Plump bumblebees, delicate monarchs, colorful blooms—nope, it's not summer. It's the pollinator-themed artwork now filling the second-floor atrium of the University of Minnesota (UMN) College of Veterinary Medicine’s (CVM) Veterinary Medical Center (VMC).

This marks the first year that Community Arts @ Health Sciences has expanded to the St. Paul campus, with 22 pieces now on display at the VMC. Anne Wendland, CVM administrative associate for academic and student affairs, says the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

"People enjoy the color, warmth, and life that the work brings to the space," says Wendland, who serves on the Community Arts @ Health Sciences steering committee. “Many have already identified favorite pieces and expressed interest in learning the stories behind the work.”

Showcasing creativity

Community Arts @ Health Sciences started in spring 2023 at the Health Science Education Center (HSEC) in Minneapolis. Laura Dammer Hess, Center for Health Interprofessional Programs’ director, has been part of the steering committee since the project's inception. She said that while sparse walls sparked the idea, it ultimately became an outlet for students, staff, and faculty to share their creativity.

"Some of the artists submit a statement or inspirational quote to go along with their work," Dammer Hess says. "Many talk about the making of something as part of their well-being practice, or that the subject matter of what they've created is part of how they see their well-being."

The steering committee, along with the Health Science Arts Advisory Board, works together on curation. They received dozens of submissions in a variety of media, including watercolors, photos, wood carving, crochet, drawings, and embroidery. The plan is to have three exhibitions on both campuses throughout the school year.

Mixing science and art

Lisa Ulrich, a senior laboratory technician at the Minnesota Urolith Center in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, submitted “Fractured Sunflowers,” a watercolor of sunflowers that she completed in a class at the Rumriver Art Center in Anoka. The piece explores fracture lines, salt blooms, and stabilo pencil techniques. Ulrich says she appreciates the opportunity to share her artwork and was "flabbergasted" and “inspired” to see it on the wall at the VMC.

"I see a type of art every day at work when looking through the microscope at urinary minerals," Ulrich says. "Art is all around us; we just need to open ourselves up to new perspectives. Both science and art require creativity, persistence, and the ability to pivot when things don't go the way you want."

Also on display in the gallery is a piece by Amy Scharf, a fourth-year DVM student. Titled “Haven,” it is a decorative plate featuring traditional Norwegian rosemaling with a central oil painting of Sheep and Lamb mountains in Colorado.

Wendland says she's excited about how the exhibition is bringing the St. Paul community into the initiative, allowing the campus community "to engage with the artwork more easily."

"Our CVM community is full of incredible artists, and it's exciting to highlight the creative talents that others may not realize they have and their unique perspectives and stories," she says. "I also hope the exhibition continues to build a creative community with other health sciences faculty, staff, and students."

The artworks are currently displayed in both the Health Sciences Education Center (East Bank) and the VMC. A virtual viewing option is also available on the Community Arts website. The current exhibition will run through February 2026.