The Art Department’s series of short faculty presentations — 15 minutes, one professor, one work of art — continues this Thursday, October 17th, with Professor Matthew Derezinski, who teaches in the Design (formerly “Visual Communications”) program. Matt’s talk will begin at 4:45 pm in the University Gallery.
The mini lecture series was featured several weeks ago on Truman’s media network. Talks will continue into the spring semester, with a different faculty member featured every two weeks.
Kirksville High School seniors in a personal finance class were challenged to shadow someone who does a job they are interested in. Two high school seniors shadowed Art faculty members on Wednesday, October 26. They were able to talk with faculty, sit in on classes, and visit the University Art Gallery. We really loved having them on campus and in Ophelia Parrish and wish them all the best as they finish up their senior year!
Kirksville High School student Mikaila Battrick (center) with Professors Heidi Cool (left) and Julia DeLancey.
Anyone interested in setting up a job shadowing opportunity in the Department of Art should please e-mail art@truman.edu. We enjoy having visitors who are interested in our Art program.
The University Art Gallery’s current show “New Works by Truman Faculty,” with artwork by Laura Bigger, Amanda Breitbach, Aaron Fine, and Francine Fox, has its last day on Saturday, October 8th. If you are interested in seeing art from our new faculty or some of the works created by Aaron Fine on his sabbatical, you don’t have much time to take a look.
As a special treat, Laura Bigger will discuss one of her works on Thursday, October 6th, as part of the Art Department’s #forArt series. At 4:45 pm every other Thursday in the University Gallery there is a presentation from a faculty member. A 15 minute talk, between classes on Thursday evening. Come hear Professor Bigger talk about her own work in front of examples of it, as one of the highlights of this week in art.
o Benjamin Flowers receives a certificate in recognition of his selection as the Outstanding Student in Art: Studio Art. The award is presented by Sara Orel, Professor of Art History.
Congratulations to the three students, representing three of our major programs, who were selected by the Art faculty to receive recognition as the outstanding members of their senior class. The three students are:
Sadie Pafford, Outstanding Student in Art
Benjamin Flowers, Outstanding Student in Art: Studio Art
Madeline Perel, Outstanding Student in Art: Visual Communication
Dr. Sara Orel represented the Art Department to present the awards to Sadie and Benjamin. Madeline was otherwise occupied, taking part in the BFA: Visual Communication capstone exhibition at the Kirksville Arts Association, for which the final reception was the same evening (the Friday before graduation). We will have pictures from that exhibition soon. In the meantime, here is a photograph from Benjamin Flowers’ senior BFA show. Congratulations to all three students from the Art faculty and from Truman State University. We will miss all of you!
Visitors admire Benjamin Flowers’ BFA exhibition in the University Gallery.
Two retirement receptions and one gallery reception. What a way to end the semester and the year! Come join us this Friday to celebrate the end of Bob Jones’ and Jim Jereb’s careers at Truman, and the completion of the BFA degrees of three seniors.
The events start at 2 pm in the Georgian Room in the Student Union. Come and celebrate the contributions of Professor Bob Jones to Truman and the Art Department. The senior member of our department, Bob has taught at Truman since 1979, serving in numerous administrative positions, starting the Visual Communications program, and teaching thousands of students over the decades. 
Then at 6 pm come to the University Gallery for the reception celebrating the last gallery show of the year.
And a fitting way to end the evening is the retirement reception for our printmaking professor Jim Jereb, who has been at Truman since 1990. In addition to teaching a generation of printmakers, Jim has taught a variety of courses in foundations and the university core. He has mentored many students who were interested in learning about conservation and most recently has helped to prepare an exhibit of posters from the Great War to be displayed in the University Gallery in 2017. Come to the Dukum Inn at 7 pm Friday and celebrate his contributions, his past, and his future.
Professor Wynne Wilbur and several ceramics students attended the National Council for Education for the Ceramic Arts 50th Annual Conference in Kansas City, MO, in mid March. Among the almost 6000 in attendance, our students had a great time talking with artists and other students from across the United States and abroad. Wilbur takes students to the conference annually and this year, because it was so close, more were able to make the trip than usual.
Truman students at the opening ceremonies at NCECA 2016. From close to far: Kristin Kennedy, Josslyn Ross, Nala Turner, Morgan Price, Charles Cantrell, and Piercyn Charbonneau (Photo: Wynne Wilbur).
The Index, Truman’s student newspaper, featured articles on two Art Department professors in their March 24th edition. Jim Jereb was featured in a tribute article about his retirement. Jim, who has taught at Truman for 26 years, will be moving to Big Horn, Wyoming, to take up a curatorial position at the Brinton Museum there. He will also head the printmaking section of the museum’s new education center.
The second article featured Priya Kambli, our professor of photography, who presented her work at the St. Louis Art Museum. The symposium, “If it Wasn’t for the Women: Women of Color Behind and Through the Lens,” was a Women’s History Month event. “If It Wasn’t for the Women” is a free annual program that brings special attention to women of color and their experiences in the arts. This year the focus was on photography.
Mami 2015: A recent work by Professor Priya Kambli.
One of Ricardo Quiñónez Alemán’s paintings on display in the University Gallery.
The University Gallery is welcoming Truman State University’s new painting professor, Ricardo Quiñónez Alemán, by hosting his exhibition Within My Borders.
“I think coming in with an exhibition is great,” said Quiñónez. “It gives the students the opportunity to get to know me as an artist, not just their teacher.”
Before coming to Truman, Quiñónez spent two years conducting observational research at the southern U.S. border dividing El Paso, Texas, from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Quiñónez is from Ciudad Juárez, and wanted to go back to his roots after spending many years living and teaching in the Midwest. He spent this time at the border researching the conflicts people face at the line dividing the two nations.
“It is a study of the problematic social events that happen on the south borders relating to politics, immigration, and religion,” said Quiñónez about Within My Borders.
Quiñónez uses painting as his mode of storytelling. He said he uses a process of underpainting and glazing from the 16th and 17th centuries. He calls his work a constant experimentation and makes modifications by applying new techniques in background lighting, layering, paint thickness, and sizing. Quiñónez loves working with a paintbrush has been inspired by many artists over the years.
“Some of my inspirations include Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, and many more,” said Quiñónez. “It is possible to see other people’s influences in my work because I admire many artists.”
Within My Borders will be on display in the main gallery from January 21 to February 26. An opening reception with refreshments will be held in the University Gallery on Tuesday, January 26, at 6:00 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public.
(This post was written by University Gallery Public Relations intern Anna Lang)
You are coming back just in time for our first serious cold snap of the year, but campus can be beautiful in the snow. We hope you are excited about the new semester, seeing all your friends again, and starting your classes and projects for the spring. We have lots of great events lined up this term, so keep an eye on this blog as well as the campus calendar.
The corner of Ophelia Parrish with the University Art Gallery sign. Photo courtesy of Tim Barcus.
Chandra DeBuse, a Kansas City area artist whose work was on display in the Truman State University Gallery for the month of November, gave a workshop and lecture for Truman ceramics students (and other members of the art department) during a visit on November 9th. During the workshop she demonstrated her “drop mold” system of making pots and sculptures and had students contribute to one sculpture of a cactus that she demonstrated on. During these demonstrations, and then later during her lecture, she talked about her journey to becoming a studio artist, including her previous career as a psychologist, her education as a potter, her residency experiences, and the inspiration for and meaning of her work.
Chandra DeBuse in the Ceramics Studio at Truman, November 9th, 2015.