art happenings 2010 / 2011

On behalf of the Department of Art and Art History, I hope you enjoy our departmental newsletter.

Our department, comprised of outstanding students, faculty, and staff, is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Additionally, we belong to the New Media Consortium, College Art Association, FATE and various state art organizations.

With a distinguished faculty of approximately 45 artists, designers, and historians and a diverse body of over 800 undergraduate and graduate students, we continue to educate a new generation of artists, designers, historians and educators. As chair of the Department of Art and Art History, it is very exciting to watch the growth of our Undergraduate, Graduate, and Special Programs and witness their international impact.

Each year we prepare a summary of initiatives, achievements, and activities to share with our community, alumni, and friends of the Department.

This past year our Identity + Vocabulary Lecture Series included visiting artists/scholars Buzz Spector, Dean of the College & Graduate School of Art in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis and Alfredo Jaar, internationally recognized artist and MacArthur Fellowship awardee. Both events were outstanding experiences for our students and university community.

New initiatives include the establishment of the Islamic Art and Culture Forum and Studio:Create©. Details of both programs are included in the newsletter.

Our faculty and students were recognized with numerous awards, exhibitions, presentations, published articles, and creative projects on the national and international levels. Professor Darryl Lauster was awarded the Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant for Painters and Sculptures. Darryl joins Visiting As-sistant Professor Sedrick Huckaby (2008 Guggenheim Fellow) who was also awarded the Joan Mitchell Grant in 2004.

As you know, we are located in the middle of the Dallas – Fort Worth metroplex which has a thriving fine arts environment. If you are in the region, please visit our facilities and galleries and see how the program and university continues to move towards Tier One research status.

This year’s news about our students, alumni, faculty and programs provides a glimpse into our dynamic department. Please visit our web site, www.uta.edu/art, to investigate our activities and achievements throughout the current academic year.

Robert HowerProfessor and ChairDepartment of Art + Art History

Department Chair’s Welcome

Islamic Art and Culture Forum

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DepartmentActivity

GamingExploration

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StudioCreate

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Gaming Seed 2010

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Student Internships

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Film

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Printmaking

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Awards andExhibitions

The GalleryAt UTA

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Events and Achievements

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New Faculty Spotlights

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Ideas in Art

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Areas of Study MFA

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Photo

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Glass

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VisualCommunication

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http://www.uta.edu/art

EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Outstanding Senior AwardsThe Department of Art and Art History is proud to announce the Outstanding Senior Award winners for our graduating classes. Each semester the faculty has an opportunity to nominate a graduating senior for the Outstanding Senior Award in each of the areas of concentration.

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Spring 2010Art Certification - Ramiro FazArt History - Joy HerdaClay - Guadalupe ZacariasDrawing - Bianca BodwinFilm/Video - Nick RojasGlass - Rachel HaynesPainting - Francisco MorenoPhotography - Justin BollePrintmaking - Charity MoellingVisual Communication - Ben BolognaVisual Communication - Hon MokSpecial Intermedia - Spencer MoormanSpecial Intermedia - Whitney PhillipsSpecial Intermedia - Paul Windle

Fall 2010Art Certification - Natalia DominquezArt History - Amanda WeiningerDrawing - Brad CreasyFilm/Video - Matthew A. MoriiakPainting - Angela WarthPhotography - Annie DonovanPrintmaking - Nicole NortonVisual Communication - Diana TranVisual Communication - Gladys Chow

Spring 2011Art Certification - Esmeralda AlcantarArt History - Maria GranatoArt History - Mariza MorinClay - Julie CoxDrawing - Elizabeth FielerFilm/Video - Jeff WalkerGlass - Elizabeth EnglishPainting - Kendra BriscoePhotography - Amanda GlendeningPhotography - Michael HoeflePrintmaking - Elizabeth RymanSculpture - Jared HoltVisual Communication - Whitney Brazell

Addy AwardsDiana Tran & Chad Partain won both a Gold Medal Award, as well as The Best of Show award for their “Rocket Science” work from the Professional Preparation course. Because of its success, this submission qualifies to compete in the national Addys in June 2011.

Diana Tran has also taken home the Gold Medal Award for the “HiYo Yogurt” work she created in her Applications class. This submission also placed Bronze at the Regional Addy Awards.

Michelle Riles & Trevor West gained the Silver Medal Award for their “Elevate Design” work, from the Professional Preparation course.

Svetlana Beliakova and Antonina Doescher gained the Silver Medal Award for thier “Imago” work, from the Professional Preparation course.

More Student AwardsJesse Barnett selected for Onward 11Justin Ginsberg inclusion in the 2011 New Glass ReviewJames Wolfe wins Grand Prize in 2011 PIEA CompetitionSoyla Santos selected to participate in Texas National 2011Julie Gould and Daniel Laabs win Jury Award for Texas Shorts at SXSW

Visiting Artists 2010-2011 Designers and ScholarsBuzz Spector

Alfredo Jaar

Chris Verene

Michael Surtees

Nicholas Felton

Armin Vit

DJ Stout

Toby Kamps

Debbie Millman

The Little Friends of Printmaking

Carola Dreidemie

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Faculty and Staff AwardsSpring 2010Jack Plummer Service Award - Leighton McWilliams & Nancy PalmeriResearch Excellence - Robert Grame & Mary VaccaroTeaching Excellence - Darryl Lauster & Nicholas WoodAdjunct Award - Kelly Ingelright-TelgenhoffStaff Recognition - Don Beck & Rene TrudeauGraduate Student Excellence - Shannon Brunskill & Collin Hover

Spring 2011Teaching Excellence - Kenda NorthResearch Excellence - Darryl Lauster & Ya’ke SmithJack Plummer Service Award - David KeensAdjunct Award - John Nick HutchingsStaff Recognition - Justin GinsbergGraduate Student Excellence - Mary Kate Helmes & Jeff Gibbons

