Students in Professor Dunnagan’s Painting II-V courses created site-specific artwork around campus for the project, “Creative Surprises.” Can you find them all?
Public Art
Everybody Loves a Parade!
Danielle Yakle’s advanced sculpture classes celebrated their final project by having a parade from campus to downtown. The assignment was to create an outfit/costume that changed their body shape and incorporated programmed lights. Here are some pictures of this event, accomplished during a break between spring rain showers. 
What is going on in the first floor hallway?
In case you have been wondering:
Laura Bigger sends this report:
Students in the Intermediate Drawings Explorations course are working on large-scale drawings on the walls in Ophelia Parrish near the gallery. Passersby have the opportunity to see work in progress through November 14th. Finished work will remain until late November. Make sure to check out the students’ work!
Art on Campus
Art pops up on the campus Quad when you aren’t exactly looking for it. So keep your eyes open. You never know what you might see!
Spring Semester Begins
We hope you are finally warming up from bitter cold winter break (in Kirksville New Year’s day saw a high of 4 and a low of -17 degrees!). As we are now one week into the spring semester of 2018, we begin the Art Blog by wrapping up some of Fall 2017’s news.
The first thing we want to do is to encourage you to investigate the new art installation to be found in front of the McKinney Health Center (between that building and the Kirk Building).
Professor Danielle Yakle (in the middle of the picture above, wearing a turquoise beret) wrote, in her proposal asking to install the sculpture in its current location:
Their (her Introduction to Visual Arts students) idea was to create an installation of enlarged human organs and systems. The various parts (a brain, heart, stomach, rib cage, etc.) will be assembled in the space much like an anatomical study. While being somewhat educational, the main concept is to recreate objects, which are normally soft and temporary, as something that is solid and long-lasting. The class was interested in the contrast between the ephemeral nature of the body compared to the hard and durable qualities of the concrete we are using for the sculpture. They hope to treat viewers to a surreal experience by positioning the interior of the body in an outdoor space.
These photographs (courtesy of Atticus Bailey) show the installation of the sculpture at the beginning of December. The pieces are made of concrete and many are attached to the ground with large metal spikes, which will help to keep them in place as they are climbed upon. Human body parts displayed include:
A brain – approximately 5’ long by 3’ high by 2.5’ wide
Two sets of ribs – 6’ by 4’ by 1’, connected with a bracket
A heart – 3’ by 3’ by 2.5’
A stomach – 5.5’ by 5’ by 2’
Two kidneys – 2.5’ by 1.5’ by 1.5’ each
Three lengths of large intestine – the largest is 7.5’ by 2.5’ by 2’
If you want to go by on a sunny day, the grassy space between Kirk and the Health Center seems to be a nice place to take in the view.
Dusty Folwarczny (BFA 2003) to Talk to Art Students
2003 Sculpture graduate Dusty Folwarczny will return to Truman to speak with students on Monday, October 23rd. She will be working with Priya Kambli’s Art Foundations II class in the morning and will speak to the Senior Seminar class in the evening. In addition to her active work as a sculptor in Chicago, she co-founded a company that provides illustration services where the client is an active participant in the creation process. ink factory has developed murals, videos, and installations of various sorts for a wide range of clients, both private businesses and community and non-profit groups.
Two views of “Give,” by Dusty Folwarczny, made of salvaged steel, and 14 feet tall.
Art in Unexpected Places
Have you noticed any smiling or particularly hungry-looking trash cans recently?
Any giraffes nibbling on your hair? Someone just hanging on?
Are you feeling very small? or REALLY hungry?
Maybe you are experiencing ART IN UNEXPECTED PLACES, a project of Professor Lindsay Dunnagan’s Advanced Painting classes. (Top row by Daniel Degenhardt; Second row (l) Lindsay Picht, (r) Austin Dellamano; Third row (l) Mia Palumbo, (r) Lisa Simms; Fourth row: Mona Abhari; Below: photo of class at the north gate to the university.
New Public Art on Campus
Danielle Yakle’s Introduction to the Visual Arts class was at it again this spring. As you walk around campus over the summer, see how many benches you can find that were not there at the beginning of April.* 
These benches were completely fabricated by Professor Yakle’s class, with her assistance, and they are sturdy enough to last through midwestern weather. The body of the benches is metal, and they are almost completely covered with concrete with the decoration added at the end of the process. Each bench is differently-shaped and covered with glass tiles of different colors. They are placed around the central part of campus. It is time for a treasure hunt!
*There are six benches.
Painting professor Lindsey Dunnagan on one of the benches newly installed on campus.
Student Art in the Library
In the spring semester, Danielle Yakle’s Sculpture, Fibers, and 3D classes joined forces to produce a set of sea creatures that hung in the library.
For about a month in late February and early March, jellyfish, whales, rays, and sharks prowled the atrium space. Thank you to the Art students who worked together to change the ambience of Pickler Memorial Library and the library authorities who were so welcoming to this public art project.
Giant Acorn Art
One of several acorns on Truman’s campus. These were a project in Danielle Yakle’s Introduction to Visual Arts class, Fall 2015. Photo courtesy of Tim Barcus.
Danielle Yakle’s Introduction to the Visual Arts class ended the fall semester by installing public art across campus. This public art was the culmination of a project they had been preparing throughout the semester. She writes:
After studying some public sculpture the students proposed ideas for a piece they could construct and install in Kirksville. The winning idea was a series of acorn sculptures that would be spread throughout campus. The students chose the form of an acorn both as a sign of the fall season and to celebrate the student body’s fascination with our local squirrel population. The project is intended to be lighthearted and to inspire a scavenger hunt-like response. We spread the sculptures throughout the campus, encouraging viewers to explore areas beyond their usual commutes and enjoy finding the pieces unexpectedly as they go about their day.
An acorn sculpture in progress, showing the armature and fill before the concrete was added. Even with the lightweight center the sculptures required several people to move each of them.
Each acorn sculpture is between two and three feet tall and attached to a small plinth. They are constructed with a welded steel frame covered in concrete and embellished with glass mosaic and paint. Each of the eight acorns has a specific theme and color scheme designed by its student group. While the acorns’ hollow interior helps reduce the weight of each piece, we still estimate that the sculptures weigh between 200 and 250 pounds.
Take a look around campus and see how many of them you can find.
Acorns waiting to get their final touches before being placed around campus.
This acorn greets students as they walk from up the path to Violette Hall. Photo courtesy of Tim Barcus.