Local artist Alyssa Baguss covered the back wall of the Hearth Room in the Anderson Student Center this January with a 29 feet wide and 10 feet long forest landscape, cut out to mirror the windows on the side of the room. The cutouts depict an abstract, topographical view of the Mississippi River that runs just outside of St. Thomas’s St. Paul campus.

“Forest fog” is meant to reflect the nature around the campus in a way that engages the audience with the landscape from inside the Hearth Room.

“I want people to look away from the outdoors to see the outdoors,” Baguss said.

Baguss spent time researching the topography from the surrounding area in order to mimic the elevation in her work. She then cut out intricate shapes in the forest-decorated wallpaper to imitate the natural elevation of the Mississippi River. In total, the research and construction of the piece took Baguss around three months.

“It’s kind of more of an abstract experience of the outdoors,” Baguss said.

This work fits into a larger theme that Baguss calls “digital wanderlust.” She has done a variety of pieces meant to bridge the gap between technology and nature.

Professor and Chair of Art History Victoria Young says that the art is long overdue.

“I think it really just completely re-enlivened this room and gave it the substance it needed,” Young said.

Young’s goal of the piece was to ground students, guests and other visitors to their surroundings.

“I think that it’s important for people to have a grounding in their place on all different levels, whether it’s just the practicalities of going from your dorm to class, or whether it’s something that elevates your moment in that place,” Young said.

This piece is part of a larger effort by the art history department to engage St. Thomas students and guests with art in a meaningful and empowering way.

“This is part of a bigger picture where we’re just trying to uplift everybody,” Young said.

Annie Terry can be reached at terr2351@stthomas.edu.