John Hitchcock

Barbra Riley

Richard Roth

Ken Burns

Frances Bagley

Thomas Laureman

Breanne Trammel

Mike Noland

Fred Stonehouse

Robert Pruitt

David Johnson

2010 Ideas In Art AwardsWinners! PressCollin HoverMichael MazurekCourtney Brown

2011 Ideas In Art AwardsChristopher MangusJoanna RamirezHanna HudsonPatricia Netwon

James S. Barnett Jr. Foundation Awards2010 PhotoAmanda GlendeningMichael HoefleRyan NewtonAnne Pierce

2011 PhotoJennifer CoffeeJosh ElliotMichael HoefleAnnie Peirce

NEW FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS

Melia Belli received her doctorate in Islamic art history in 2009 from the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Dr. Belli joined the department of art and art history last fall as an assistant professor of Asian art history. Prior to coming to UTA she taught at Pepperdine University and at Washington University in St. Louis as a postdoc-toral teaching fellow. At UTA she has taught classes on Indian art, East Asian painting, theories and methods of art history, and a survey of non-western art. Next year she will teach Islamic and Chinese art.

This past year Dr. Belli published two articles in peer-reviewed journals: “Performing Paradigms of Modern Rajput Masculinity: Men’s Songs to Rao Gopal Singh of Kharwa,” in the an-thropology journal, Asian Ethnology and “Appropriation and the Articulation of Legitimacy in Scindia Funerary Art in Gwalior” in the Asian art history journal, Archives of Asian Art. She presented papers at the American Academy of Religion in Atlanta and the Asso-ciation of Asian Studies in Honolulu, where she also organized a panel. Dr. Belli also gave a public lecture at the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft Worthon the museum’s collection of Buddhist art.

This summer Dr. Belli will be focusing on the completion of her book on royal Hindu funerary memorials in Rajasthan, India. She is also looking forward to returning to India to conduct research on her new project on the contemporary architectural patronage of a female politician in Lucknow.

Professor Smith received his B.A. from the University of the Incarnate Word in his native San Antonio, and was recently named their 2011 Alumni of Distinction. He went on to do his grad-uate work at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received an M.F.A. in film production and Direction. While there, Smith created two critically ac-claimed short films, and was honored with a Directors Guild of America Stu-dent Film Award and a Student Academy Award nomination.

“Film can change people,” says professor Ya’Ke Smith. And this motto informs his work.

Smith made his first film when he was just 15-years old and now at the age of 30, he has fifteen films under his belt.

“I don’t hate those early films, but let’s just say that if no one ever sees them, I won’t be upset,” Smith says with a smile.

His films have screened at over 60 film festivals including the Cannes International Film Festival and have won awards from the American Black Film Festival, the Pan-African Film Festival, the Austin Film Festival and the Kansas City Film Festival, to name a few. His latest short “Katrina’s Son” won the 2011 Black Reel Award and is now eligible to be nominated for the 2012 Academy Award in short filmmaking.

“Film is the most important medium that we have,” Smith says. “Awards are great, but for me, touching people’s souls is what it’s all about. ”

Tuan Ho, assistant professor in art and art history, specializes in research and development of gaming technology. He started his college education with an interest in medicine and finished with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. Upon graduation, he decided to pursue a career in entertainment computer games, and several years of honing his skills, he started at his first game compa-ny, Eidos-Ion Storm. There he worked on a multi-million dollar role-playing game called Anachronox. Shortly after, he began teaching architec-tural 3D design at Richland Community College and continued in the gaming industry as a freelance artist. Richland College switched him to Interactive Simulation and Gaming Technology once the program started.

While teaching and freelancing, he completed his Master of Arts degree in art and technology at the University of Texas at Dallas. Currently, he is pursu-ing his doctoral degree with research based in gaming technology. He has taught at UT Dallas for three years as a visiting assistant professor, an adjunct instructor, and a teaching assistant. He also taught at UT Southwestern Medical Center Biomedical Commu-nications Program where he used his knowledge of science and gaming to teach prototyping and anamatics to the graduate medical illustrators.

He currently teaches the Game Studio class. The first offering of the class was a success producing three prototype games that demonstrate the artistic talents of the students and their under-standing of gaming technology.

Dr. Amanda Alexander graduated from The Ohio State University (OSU) with a Ph.D. in art education and a fo-cus in arts policy and administration in 2010. Prior to her Ph.D., she received a Master of Arts degree in arts policy and administration in 2007 from OSU and a Bachelor of Science degree in busi-ness in 2000 from Indiana University-Bloomington. Dr. Alexander’s doctoral research and work in the Peace Corps provided her the opportunity to live and work in South America where she learned to speak fluent Spanish and conversational Portuguese.

Her present and ongoing work in South America has brought about in-terests in participatory action research, autoethnography, mixed methods, co-creation design methods and critical theory. Additionally, her professional interests include community-based arts learning, arts/cultural policy, arts administration, international policy and development, sustainable social and cultural development, technology in art education, technology in social and cultural development, interactive arts, international trade laws, human rights, arts advocacy and the Fair Trade movement.

Her teaching skills were developed over three plus years teaching at The Ohio State University, Edinboro Univer-sity of Pennsylvania and with Upward Bound, a program dedicated to prepar-ing inner city high school kids for col-lege. At each teaching placement, Dr. Alexander worked to share her global experiences in the classroom with a wide array of students. She looks for-ward to teaching at UTA and working with the multicultural population in and around the Arlington community to develop community arts programs.

Melia Belli

Ya’Ke Smith

Tuan Ho

Amanda Alexander

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‘The Absolute Works from Nothing’, Sculptures and Installations by Simeen Farhat at Twelve Gates Gallery in Philadelphia

Adjunct Professor Simeen Farhat’s exquisite text-inspired works may at first appear to be ‘nothing’ - a mélange of thoughts, but are in fact created from the text of famous Farsi and Urdu poets such as Rumi, Saadi, Ghalib, and Faiz. The title of the show comes from a verse by Rumi.

Nancy Palmeri Visiting Artist at Lawrence University, Appleton, WIAssociate Professor Nancy Palmeri was invited to create a print as part of Lawrence University’s Visiting Artist Series. During her time on campus, she worked with students to develop a color reduction woodcut as well as collaborate with artist Nicole Hand and the students to create a unique artist book.

