Students looking to escape the bitter winter scenery may find some relief in a new photography exhibit featured in the HUB-Robeson Center's Art Alley.

Carol Lindsay's display, A Spiritual Retreat, highlights photographs of Hawaiian landscapes she took during a trip in 2000. Lindsay, who graduated from Penn State in 1978, spent 12 days touring the four major islands with her spiritual healing teacher. At one point of the trip, Lindsay said, she and her fellow travelers were the first white people invited to a sacred hula ceremony, an experience she described as amazing.

A self-described spiritual healer herself, Lindsay found taking photographs of the Hawaiian Islands rejuvenating.

"Energy is what carries the life force that sustains the body," she said. "I tried to consciously infuse that energy of the island in the photos. Their ancient history really drew me into the history of myself."

In addition to her occupation as a spiritual healer and a photographer, Lindsay is a percussionist.

"Photography captures that spiritual energy so that you can always have it, whereas for music, you make it and then it's gone," she said. "Music is fleeting, but photography is forever."

Lindsay's ability to capture the tropical energy of the Hawaiian islands inspired Ann Shields, gallery head of the HUB-Robeson Galleries, to create an exhibit of Lindsay's work.

"Carol mentioned that she had taken photographs of healing places in Hawaii," Shields said. " I thought it would be good for students to see the photographs because of their spiritual qualities and representations of different environments."

Shields said one of the things that makes Lindsay so interesting is her work in so many different fields.

"I think she expands the boundaries," Shields said. "You can do many things in life that don't have to fall within a traditional field of work."

Shields and Lindsay said they hope students find enjoyment and a sense of spiritual healing in the photographs.

"If [students] can take away a small fraction of what I got out of the experience, that would be wonderful," Lindsay said.

Shields also urges students to go check out the exhibit in Art Alley.

"If you're feeling low and depressed because of this weather, this is the perfect exhibit that will lift your spirits and give you hope," she said.

Students spending a snowy afternoon studying in the HUB's Art Alley seemed to enjoy the tropical atmosphere of the exhibit.

Christy Wallisch (junior-life science) found the pictures to be a welcome distraction.

"It definitely caught my eye, because yesterday I actually read the caption to the picture, which I've never done before," Wallisch said. "It kind of makes me jealous, because I'd like to be in Hawaii right now."

Other students had similar opinions.

"It just makes you feel happy because every single morning you see gray skies and snow -- when you look at this picture all you see are green and lush landscapes," Julie Altmeyer (junior-premedicine) said.

The exhibit reminded many students that spring break is right around the corner.

"Every time I look at [the photographs], I wish I weren't here at Penn State," Deepraj Singh (junior-premedicine) said.