Exploring the Frame Gallery
by Cat R.
As a STEM student, I am always amazed by the creativity and interdisciplinary skills found at Carnegie Mellon University. It's not often that you see a school so highly ranked for computer science as well as their drama and fine arts. CMU has formed a culture dedicated to understanding and appreciating art not only in the classroom, but outside as well.The Frame gallery stands proudly on the corner of Forbes Avenue and Margaret Morrison Street as a non-profit, student-run art gallery. The Frame was originally opened back in 1969 by Aladar Marberger for students to have a space to showcase their artwork, and is today supported by the JFC and School of Art to display seven exhibitions per year. When they are not hosting School of Art students, the Frame is supporting other creative endeavors such as the Thrifty Mellons and the Lemon Magazine.
The Thrifty Mellons are an on-campus club dedicated to creating CMU’s first student run thrift store where students can purchase clothes, school supplies, electronics, or whatever else gets donated. The Thrifty Mellon’s hosted a one dollar donation day at the Frame Gallery, where all clothes could be purchased for a dollar or traded if students brought in their own clothes. My friends and I have a blast going through our clothes to donate and trading them for fun new sweatshirts, t-shirts and dresses. Some of the clothes were even vintage Carnegie Mellon merchandise that had been donated by alumni and professors. It is the perfect winter activity and a great way to explore the Frame.
The Lemon Magazine is a student-run production led by the School of Design to showcase student works in performance, music, design, art and architecture. When the Lemon launched in 2024 the main goal of the Lemon was to “showcase creative practice across all five schools” at Carnegie Mellon University. As part of their marketing, before the latest published edition of the magazine, they invited their artists to display any physical or video works they had created in the Frame gallery. There were claymation videos, modern art, performance art and even a student selling their own comic books. The Frame gallery stands as a great meeting place for creative works, and fostering a positive interdisciplinary culture on campus.