Andy Anderson Receives Indie Pioneer AwardProfessor Andy Anderson received the Indie Pioneer Award. The Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee and the Kansas City Film Fest recognize outstanding achievement in film and media with the Indie Pioneer Award. It is given out at its annual film festival, Kansas City FilmFest.

Robert Hower Visit and Exhibition at The University of Texas-Pan AmericanRobert Hower’s works, “Prime Perception,” were exhibited in the Clark Gallery on The UTPA campus through March 2011.

Sedrick and Letitia Huckaby in NEA Arts MagazineChristy Grytzer Pierce from NEA Arts magazine interviewed husband-and-wife team, Sedrick and Letitia Huckaby. The two sat down to discuss what it’s like for two thriving artists in their thirties to balance career and family. The interview can be found in NEA ARTS number 1, 2011.

Mary Vaccaro Awarded Texas Grant for Curatorial ResearchThe Texas Fund for Curatorial Research awarded Professor Vaccaro a grant to fund her travel and research in France (summer, 2011) in order to explore the possibility of a future exhibition of Old Master drawings in north Texas as part of the prestigious FRAME museum alliance. Over the course of five weeks, Dr. Vaccaro surveyed the collections of sixteenth-century Italian drawings in seven important regional museums throughout France, as well as the Cabinet des Dessins of the Louvre in Paris. Dr. Vaccaro, who is recognized internationally for her knowledge of Old Master drawings, was recently the J. Clawson Mills senior research fellow in the Department of Drawings and Prints of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Darryl Lauster Awarded The Joan Mitchell Foundation 2010 Painters and Sculptors Grant

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The Joan Mitchell Foundation was established in 1993 to aid and assist the needs of painters and sculptors contributing to significant cultural endeavors in the U.S. This foundation, one of the most recognized in the field of contemporary art, seeks to emphasize and draw attention to the important contributions of artists working today. Professor Lauster is one of 25 artists in the U.S. to receive this national recognition, which includes a monetary award of $25,000 dollars. Past recipients include Janine Antoni, David Hammons, Pepon Osorio, Mel Chin and Nicole Eisenman. He shares the award this year with renowned performance artist James Luna, Michael McMillen, Jason Middlebrook and the artist collaborative, Postcommodity, among others.

This award will fund his travel and research in the Hudson Valley, New York where Lauster will be completing footage for a microhistorical documentary titled “We the People: The History of the Hudson and Mohawk Valley,” and several new video projects in conjunction with the Samuel Gray Society. Upcoming exhibitions of Professor Lauster’s work will be showcased in Houston at the Devin Borden Gallery in 2011, as well as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Dallas-based Barry Whistler Gallery in 2012.

College of Liberal Arts Dean Dr. Beth Wright was an invited speaker at an international symposium at the National Gallery of Art in London in March 2010. The symposium (“Correspondances: Exhanges and Tensions between Art, Theatre and Opera in France, c.1750-1850”) was organized by Professors Richard Wrigley and Sarah Hibberd of the University of Nottingham’s Institute for Research in Visual Culture and Centre for Music on Stage and Screen, in conjunction with the National Gallery’s exhibition of the works of Paul Delaroche, curated by Stephen Bann. Dr. Wright’s presentation was advertised, with Stephen Bann, Tom Grey (Stan-ford University), Mark Ledbury (The Clark Institute), and David Charlton (Royal Holloway, University of London). Dr. Wright’s presentation was entitled “Avoiding ‘Screaming with Ones Arms’: Expressivity and Gesture in Paul Delaroche from The Children of Edward IV to Marie-Antoinette at the Tribunal.”

The art and art history faculty have participated in over 250 research opportunities during the 2010-11 academic years. They include the following:

Dr. Beth Wright Speaks at International Symposium

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The Gallery at UTAStarting off the 2010-11 season, Private Collections II provided a rare opportunity to see examples of artworks that four experienced collectors -- Susan & Claude

Albritton (Dallas), Phyllis & Bob Fenton (Fort Worth), Karol Howard & George Morton (Plano) and Robyn Menter & Martin Posner (Dallas) -- display in their

own homes. Works shown in this first exhibition of the year included an eclectic assortment of modern and contemporary pieces by important artists such as

Jesse Amado, Diane Arbus, Radcliffe Bailey, Willie Birch, Louise Bourgeois, Michael Ray Charles, Chuck Close, Robert Colescott, Jim Dine, Vernon Fisher,

Joseph Havel, Roy Lichtenstein, Yasumasa Morimura, Robyn O’Neil, Joseph Stashkevetch, Frank Stella, Annelies Strba, Donald Sultan, James Surls, and Andy Warhol.

Next came Introductions: Seiji Ikeda, Ya’Ke Smith & Tore Terrasi, offered as part of our ongoing series of exhibitions featuring recent additions to the UT

Arlington art & art history department faculty. This exhibition introduced the work of three tenure-track assistant professors who, in addition to their

teaching responsibilities, are also active in their fields as exhibiting artists, designers and filmmakers. Digital prints, interactive web sites, abstract microfilm

tapestries and award winning films projected on walls and on large flat screens, made for an exciting exhibition based entirely on the concept of time-based

media. Highlighting their creative diversity and strength, the show was an excellent way to introduce the students and the community at-large to the work

of Seiji, Ya’Ke and Tore as they begin their academic careers here.

John Hitchcock: Epicenter and Impressions: Prints Made in Texas kicked off the spring semester with a gallery overflowing with art and ideas. John Hitchcock,

an award winning Wisconsin-based artist, created a site-specific instal lation depicting personal, social and polit ical views through printmaking, digital

imaging, and video projection. His colorful prints, floor-strewn felt cut-outs of helicopters and guns, and three dimensional wall pieces juxtaposing ani-

mal heads and military weaponry, created a whimsically thought-provoking show. The remainder of the gallery was fil led with prints by 54 nationally

and internationally known artists produced at four Texas printmaking studios including Coronado Studio (Austin), Flatbed Press (Austin), Hare and Hound Press

(San Antonio), and P.R.I.N.T. - the Print Research Institute of North Texas, (Denton). Running the gamut from sociopolitical, to humorous to lyrically beautiful, this

large survey of works showcased the wide variety and expressive capabilities of printmaking techniques available to the artist today.

