A buzz emits from the stArt Gallery in Reynolda Village. When you walk into a reception here, you never know who you’ll see — your faculty fellow from freshman year, a professor from your art divisional, a classmate from semesters past or community members from outside of the Wake Forest bubble — but what these people have in common is a shared appreciation for student creativity.

Friends of Amelia Dunat roam around the gallery, celebrating the time and dedication to her project, “Torn Together.” Over a charcuterie board and Trader Joe’s Raspberry Heart Cookies, attendees discuss their favorite of Dunat’s works. For those who know Dunat in passing, a new side of her is unveiled. 

Dunat is a senior at Wake Forest who has worked at stArt Gallery since 2023. “Torn Together” creates a conversation between her own artworks and those of alumni. It has always been a dream of hers to exhibit her art in a gallery, and stArt has given her the opportunity to do so. 

“The buzz and energy within stArt is contagious,” said Dunat. “Everyone’s happy to be there, and it’s a special feeling to have all of my hard work paid off… the support of my friends and professors at the reception holds a special place in my heart.” 

Dunat transferred to Wake Forest her junior year, and she feels that stArt was a catalyst for feeling a sense of belonging on campus and developing skills for her future career in a gallery. 

“stArt bridges the artist with peers on campus, and emphasizes community,” she said.

Maggie Hodge, a senior who exhibited her solo show, “Going Through The Motions,” during the fall of 2024, agrees that the gallery has brought a sense of belonging to her time at Wake Forest.

“Having a place where any student can exhibit their art is powerful, and promotes a community around art,” she said. “It’s a great place to build confidence as a young artist.”

stArt Gallery, which is managed by the Wake Forest Fellows Program, opened its doors in 2009, providing an interdisciplinary space for learning outside of the classroom. It pushes current art students to build confidence and competency in the art world by granting them pre-professional opportunities and allows alumni to work on campus after graduation, feeding back into the Wake Forest arts community. 

Hodge, like myself and many other students, was introduced to stArt Gallery in a studio art course during her freshman year. Her professors urged students to submit work to stArt Gallery’s inaugural “Let It Show.” 

It was this semester, Hodge’s and my freshmen fall, that our friendship first formed. Walking through Reynolda Trail on our way back from the “Let It Show” exhibition, we shared our support for each other’s artistic endeavors. Hodge’s joy from the reception lingered all the way back to South Campus.

The stArt Gallery’s main physical space lies in the former blacksmith’s house of the Reynolds Estate in Reynolda Village. It is easily accessible from campus, just a short walk along the Reynolda Trail. As visitors follow this path away from the bustling campus, their journey to stArt becomes an extension of campus life — a space where the noise of “Work Forest” fades away.

At a secondary location, stArt Downtown, art and science intersect. STEM students interact with the artwork on their way to engineering, chemistry and biology laboratories, creating conversation outside of the usual chatter of the next exam, or lab practical.

For Audrey Knaack, a senior who has worked at stArt Gallery since her freshman year, the gallery is a part of her “self-care routine.” Biking to work through Reynolda Village, grabbing a coffee at Dough Joe’s and welcoming visitors into an intimate setting of student expression is an essential part of her wellbeing. 

“The magic at stArt Gallery is infectious,” she said, “even noticed by visitors outside of the Wake Forest community that come inside and experience the exhibitions.”

At the gallery, the focus on art offers a momentary escape from the academic pressures at Wake Forest. Knaack describes this journey from campus as an “approachable adventure” because students, regardless of their former knowledge about art, can take something away from their visit.

Working at stArt Gallery has been incredibly meaningful for Knaack, as she feels empowered as an artist, and brought her hands-on experience as a student entering the art world. 

“Working with StArt Gallery taught me the steps of an exhibition,” said Jane Alexander, a senior who held her solo exhibition “mtf.zip” in the Spring of 2024. “Their help with writing an artist statement gave me strength as an artist to foster dialogue, and learn curatorial skills.”

Working at stArt, Dunat has also gained confidence and feels well-equipped to handle the responsibilities of a gallery setting. The lessons she has learned cannot be taught in a classroom but only through hands-on work experience. 

Wake Forest alumna Maya Whitaker (’23), the current StArt gallery manager, believes that student artwork deserves the same care as those at a high-level museum. She honors that sentiment as she trains the students who work at StArt Gallery. 

“When installing an exhibition, we treat student work with the same respect as the Picassos hanging in Benson,” she said. 

During my sophomore year, anxious to build experience in the art world, I worked as the Business & Communications Intern at StArt Gallery and exhibited my own work. I have vivid memories of how giddy I was getting ready for my first headshot as an intern, hugging my friends who came to support me at receptions and creating Instagram posts for @StArtgallerywfu. Instilling a sense of self-worth through uplifting the creative ventures of my peers was an experience unlike any other. 

Stepping into StArt my freshmen year, on the night of “Let It Show,” and making new friends by just talking about the artwork made by our peers was the first time it really clicked that I had a community on campus. 

The magic that radiates from StArt Gallery doesn’t appear out of thin air — it is continuously regenerated through the vibrancy of those who love, support and visit StArt Gallery.