at home and away. . . art majors create opportunities

Below you'll see two photos from recent years. In the first, Ashley is in the drawing and printmaking studio, where she felt most comfortable. For her senior exhibition in 2010, Ashley developed a body of work that involved both mediums, as well as performance. Beneath, Angie is in the Cloisters, a division of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Fascinated by painting, Angie developed a body of work while she was in New York City during the summer of 2010, when this photo was taken.

Seeing these photos reminded me that art majors create opportunities for themselves to learn, grow, and succeed in the development of a body of work and much more.

Here's to....

the opportunity to meet artists exhibiting at Georgetown College Art Galleries!  Students can get up close and personal with both contemporary works of art and the artists who made them.  Regular, changing exhibitions in the Cochenour and Anne Wright Wilson Fine Art Galleries give students and community members the chance to speak directly to professional artists living and working today.  For example, here are a few photos from last year, last semester, and last week featuring Georgetown College students and friends:

GC Students past and present, Cortney Thorn, Devon Stivers, Bess McHone, Hannah Snider with visiting NYC artist Linda Stein (3rd from left), Dr. Decker (center) and artgal (right)

Shelby Riddell (far left) and others enjoy listening to Chicago-based environmental artist Allison Warren

When chairs are more than chairs

When chairs are more than chairs...they are a lot more fun.

Opportunity: Collections Mgmt @ KHS & positions at Williamsburg

Do you have a passion for cataloging historical artifacts?

Robot Critique

Story: 

   Each year we take a department art trip.  If it is to Chicago or GA or Philly or St Louis, we always have a good time. While on the way home from an art department trip to Savannah Georgia, Athens GA, and Clemson TN Lynnesy Catron lost a bet. As a consequence she had to do the robot and ask for feedback from the gas station we were at. Enjoy.  (video starts horizontal but switches soon)  

    

BRING IT -- Alumni Donation Challenge!!!

Who doesn’t love a little friendly competition? GC ALUMNI are asked to make donation of $10 or more ---for a challenge....The Development offices from GC and Pikeville want to encourage alumni to make a donation online to see who has the most school spirit! This contest is centered around the February 2 when the women’s and men’s basketball teams play one another. The winner of the contest will be announced between games on Feb 2. All funds will go to student scholarships, but be sure to ask for your donation to fund the ART SCHOLARSHIPS. I would further ask you to direct that donation specifically to McCormick-Williams (a scholarship named after two long-serving faculty).

Gifts must be made online between 4 a.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 23, and Noon EST on Thursday, Feb. 2.

• All online gifts from Georgetown and UPIKE during the challenge period will count toward the challenge total.

• The school that achieves the highest number of unique donors (not the highest dollar amount) within the challenge period will be declared the winner.

• Only one gift per person during the challenge period will be counted.



Consider donating to the Art Scholarships over the next two weeks -- we're getting new scholarship applications already, in house for incoming students for the Fall 2012....Wouldn't it be great to give MORE money to art students? And, if you can't contribute now, consider donating in the Fall.

Thanks! Earl Grey

{photos above from 2009 Alumni bball game (left) and our beloved AWW building}

Even Deeper: Winters Photography

I must admit that I'm very excited for Michael's show in the Cochenour. I've had the privilege of getting to know him over the past few years as a result of connections with the 930 Art Center in Louisville. I've been able to show a few pieces there and each time I usually get to talk with Michael more and more.

It's exciting when you meet someone with a kindred spirit, who speaks your language; and in our case it's the language of photography. It's fun to sit down and talk shop because we have so much in common, and as a result we can often talk about issues that are more deeply rooted and inherent in our shared medium.

What I wanted to point out with this post is that both Michael and his wife Mickie share the practice and passion of photography and artmaking. To this extent, here's a link to their website where you can see more of their personal work and photography business.

Hope to see you at the reception tomorrow.
DK

Go Deeper

Welcome Back!  The first week of spring semester is also the first week of 2012 GC Art Gallery Programming!  Join us for a Reception this Thursday, January 26, 4:30-6:30 in the Cochenour Gallery to meet artist and Louisville 930 Gallery Director Michael Winters.  Michael will be giving a NEXUS Talk at 5:30 regarding the exhibition of his recent photographs, Deeper Into The Presence: Pictures from Red River Gorge by Michael Winters.  And, be sure to check out the 930 Art Center to learn more about what Michael does.

 See you in the Art Galleries!

Welcome Back (I hope)

      Thought I would start off the new semester with a brand new installation made from 1,000 bicycles entitled Forever bicycles by dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who emerged four months ago from a prolonged detention by the Chinese government for alleged economic crimes. The installation is one of 21 artworks on display as part of “Ai Weiwei Absent,” at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and runs through January 29th. 
      Images like this can be inspiring, at least they are to me and I hope they are to you.  This got me thinking of things I hope for in the coming semester and I have made a short list. 


I hope your break was amazing, or at least refreshing or different.
I hope you find inspiration for yourself this semester 
     and I hope you don't wait for someone to bring it to you. 
I hope you are ready to get to work.
I hope you are excited about your classes.
I hope your ambitions are chomping at the bit. 
I hope this semester is a pivotal one.
I hope you missed us.
I hope coming into the building makes you feel at home.