Finally, Sedrick Huckaby / Barbra Riley showcased two artists whose work, while very different in subject matter and method of creation, had in common the use of

complex juxtapositions of brightly colored elements along with the expression of personal narrative in their work, which created a cohesive, romantic quality to the

pairing. Huckaby, who has won numerous important awards for his paintings including a recent Guggenheim Fellowship Award presented large scale, densely

painted and intensely colorful canvases and small works on paper depicting and celebrating African-American quilting traditions, particularly those of his

wife and grandmother. Riley, an art professor at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, showed lushly beautiful digital images of foods and other natural items combined with

everyday consumer electronic objects that referenced the chiaroscuro drama of 17th century still life paintings.

In addition, gallery programming this year included two semester-ending “Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibitions” displaying hundreds of works by graduating seniors, a

“Master of Fine Arts Exhibition” featuring the work of ten graduate students who completed their MFA degree this year, a stimulating series of exhibiting artist lectures,

receptions and gallery talks, and publication of illustrated exhibition brochures.

We are eagerly planning more exciting ways to bring contemporary art to the university and Metroplex community through our programs planned for the future.

We especially look forward to next year when we celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Gallery with a series of exciting events highlighting its long history as both a

venue for showing contemporary art, and as a provider of art education, illuminating the ongoing creation of art history as it happens.

Top: Tore TerrasiMiddle: Private Collections IIBottom-Left: Alfredo JaarBottom-Right: Fred Stonehouse

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Benito Huerta, Director

Patricia Healy, Assistant Director

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IDEAS IN ART

In support of The University of Texas at Arlington’s fine arts community, The James S. Barnett Jr. Foundation supports and recognizes visual artists enrolled

in the Department of Art + Art History at UTA through the Ideas in Art Awards annual visual art project competition.

The 2010 Ideas in Art award recipients were featured in Gallery West at the Studio Arts Center in mid-February. Undergraduate student Courtney Brown’s performance

series Happenings, Memories, and Relics also featured a “Performance and Ritual” panel discussion moderated by Darryl Lauster, UTA assistant professor of sculpture,

with Dr. Kenneth Romer from the Department of English, the chair of UTA’s Native American Studies Association. Spencer Moorman, Whitney Phillips, and Paul

Windle’s exhibition ZINESCAPES: $2000 WORTH OF JELLYBEANS! concluded with a ZINE SKOOL in the printmaking studio at the SAC.

Collin Hover is a graduate student in visual communication, and his Clouds & Ichor exhibition featured his exploration of interactive digital media and design.

Michael Mazurek’s focus in intermedia was reflected in a two-part installation of Double Wall Cell, inviting viewers to travel from Gallery West to the artist’s

studio to experience the structure alluded to by the gallery material.

The Spring 2011 Ideas in Art process is well underway. Graduate/Undergraduate applications are due March 11, and will surely feature myriad ideas and

approaches for sharing artistic vision with the larger community. Application information can be found at the Art + Art History website: www.uta.edu/art.

The James S. Barnett Jr. Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to enhancing the lives of people through religion, arts, education, science, and collaborative community projects. The James S. Barnett Jr. Foundation was established in 1998 by Kyong Ju, Jesse and Mia Barnett as a memorial to their late husband and father, James S. Barnett Jr. James S. Barnett Jr. was a helicopter ambulance pilot who lost his life trying to save the victim of a car accident in 1993. The intent of the Ideas in Art awards competition is to encourage student-artists to formulate and present project proposals in written and oral form to a panel of jurors, simulate the competitive environment of grant proposition, offer strong participants financial support for their creative endeavors.

Top: Courtney BrownMiddle: Winners! PressMiddle 2: Collin HoverBottom: Michael Mazurek

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This academic year has been a very productive and exciting one for our MFA program. We have welcomed 11 excellent new students into the program

from across the country. This spring, ten of our students are finalizing their degree requirements and will be graduating in May. This year’s MFA exhibition

brilliantly exemplified each student’s rigorous creative/academic practice and their dedication to the progress of their art as well as the faculty’s commitment to

mentoring exceptional students who are expanding the meaning of contemporary art, design and film and video. The exhibition opened to the public in April,

with an opening reception on 15 April.

Many of our students have also been very active exhibiting and screening their work, as well as receiving competitive awards. Justin Ginsberg exhibited his work

this spring at Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas, TX and his work was reviewed in the national 2011 New Glass Review. Michael Mazurek and Jesse Barnett devel-

oped a collaborative installation of their work at Bow’s and Arrow’s in Dallas, TX. Jesse’s work was also featured in the ONWARD 2011 national juried exhibition

at the Basho Gallery in Philadelphia, PA, and his work was selected as the Best of 2010 by D Magazine. Janet Morrow’s work was included in the nationally juried

North American Graduate Survey exhibition, the Small Wonders American Federation of Art exhibition, the Open Show 2010 in Nottingham, England, and she

had a solo exhibition at the Access Gallery in Austin, TX. Kate Helmes participated in the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art Graduate Lecture Series and has

recently been awarded a Termini Travel grant to do a series of photographs in Japan this summer.

The MFA program has also been fortunate enough to be able to invite some significant artists and curators to work and interact with the students. In the fall, inter-

nationally significant artist Alfredo Jaar lectured and conducted a workshop as part of the Language+Identity series. Renowned filmmaker Ken Burns conducted

a workshop with our students as well. Toby Kamps, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Menil Collection in Houston conducted group critiques with

our MFA students. Artist and Virginia Commonwealth professor, Richard Roth conducted a lecture and individual graduate studio visits.

