As part of Guilford’s Homecoming & Family Weekend, the Art Exhibit Opening and Celebration of Roy Nydorf was held in the Bauman Galleries of the 2nd Floor Founders Hall from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Nydorf, professor emeritus of art, joined Guilford’s Art Department in 1978 and taught a range of subjects in art, such as woodcutting, printmaking and drawing.

“I think (art) is so important to the world, to society in general,” Nydorf said. “Creativity and freedom of thought and using one hands and mind together, it’s crucial. It one of the ingredients of being human and it can express so many things. It can express rage, it can express fear, it can express love, delight and joy.”

Although Nydorf retired earlier this year, his impact on the Guilford campus continues.

“Roy has been here the longest of anyone,” senior Erin Kye said. “He really knew the history of the art department, so he was able to make those connections between the old and new students, and he was always real with you.”

The exhibit, titled “Roy’s Gift,” displays a variety of work done by former students of Nydorf, which he’s been collecting for over forty years.

“I want people to be fascinated and intrigued by what they’re seeing and part of it has to do with the subject matter,” Nydorf said. “There so many things represented here. Surrealist imagery, landscape, abstraction, but also the techniques are so intricate.”

The exhibit provided Guilford alumni with a chance to reminisce on their Guilford experience.

“There’s this crazy image recognition, because Roy used these all the time in class,” Robin Nicholson ’18 said.

Art exhibits provide an opportunity for current Guilford students to gain new perspective on art.

“You need (art exhibits) everywhere to support student artwork and be able to see the works to get inspired by other artist,” said art major and senior Mikayla Jones. “Knowing that the opportunity is out there for their work to get out and make connections is very important.”

Exhibits also provide students with a chance to learn about the effort put into displaying their art work, such as their senior thesis exhibits.

“These kids are learning to be artists,” said Terry Hammond, founding director and curator of Guilford College Art Gallery. “They need to learn how to put on an exhibit and what goes into that. How to hang a picture, how to frame things and present it, how you make labels and all the behind the scene details that you don’t learn in a class where somebody is teaching you to paint or draw.”

Nydorf’s collection of over 300 art pieces was generously donated to Guilford’s art department’s permanent collection and is available to all students.

“It’s not just a show, it’s like a multilayered, layer upon layer upon layer, of people remembering those (art pieces) and using them as touchstones to learn those techniques,” Nicholson said.