BFA Studio Students Present Their Capstone Exhibitions

Friday the 4th of May is the last day of classes.  Come out and celebrate with senior studio art majors as they host the reception for their exhibitions.  The shows will be up in the University Art Gallery from Monday, April 30th, to Friday, and the concluding reception is Friday, 6 pm, in the Gallery.

Capstone Exhibits and Reception for the BA in Studio Art

Friday at 6 pm come and join the graduating BA students to celebrate their capstone exhibition, which is on display in the University Gallery until that evening. Help us congratulate the students on completion of their degree (and enjoy some lovely snacks while you do)!

Design Students Win Silver!

CONGRATULATIONS to Claire Nipper and Shelby Frazier for their Silver Award at the American Advertising Federation Kansas City ADDY Awards!

The ADDY Awards is the world’s largest advertising competition with over 50,000 entries annually. The Kansas City ADDY Awards has historically been one of the largest — if not the largest — local ADDY award show in the country.

(post courtesy of Matt Derezinski and Atticus Bailey)

Guest Artist in Printmaking: Josh Winkler

In the dark of February we welcomed visiting artist Josh Winkler, Assistant Professor of Printmaking at Minnesota State University – Mankato. He received his MFA from the University of Minnesota in 2010, and has since spent his time creating works on paper, running a small gallery, building a stone cabin, and exhibiting work nationally and internationally.

In addition to a lecture about his work titled “Reaching for the Sun,” Winkler met with students in Printmaking classes. His current artwork reflects his interest in how humans manipulate and label the land and how time, politics, and social change alter the context of both natural and inhabited locations.

Josh Winkler meets with students in Laura Bigger’s printmaking class.

Alumni Start Business to Promote Exploring Nature

Mike Murawski was on Portland (Oregon) television station KGW to talk about hiking in the area around Portland.  He was promoting the business founded by him and Bryna Campbell (both Art History double majors, Mike with History and Bryna with Art Studio). They have designed this business to get children and their families out and exploring nature.  Take a look at what he has to say about Super Nature Adventures:

 

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.

What Will Hannah Nicks Do After Graduation?

Hannah Nicks, who will graduate in December with a BA double major in Art History and Studio (Ceramics Concentration), sends us the following exciting news about what she will be doing after walking across the stage to receive her diploma:

Following my December graduation, I will begin an Art Residency at Access Arts in Columbia, Missouri. At Access Arts I will be teaching two classes, Adaptive Clay Handbuilding for adults and children with special needs, and Handbuilding & Altered Forms for more advanced students. During the residency, I plan to make a body of work that I can use to apply to a graduate program for ceramics. Along with the creation of this body of work I have a number of art shows around the midwest that I am going to apply for in order to gain exhibition experience.

Congratulations to Hannah and our other graduates!

Here are a few of Hannah’s recent works for you to admire.