Our fledgling MFA program (in its fourth year) is becoming a national destination program. We have received a large number of applicants for the fall semester and

are in the process of making our selections for the incoming class of MFA students. The faculty and graduate students are looking forward to our continued growth.

MFA

Our fledgling MFA program is becominga national destination program.””

Top: Justin GinsbergBottom-Left: Michael MazurekBottom-Right: Ben Dolezal

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PHOTOGRAPHY

The Oak Cliff Chamber and the photography program at UT Arlington co-sponsored “davis/bishop2011.doc”. Eighteen undergrad and graduate students from

UTA collaboratively documented the architecture, shop owners, and those enjoying the neighborhood along Bishop and Davis Street in the Oak Cliff area of Dal-

las. The work was featured in an exhibition at the Kessler Theater from March 30 to April 7th. The students worked under the direction of Kenda North, Head

of photography at UT Arlington and a resident of Oak Cliff. After several meetings with community professionals who worked on the recent change in zoning

for the area, the students chose specific topics or areas to photograph. Their work provides a visual interpretation of the area, utilizing both traditional and non-

tradition forms of photography. A book of their photographs has been edited and designed by UT Arlington graduate students and published through Blurb, allowing the

work in “davis/bishop2011.doc” to be accessible to the community into the future. Michael Anglin, Planning Commissioner for District 3, wrote the introduction.

The book is available through the Oak Cliff Chamber.

For further information contact Kenda North at kenda@uta.edu or

Erin Piwowarski at memberservices@oakcliffchamber.org.

UTA photography undergraduate James Wolfe was awarded the Grand Prize for Digitally Constructed Image in the annual Photo Imaging Education Association

(PIEA), a PMA member association. The competition is international in scope. James’ winning image will be exhibited at the PMA Convention in Las Vegas,

NV in September and will be included in a worldwide exhibition schedule for two years. UTA photography undergraduate students Julia Cooper and Christopher

Lee placed as finalists in the 31st Annual Student Photography Contest, sponsored by Nikon USA. The awards were selected from 3,500 international participants. Julia

and Chris’ images will be published in the hardcover book Best of College Photography 2011. Andrew Buckley was awarded an internship with the San Antonio Express

News for the summer.

Graduate School News:

UTA photography alum Betsy Williamson was awarded her MFA in art and her MA in art history from University of North Texas this spring. Her MFA

exhibition, From the Textbooks of Art History, was exhibited at the Union Gallery in Denton in March. Ms. Williamson also exhibited work from this series at

Gallery 76102 in Fort Worth in April and May. Michael Hoefle has been accepted to the MFA program in photography and intermedia at Herron School of Art at

Indiana University. He was granted a full scholarship. Justin Bolle has completed his first year in the MFA program at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Suzanne Countryman completed the MFA program at University of Arkansas and is currently teaching in Fort Worth. Ashley Whitt and Ross Faircloth com-

pleted their second year in the MFA program at Texas Women’s University.

Left: Julia CooperTop-Right: James WolfeRight-Middle: Brad BorgerdingRight-Middle 2: Sarah HalfertyBottom-Right: Jenny Todd

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GLASS

The glass area at UTA continued its emphasis on developing and encouraging excellence in both its graduate and undergraduate level students, a sense of community among

the glass students, a vigorous visiting artist program, and a visible example of creative activity set by both graduate students and faculty. The sense of community within the

glass area is developed through several activities, including biweekly studio cleaning and maintenance and student input on studio equipment development and purchases.

Students are also encouraged to suggest names of glass artists for possible visiting.

The Annual Student Glass Art Sale, as well as the World Class Glass Gala, are both activities in which the students actively participate. They create glass artwork

for sale at these two events, raising money for themselves as well as contributing to the glass area budget to fund new equipment, supplies, visiting artists and

student scholarships. Both events were a big success, widely attended by members of the university and civic communities.

During the summer of 2010, the glass area funded several student scholarships for glass majors to attend summer glass programs at several renowned venues.

Undergraduate students Brandon Rush, Christine Heimmerman and Raza Shah all attended scholarship classes at Pittsburgh Glass Center and The Studio at

Corning, NY, while Aaron Gawatly and Josh Hargrove also attended summer classes at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Graduate student Shannon Brunskill was awarded

the DuBois Award for Advanced Research in Glass, and attended Pilchuck Glass School in Washington state.

Beginning in fall 2011, the Glass area will award $1000 scholarships to accepted incoming MFA Program applicants. This award will qualify non-resident students

for in-state tuition.

The glass area hosted several well known glass artists to the studio to offer both technical glass working demonstrations, as well as insight into the visiting artist’s

influences and background. Miami based glass artist Rob Stern was a visiting artist and taught classes in the fall semester. We also hosted Anthony Schafermeyer,

Carrie Battista and Jeff Ballard. Each one offered extraordinary technical demonstrations and discussion of their work.

In support of the student’s research into glass art by contemporary glass artists, graduate student Shannon Brunskill worked with Dallas based glass collector Dennis

DuBois to arrange a tour for 15 students to view his internationally renowned contemporary glass art collection. Mr. DuBois led the tour himself, offering insight

into not only the artwork itself, but the motivation and process of establishing a world class glass collection. It was an extraordinary opportunity for our students.

The glass area made several major improvements to the studio over the last year. Perhaps the most significant was the purchase of a new state of the art glass

melting furnace made by Wet Dog Glass in North Carolina. The furnace is a brand new design, using the newest combustion and heat re-cooperation technology

and expect significant savings in gas utility costs.

Top: Hot ShopBottom-Left: Justin Ginsberg Bottom-Right: Julie Holleman

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Great design provides for dynamic touch-points that serve to connect with people through a visual language that is highly focused and appropriate. Design-

ers seek to inform, immerse, allow for exchange, embed meaning, persuade, inspire, provoke, validate, and entertain people. As technology (web/mobile)

opens more avenues for communication, the design process is becoming increasingly more complex, demanding stronger and more thoughtful visual solu-

tions from designers.

