More than 20 UC Davis athletes, representing 12 teams, are going from the locker room to the gallery for the inaugural show: The Art of Athletes. It is set for this weekend, Oct. 16 to 18—which is homecoming weekend.

Brandon Tucker, an art studio major and running back on the football team, is one of the lead organizers. He said art professor Mike Henderson came to him with the idea, based on a similar show at UC Berkeley.

The Art of Athletes, Tucker said, is a way for people to see a different perspective of student-athletes.

“It shows that athletes like myself aren’t just gifted with skills of sports,” said Tucker, who studied art in Italy during the summer of 2008. “We think of the world in a different way, and I think with this show we can open people’s minds and thoughts of who athletes are.”

Michelle Roppeau, director of Academic Advising for Intercollegiate Athletics, said The Art of Athletes also shows the variety of the artists’ academic pursuits.

“We’re fortunate at UC Davis to have remarkably talented student-athletes with multidimensional interests,” she said.

Among the other participants: Hana Asano, exercise biology major and basketball player; Bianca Castillo, art studio major and softball player; Bakari Grant, design major and football player; and John Thurston, environmental science and management major, and wrestler.

Tucker said the motivation for his art comes from within, and he likes the idea of sharing his art with others.

“I do my art for myself but it definitely feels great to have other people come in and congratulate you on what you’ve accomplished,” he said.

Mike Robles is assistant athletics director for media relations.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: The Art of Athletes, featuring works by student-athletes in a variety of majors and sports

WHEN:

• 1-7 p.m. today (Oct. 16)
• Noon-4 p.m. Oct. 17
• 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 18

Meet the artists, 5:30-7 p.m. today (Oct. 16)

WHERE: Log Cabin Gallery, First and F streets, Davis

ADMISSION: Free

SPONSOR: Intercollegiate Athletics

Complete listing of exhibitions around campus.