A lecture at the Brunnier Art Center on Sunday explored the changing face of weather and weather-related art.

Guest Curator Renee Senter gave the lecture, which centered around the Brunnier exhibit Obsessed: Images of Weather. Senter, who worked for the university museum 10 years ago but now works as an “independent contractor” with other museums, helped put the exhibit together.

The exhibit, in part, was created due to the fact that weather is such a big part of everyone’s lives, especially in the Midwest. Senter explained that our society is affected by and obsessed with weather.

“In the Midwest, we are very affected by weather, especially because of the importance of agriculture and here we are very proud of our weather,” Senter said.

One of the examples Senter cited about how weather affects us is the way that we will perceive the name Katrina.

“For example, the name Katrina will never again be only thought of as a woman’s name, but also as a destructive storm,” she explained.

Senter explained the exhibit was inspired by two movements in American art; the landscape movement and regionalist movement.

Senter said the landscape movement was the first movement embraced by American artists and the regionalist movement portrayed a sense of place.

Senter stated the artists commissioned to work in this exhibit incorporated both of these movements when painting their pieces.

“It was very easy to choose the artists,” Senter said.

All of the artists involved in the exhibit are from the Midwest and had at least 15 years of experience. Senter added that all of the artists that were chosen were willing to collaborate.

“The artists knew that their work would be on display with others and that their work wouldn’t be the only pieces included,” she said.

Senter said it was not only a visual exhibition, citing a poem, music and various quotes from weather proverbs included.

Some ISU students attended the lecture to learn more about the different works of art in the exhibit.

Molly Magestro, graduate student in creative writing, went to the lecture because she was working on a profile on the exhibit for one of her classes.

Magestro said that she had already been to the exhibit and wanted to meet the person behind all of it.

“I came here last week and was really moved by some of the pieces so I thought that I would come here and check it out while the woman who basically created the exhibit was still here,” Magestro said.

Charles Cogio, sophomore in geology who also attended the lecture, said weather has always been a big part of his life.

“I came because I’ve always liked weather, it has always been a great interest to me. I also found the lecture very interesting,” he said.

“I grew up in Nebraska and weather there is always dynamic so you need to know about it.”