It is the intention of the visual communication faculty at University of Texas at Arlington to educate our students effectively and creatively by providing

them with a solid framework (formal, conceptual, historical and theoretical) for communicating ideas visually to an international community. The visual

communication curriculum is based on the understanding of problem solving relative to assigned, increasingly complex activities, projects and experiences.

Student designers are encouraged to actively research, analyze, plan, create, prototype, produce, evaluate, refine and reflect at each level of study. Students

develop the ability to work in groups as well as individually. In these situations students realize how to manage time and utilize dynamic resources to solve

problems creatively. The merging of knowledge and creative experiences in an academic environment with industry-based processes and standards is es-

sential to the development of each designer.

Our visual communication students are employed (internships, full-time) by the top design agencies/studios in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and

throughout the nation. Students in the visual communication program of the Department of Art + Art History at UTA have won over 175 state, regional,

and national awards since 2001.

This year the student AIGA organization invited the following designers to campus: David Johnson, Michael Surtees, Nicholas Felton, Armin Vit, DJ Stout,

Debbie Millman, and The Little Friends of Printmaking.

VISUALCOMMUNICATION

Left: Becca HirsbrunnerTop-Right: Ben DolezalBottom-Right: Collin Hover

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The film/video/screenwriting program here in the Department of Art and Art History at UTA has continued to prepare young filmmakers for the rigors of their chosen

profession in recent months, and with some prestigious results.

UTA film students Daniel Laabs and Julie Gould’s film “8” was chosen to screen at the one of the largest film festivals in the nation, South By Southwest, where it won

the jury award for Texas shorts. The film was soon after chosen to screen at the Dallas International Film Festival. The film “Neal” by Geoff McGee was also chosen to

screen at SXSW and DIFF. Student Aaron Carolina shared his $5000 award with UTA Film for “After the Dark” produced for the TXU Energy Light Up the Red Carpet

Student Film Contest. More than fifty films competed for $30,000 in prizes for short videos relating to the future of energy and energy efficiency.

Fast becoming an important venue for filmmakers, The Dallas International Film Festival this year featured no fewer than five short films produced by UTA film

students and faculty. In addition to “8,” three student films were screened at the North Texas College Showcase, more than any other school. Dallas audiences were

also treated to the film, “Katrina’s Son,” by assistant professor Ya’Ke Smith. The film portrays the journey of a young boy who loses his grandmother during Hurricane

Katrina, who then travels to San Antonio, Texas, in search of the mother who abandoned him years earlier. “Katrina’s Son” was chosen to screen at the famous Cannes

International Film Festival, and has screened at over thirty film festivals in the United States in the past year. Due to the enthusiastic acceptance of the film, “Katrina’s

Son” will be eligible to be considered for the 2012 Academy Awards. Professor Smith’s upcoming feature film, “Wolf,” is currently in production this summer, and will

assisted by student interns working along with the professional crew.

MFA candidate Patty Newton was honored by the university this spring with a UTA Outstanding Scholar Award at the President’s Convocation, in addition to the an-

nual visual art project competition, The James S. Barnett Jr. Foundation Ideas in Art Award. At the undergraduate level, student Jeff Walker received the film program’s

annual Outstanding Graduating Senior award, for his brilliant work and many contributions to his fellow filmmakers.

We were sad this fall to bid farewell to beloved screenwriter, auto racer, film teacher, mentor, and leader, Distinguished Professor, and Writer-in-Residence Andy An-

derson. Our spirits were buoyed by the knowledge that he left us to pursue other long-planned projects. Andy promises to continue to support our program, and we

welcome him always.

The Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee and the Kansas City FilmFest this year recognized Professor Anderson for outstanding achievement in film and media with the

“Indie Pioneer Award.” Past recipients have been directors, screenwriters, producers, actors, and academics who have distinguished themselves through their work.

“Andy Anderson is long overdue to receive recognition of his work as a filmmaker and educator. He has influenced and inspired two generations of filmmakers. With

creativity, humor and innovative filmmaking, Andy has created a powerful body of work in Feature Films, Screenplays, Short Films, Photography, Creative Writings and

Experimental Film and Installation Art that is unique, artistic, challenging and entertaining. His more experimental work can, at the same time shock you, encourage

introspection and lead you to self-discovery. Andy is approachable, selfless, generous, and encouraging to student and beginning filmmakers. The Kansas City FilmFest

and the KC Jubilee consider Andy Anderson a dear friend and a trusted advisor.”

At the end of an exciting school year, film faculty and students alike look forward to another year of hard work, creativity, and fellowship this fall.

FILM/VIDEO

Top: Advanced Film StudentsLeft: Students on setBottom-Right: Still from Film by Lawrence Gise

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Spring semester means book arts in the printshop.

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Mavs Letterpress+ Opening this fallThis fall, the Department of Art+Art History will be integrating a new technology into its program, namely, letterpress printing. It might seem strange to describe the letterpress as new technology, as it trac-es its linage back to Johannes Gutenberg, but the department plans to integrate this enduring invention into new and innovative ventures. By joining with digital technologies, including a digital router, advanced undergraduate and graduates students, and faculty across studio/design disciplines will have the opportunity to discover the expanded potential of this fusion. Developed by professors Robert Hower, Nancy Palmeri, and Robert Grame, the Mavs Letterpress+ studio was trans-formed from a storage space into a functioning workshop, having at its center, a lovingly refurbished Vandercook Press, and over 20 drawers of lead type. Currently, graduate students Helen Schneck and Matt Heller are collaborating on the inaugural project for the studio that will begin production sometime in the fall semester.

This has been a very productive year in printmaking. Professors Nancy Palmeri and Michelle Murillo have continued to enhance the curriculum within the area

in order to challenge students conceptually as well as provide them with a variety of techniques to explore.

In the fall semester, Palmeri and Murillo developed a portfolio project with their beginning classes. All of the students (over 40 of them) were asked to develop an

edition of color silkscreen prints to be included in the trade folio. Needless to say, the printshop was buzzing with activity. Wes Larsen and Jonathan Irwin created a title

page for the project in which they researched CMYK screen-printing. The result was wonderful, producing a printed page that had photographic qualities. Each student

ended the semester with a trade folio of 40 prints from both of the classes (including editions by both Michelle and Nancy). An excellent start to a print collection!

