," Ruzich said.

"I liked how he hid some of the pieces, like the one at the Garrison gym entrance that no one uses, like hidden treasures to be found. I like how he found natural settings for them," said Mona Jurseak, a photo student.

For the buildings like the Alumni Chapel he put the butterfly image there because of the large trees and bushes which surround it.

He chose the Clark Street side of the Wood Building, since it faces south and has a southern light to intensify the mood of the image.

"I had the idea to do a project like this before I joined the Honors College," Ruzich said. "I've always wanted to do big prints, as large as I can. I guess other artists who have done projections inspire me."

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