Thursday, September 5, 2013

Hello and Goodbye

The Art Building is a place to meet up with new and old friends. As faculty, students, and staff, we also carry that connection—that community of art students—with us. Check out stories from our alumni at this link....You'll be amazed to read what a few of our alumni are doing.

Class of 2010 studio major Peggy is coming to campus next week to give a guest-crit with our painting students, Mallory and Steph. We look forward to seeing her and hearing from her. You can check out Peggy's work online and in the Alumni Spotlight in the foyer of our Wilson Building.

One of our senior "art" students is doing an Area Major (a self-designed educational path) in Japanese Studies. I use quotation marks in referencing Dawn because she is passionate about Japanese language and culture and has taken a few art courses that we have been able to offer that have focused on Japanese and Asian traditions. These were taught by me and my colleague, Daniel Graham, along with Michael Rich (who is now on the faculty at EKU—lucky them!). Dawn leaves for Japan this week to begin a new journey studying abroad. She will take Japanese language and culture courses. I was able to spend Monday afternoon with her and to meet her family and friends. Bon voyage and best wishes!

Senior Japanese Studies Major, Dawn, before departing
for Japan this week. Best wishes!
Monday morning our building and campus welcomed Jim and Mary McCormick, Bob and Elizabeth Williams (Bob and Jim are emeritus faculty members from our department), alum Hal McCoy and his wife Mary, and Rusty Wallace, who has been a visiting artist on campus this past week. Our Gallery Director, Jeanette, hung two of Hal's works from his student days in the art building — they were there to welcome our friends. See the photo of our gathering in the Wilson, amid Rusty's works below.
From left: Elizabeth and Bob; Hal; Rusty; Mary and Jim; and Mary
And, yesterday, alum Matt Hubbard visited us from Athens, Georgia. It's wonderful to catch up with friends, to say hello to new friends, and goodbye to students who will come back, again!