Palmeri’s advanced class concerned itself with the processes of papermaking and their applications to works of art. The course was split into to 8 week “work-

shops” with students knee-deep in water and paper pulp in the early part of the fall semester, sheet-forming and casting. The second 8 week session required that

the students apply the paper to works of art, utilizing polyester plate lithography. The resulting works were diverse, ranging from artists books to installations.

In October, Palmeri, along with Professors Darryl Lauster (sculpture) and Robert Grame (visual communication) traveled to the Mid American Print Council

Conference, held in Minneapolis, MN on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Their talk, “Printermedia,” explored the collaborative nature of the intermedia program

at UTA. During the cold winter months, Murillo brought students to sunny Buenos Aries, Argentina for a winter intersession course to study at Proyecto Ace,

an international printmaking facility. There, students experimented with waterless lithography, learned about the people and culture of Argentina, and traveled

around the country. In February, they developed an installation of work at the Studio Art Center, Gallery West.

Spring semester means book arts in the printshop. This semester, Palmeri has a large class of students from across media learning binding techniques and creating

artists books. The projects range from a zine project to a lengthy semester-long book.

Teaching assistant, Helen Schneck, organized a group of 10 students to attend the Southern Graphics Council International Conference, held in St. Louis on the

campus of Washington University, St. Louis. SGCI is the largest international group of graphic artist. The students attended lectures, demos and openings and

participated in an open portfolio event.Along with the conference activities, students also mounted an international zine exhibition as a featured event at the

conference. The exhibition, titled “Zinery,” was attended by the over 1500 conference attendees and was very well received.

Printmaking is looking forward to a dynamic and innovative year for 2011/2012, with the introduction of photo intaglio processes and opening of Mavs Letterpress+.

PRINTMAKING

Top: Wes Larsen and Jonathan IrwinBottom: Mavs Letterpress+

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Creating a game will combine what a student has learned in ways no other form of media can.

““

Joshua Wilson, senior, visual communication

GAMING EXPLORATION

The ClassThe gaming exploration class searches for ways to develop and design interactivity. We have a singular focus to produce a viable fully playable interactive game at

the end of the semester. The students work in different teams fostering cooperation within the group and competitiveness among the participants. The students

learn a workflow to quickly get a prototype up for testing. The prototype is a design process in which the students use dummy, stand in objects while testing in-

teractivity. Interactivity is the most important aspect of game development--what separates interactive games from other disciplines. The students continue their

learning going through basic programming in the form of Java script, and build art assets in a 3D program called Maya, which are then painted in Photoshop. This

is when art and programming are “glued” together in a gaming engine called Unity. Unity is a fully developed middleware program that allows students to quickly

build a game without the need for years of programming classes. The final result is a game that is an expression of the students’ artistic and thought processes,

and a fun way to interact with a virtual world. The students have grown up in this rich technological environment and are able to pick up things relatively quickly.

They all have a unique voice and are willing to share in the multiple authorship of this medium. Robert Hower, chair of art and art history, has given Professor

Ho the support and freedom to experiment and develop the class. The success of the class is attributed to his support and to the students.

HistoryGaming Exploration is in its second semester as a new concept concentration within the art and art history department. The class started last semester with

learning the pipeline within the professional gaming industry. The students produced storyboards for design of their games. This second semester class intends

to build upon their previous knowledge and work towards an actual working project. New students in the second semester class without prior knowledge are

quickly integrated into the class and mixed with previous students.

The FutureA third class will build on the previous two classes, further exploring what it means to create in an interactive environment. The students will continue to refine

their skills and create more polished game play, art assets, and streamline programming. The class may enter the mobile platform or other emergent media and

may also be integrated into an interdisciplinary study incorporating other areas in the art and art history department. Other departments such as computer sci-

ence, engineering, and the sciences may play a role. The possibilities and permutations are many. We have yet begun to scratch the surface of this technology

and its artistic and cultural potential.

Left: Still from student game in production, “PURGE”

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The Creative Technology Studio will prepare the next generation of artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and technology practitioners for the future. The program is

focused on the intersection of the creative arts, technology, entrepreneurship, and learning. The mission of the studio is to conduct and apply trans-disciplinary,

collaborative research and creative activity to enhance client need and individual research. The outcomes promote students’ critical and creative thinking skills

to improve learning, performance and developing traits of entrepreneurship, with a special focus on students studying art certification, gaming for education and

entertainment, design communication, animation and emerging media.

The BFA and MFA students in visual communication, intermedia, filmmaking, gaming, and animation will take full advantage of Studio: CreaTe©. The Depart-

ment of Art + Art History’s digital media track currently offers undergraduate students real-world experience designing video games, building virtual environ-

ments, creating with film/hd video, using animation tools and creating iPhone and iPad apps as part of their work for clients such as Dallas Opera, Sid Richardson

Museum, and the Dallas Contemporary Museum of Art. DMT students will be placed into the new Studio: CreaTe© teams to collaborate on advanced client

projects. Individuals in our program realize that computers, mobile phones, and household environments are connected with advanced, high speed networks.

Many of us are connected through a dynamic web of social networks, interactive platforms, and communication forums that allow us to more fully express our

points of view. This enables us to collaborate at a very high level.

Studio: CreaTe© will provide a level of collaboration that allows students to successfully research new forms of technology in a studio-based learning environ-

ment. This studio and collaborative system is an important structure that will help students discover how to use technology to make a viable impact on the creative

arena they choose. The creative arts, technology, and entrepreneurship studies will provide statewide and national leadership in research by blending arts and

technology, building collaborations with educators, business, non profit organizations, and interested experts. The idea is to take learning beyond the classroom

to prepare students for the 21st century workplace. The studio will contribute significantly to new knowledge, the participant’s intellectual development and will

enhance creative and critical thinking that will have an economic and cultural impact on north Texas and its communities.

