This month, Biola celebrates National Women’s History Month. “Pearls in Process: Celebrating the Creativity of Women” is this year’s theme for Biola’s third annual celebration.

“Pearls” will be hosting a series of events such as artist lunches, banquets and ceremonies throughout the month of March. Lynn Aldrich, the 2010 Distinguished Artist-in-Residence recipient, started off the celebration on March 5 by speaking in chapel on the subject of “Digging for Pearls.”

The month-long celebration kicked off Wednesday, March 5, with “Women’s Art Exhibit and Poetry Night,” which was held in the Giumarra Courtyard. The patio was decorated with red and white candles, space heaters, a wide selection of coffees and sofas next to the stage.

The evening began with poetry readings by both students and faculty members — this portion of the night was called “Readers Rites.” Women, and even a few men, read works by some of the great female poets of history.

An art exhibit located throughout the main level of the library was officially opened for viewing at 8 p.m. to the guests. The exhibit is called “Process,” and it features more than fifty works by more than 20 artists. There are a wide variety of pieces, such as “One Thing Leads to Another” by Laura Goble, which is a canvas covered with motor oil and pieces of a torn Bible. The exhibit will be displayed until April 29.

2009 alumna Shannon Leith, curator of the art exhibit, spoke before it was unveiled. She said her friend and former Resident Director Rachel Clark inspired her to do the exhibit.
“It was leap for me but it sounded like fun. It sounded different,” Leith said.
After she chose the name “Process” for the exhibit, Shannon began to realize that she was going through a process herself, especially as she was choosing the pieces to put together the show.

“I knew only two things: That it was called Process, and I knew I wanted it to be good,” she said.

The evening closed with musical performances by junior Tavia Grubbs and sophomore Julia Peterson.

Victoria Smith, “Pearls” coordinator and manager of University Events, said the celebration is needed to inspire not only women, but also the campus as a whole.
“It just invites participation from the campus in a way that they might not have felt free to get involved. I think it is a lot about creating opportunities to set time aside to celebrate, to educate, to challenge,” Smith said.

The next “Pearls” event will take place on March 25. The event is a VIP dinner that will begin at 6 p.m. in the Café Banquet Room. Tickets are $20 per person. The third annual Ruby Awards ceremony will follow in Sutherland Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.