Welcome back. 

Opportunity: SCOPE art show and NY apartment

Artists Wanted : Year In Review is a juried, international all-medium-encompassing open call for art awarding $50,000 in prizes, including an Exclusive Featured Booth at SCOPE Art Show during Armory Week this March 2012 and One Month in a NYC Luxury Loft. You are invited to take part in a mission to present a range of technique, style and narrative that captures the best emerging artists of 2011. Click here for info.

Georgetown Cultural District Update!

As readers of the blog may well know, the Art Department at GC has been involved in the planning of a cultural district designation for Georgetown and Scott County. The KAC defines a cultural district as a "well-recognized, labeled, mixed-use area of a community featuring a high concentration of cultural amenities that attract local residents and visitors alike." The program is aimed at revitalizing downtowns and rural areas, promoting tourism destinations and connecting such diverse fields as art, historic preservation and agriculture.

Feeling as though we meet these criteria and have what it takes to continue as a district, members of the Georgetown-Scott County arts community began meeting in the fall 2011 (August 23) and reached the conclusion early on that we wanted to apply for Cultural District Certification. We completed a hefty project application and submitted this to the Kentucky Arts Council on November 1. The four organizing coordinators for the application have been Historic Georgetown (Kitty), Cardome Center (Allison), and G-SC Planning Commission (Brian) in addition to yours truly. But, we have a whole community of partners -- Art Gal, Jan at SCAC, Annie, Judy, Earlene, Artie, and so many others.

The Arts Council has alerted us to the date when the announcement of CD status will be granted. It's February 9 and Governor Beshear will make the announcement. We're hoping to caravan to Frankfort to hear the news (and hopefully, it's good news!).

One accomplishment has been the City of Georgetown's declaration of our Cultural District. So, we are taking the name and running with it. WE ARE a CULTURAL DISTRICT already. To this end, we are implementing one of our objectives, that is, the creation of a central calendar to share news of the cultural events in our community. We've begun that process already. Click here to see our beginnings of our Georgetown Cultural District Calendar!

Note: Image at top was taken by Jan at our recent meeting of the GCD. Image to the left visualizes only one of our many cultural events throughout the year. Here, Marjorie Guyon is talking with students from the Landover Nation during her exhibition "Nation of Nations" in the Cochenour Gallery of the LRC.

Upcoming Lecture: Memorial Mania

Memorial Mania

The Hite Art Institute at the University of Louisville presents the Frederic Lindley Morgan Lecture entitled "Memorial Mania," by Erika Doss, author of the book with the same title.

Why do we make memorials in America today, and why do we make so many of them? Doss's talk focuses on contemporary American interests in memory and history and urgent desires to express them in public art and commemoration. Location and contact information are located here.

Fans of public art, American studies, and contemporary issues may find this lecture of great interest. Doss is professor and chair of the Department of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She has authored several American studies titles over the past two decades, including Spirit Poles and Flying Pigs: Public Art and Cultural Democracy in American Communities and Elvis culture: Fans, Faith, and Image.

Hope to see you there!

Opportunity: Workshop and Training

KFW’S SPECIAL PROJECT SEEKING APPLICANTS FOR FREE WORKSHOP & PAID ART ACTIVITIES LEADER POSITIONS
KFW’s Special Project, focused on making art with families of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated loved ones, is expanding to include two community-based locations. To prepare for this expansion, Monica L. Williams, the National Artistic Director for the Special Project, will lead Art-Making and Empowerment Techniques for Re-Entry, a free interactive training workshop for up to 10 selected participants on Saturday, January 28th, from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm. All participants who complete the training workshop will then be eligible to apply for one of four new positions on KFW’s Special Project Team as twice-monthly Art Activities Leaders.

The deadline to apply is Friday, January 20. Selected participants will be notified on January 24.

To receive an application, email KFW Executive Director Judi Jennings at judi@kfw.org.

Opportunity: Photo contest

Google Photography Prize
in association with the Saatchi Gallery

Do you see the world through a camera lens? Does the work of Wolfgang Tillmans, Thomas Demand, Ryan McGinley or Jeff Wall spark your imagination?

If so, we would love you to enter the Google Photography Prize, a global competition launched by Google and the Saatchi Gallery that offers students a chance to showcase their work internationally and to have it exhibited at one of the most prestigious galleries in the world.

Opportunity: Kentucky Crafted: The Market (Sat. March 3 in LEXINGTON)

Art students have volunteered at this event in the past. It's a great way to share the arts with Kentuckians! Interested in helping out? Contact Dr. Decker for information.

From 1 to 1 million – fun facts about Kentucky Crafted: The Market

Opportunity: Western Elementary Art Day (March 15th, 2012)

Diana from Western Elementary is looking for students to assist with Art Day, March 15, 2012. Please note: this date falls during GC's spring break. Interested in volunteering? Contact Dr. Decker for the email address.

Description: "The day will be set up where artists hold mini-workshops for classes that rotate from one "station" to another. Each session or class is for about 45 minutes. We are looking to focusing on art in every way possible. The date again is set for March 15th starting from around 8:00 am to about 1:00 pm. With breaks for lunch!"