[media-credit name=”Amanda Lewark” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]The Shepherd Union Gallery is currently hosting automotive artwork made by Weber State University students in the automotive technology department.

Technology education secretary Jessica Lott is accredited for bringing the automotive art gallery together.

“I started displaying the student pieces in our display cases in the hallway, and we purchased a display case just for their pieces,” Lott said. “This is an unknown art, and I remembered we had an art gallery, and I just looked into it.”

The gallery features glossy airbrushed paintings, tables and a New York Yankees-themed motorcycle.

Instructor Justin Tate has been teaching the collision repair course at WSU for six years. The featured artists attend Tate’s class.

“We worked with the university art gallery, and they were very excited because they’ve never had anything automotive-wise in the history of the art gallery,” Tate said. “So it’s kind of a new thing for them as well.”

Automotive technology student Nick Munford, sophomore, will be bringing a custom-painted guitar to the gallery’s open house.

The open house will be on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Gallery and will be open to the public. It is anticipated that students will bring in more artwork.

Cody Rider, a senior in the automotive technology department, contributed to the gallery. His art is displayed on various platforms including a table and the hood to a car. The themes of his art are often macabre, but he also presents paintings pertaining to firefighters.

“I usually sketch out my idea before I airbrush it,” Rider said.

Nina Hunter is majoring in collision repair and minoring in art and said that despite being scared to display art in the past, she is excited to have her work displayed and hopes it encourages people to look into the automotive technology program.

The gallery exhibits three tables that were airbrush painted by students. The tables will be moved to the technology education building when the gallery closes.

The gallery is located in the Shepherd Union Building next to the fireplace lounge. It is free and open to students and faculty. The automotive art gallery will be open until Feb. 15.