This new curriculum and studio has been designed for the creative and inquisitive mind.

Our goals include:

• Learning: positively impact student retention (at all levels PK-16), enhance creativity, sharpen critical thinking skills, and improve academic performance

through the creation and dissemination of cutting edge materials and tools. Fostering critical thinking and problem solving among future teachers to increase

their engagement in the education system development process.

• Engagement: spark collaboration among faculty, artist, educators, business leaders, community, and students in a creative studio/laboratory environment that

inspires discovery/acquisition of new knowledge concerning art, technology and learning.

• Discovery: nurture interdisciplinary collaboration and research, serve as an accelerator for exploration of new knowledge using art and technology, and enable

the creation of both virtual, interactive, and material based artistic practice to be shared within museums, schools, businesses, and the general public.

Robert Hower, department chair, director of Studio: CreaTe© and the MFA program, has assembled a team of top educators and innovators in their fields as

program mentors. Learn more about the faculty at http://www.uta.edu/art.

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GAMING SEED 2010

In Summer 2010, a large group of eager highschool students took part in the Summer SEED Program at University of Texas at Arlington. The nine day

program covered a wide range of topics, all centered around the modern history, and future evolution of video games, interactive design, and gaming platforms.

Participating professors included Jim Galis, Seiji Ikeda, Mark Clive, Robert Grame, and Collin Hover.

Day one of the program began with an introduction to gaming, a scavenger hunt, a discussion of gaming platforms and genres, as well as a brief intro into

character development and figure drawing. During the next two days the students spent some quality time reviewing the current state of the gaming

industry, as well as the history of gaming. Finally on day three the students were able to spend one-on-one time developing personal character personas and

introducing concepts for their own personal game.

From concept to development, the students got into groups to combine their ideas and develop a more solid game concept, which they then

presented to the rest of the class, and began their overview of animation techniques. For the next three days the students spent approximately 20 hours working

together in tight knit groups preparing their games for an exhibition open to parents, teachers, and other students.

Finally, the students were rewarded with a visit from world renowned character developer and animation director Keith Alcorn, who also happens to be a UTA graduate. Keith

studied filmmaking under Andy Anderson at UT Arlington and went on to co-found DNA Productions, and co-create Jimmy Neutron with John A. Davis and Steve Oedekerk.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDIO:

Visual CommunicationHardin ComputerJD DesignGreek Life & University EventsClear Channel OutdoorFill in the Blank, LLCConcussion, LLPSamsill CorporationUTA - Greek LifeThe Social PulseFill in the Blank, LLCPace CommunicationsPink Jacket CreativeRasanksy Law FirmProject OneArlington Chamber of CommerceThe Fowler GroupCS CreativeEl CreativeElevate GroupThe LTV GroupNBC UniversalNBC ArtworksR3 StrategiesThe Price GroupAmerican Airlines PublishingUTA The Shorthorn Student PublicationsUT Arlington Campus RecreationUTA The ShorthornRAPPGulf Coast Community Design Studio (Mississippi)

Fusion Graphic & Interior Design (Amman, Jordan)

2010 - 2011 ART + ART HISTORYSTUDENT INTERNSHIPSUTA Department of Art + Art History has many talented students working in internship postitions all over the metroplex. Here are some of the great

places our students are interning:

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Film/VideoLone Star Film SocietyTVM ProductionsMark Birnbaum ProductionsPanavisionCRM StudiosThe Jim Henson CompanyNBC 5Big Bad Wolf Creative GroupDynamic Films, Inc.KERA-TV North Texas Public Broadcasting

GlassLorenz Studios

Art HistoryKimbell Art MuseumSid Richardson Museum UTA Community Service LearningDallas Contemporary

DrawingArt, Love, Magic

PaintingGoss - Michael FoundationShango Gallery

PhotoTom Hussey PhotographyRichard Klein PhotographyRusty Hill PhotographyStephanie Davis PhotographyStar Community NewspapersStewart Cohen StudiosLevee Studios

Art TherapyThe Art Station

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Islamic Art and

This academic year the Department of Art and Art History, and the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Architec-ture continued their fruitful collaboration with the Prince Aga Khan Ismaili Council for Northern Texas to bring Islamic art and culture to the University of Texas at Arlington campus.

In early November Dr. Francesco Leoni, assistant curator of the Arts of the Islamic World at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston gave a stimulating and well-received lecture on the Persian epic, the Shahnama. This text is arguably the most celebrated work of Persian literature and was written by the revered poet Ferdowsi ca. 1000 AD. Dr. Leoni discussed the manuscript’s illustrious royal patronage through the centuries and of-fered us dazzling images of miniature paintings from the most celebrated commissions of the text.

In the spring of 2011, we welcomed Dr. Hussein Rashid, professor of religious studies, Hofstra University, New York to speak at the University of Texas at Arlington. In his lecture, Dr. Hussein Rashid explored the Islamic contribution to American popular culture using examples from multiple communities and time periods throughout American history.

The educational relationship between the University of Texas Arlington and the Prince Aga Khan Ismaili Council for Northern Texas provides meaningful benefits that enhance both organizations. It is important for us both to continue to share new educational experiences and learning opportunities. This partnership is currently a modest collaboration, which is only one of the Aga Khan Foundation’s (AKF) many interna-tional education endeavors. For example, the Foundation is partnered with the Ministries of Education and Social Solidarity to introduce early childhood development (ECD) programs in Aswan, Egypt. The AKF is committed to early childhood education in Africa and Asia, being especially concerned with boosting pre-school enrollments, which are low due to the inability of poor families to afford the annual tuition.

Moving forward we have established the Islamic Art and Culture Forum. The forum will provide significant and resonating experiences to resident students and international audiences via onsite presentations, schol-arly symposia, archival/exhibition opportunities of Islamic art and educational materials and the strategic development and dissemination of educational materials of Islamic art utilizing emerging technologies.

Culture Forum

502 South Cooper St. #335, Arlington, TX 76019 | 817.272.2891 (fax) 817.272.2805 | art@uta.eduTM