Baraba Colombo’s portraits of single women over the age of 30 lined the walls of Farnham Galleries as BeJae Fleming sang, “She’s never going to crawl though your window on a warm summer night…”

As part of the celebration of Women’s History Month, Fleming and her band sang about the independence of women in today’s society.

On Saturday, March 5, students and the public got a well-rounded art experience as they sipped coffee and viewed the photographs by Columbo while listening to live music.

Justin Nostrala, assistant professor of art, and Jennifer Nostrala, professor of theatre arts, developed the idea.

“It started off with the idea of coffee and live music on Saturday morning in Indianola,” Justin Nostrala said. “It just worked out really well to have it in the gallery.”

Justin Nostrala contacted Vaudeville Mews of Des Moines in order to find the entertainment. He requested a woman performer to compliment the all-female portraits on the walls.

“[BeJae] interjects women’s history into her show,” Justin Nostrala said. “It was a very lucky find.”

Junior Kat Fenneman found the show and art well worth her time.

“I have been waiting to come see the exhibit, and since they were having the band I thought it would be a great time to come,” Fenneman said.

The exhibit is comprised of photographs of women over age 30. Most of the photographs include something important to the women depicted in them, such as children, pets and their places of employment. Under the photographs are quotes from the women about their experience of being 30 and single.

“I loved a lot of the portraits,” Donna Schmidt, mother of senior Kayla Schmidt, said. “I could identify with the quotes.”

Schmidt was on campus for the play “The Man of Mode” and decided the event would be a nice addition to her weekend.

The event was open to the public.

“I really like that is open to the public,” Fenneman said. “It gives the public and college a chance to interact and show support for a good cause.”