Congratulations to Shannon Johnstone! Shannon’s sabbatical project, "Breeding Ignorance", was selected as one of the Top 50 in Photolucida's highly competitive 2009 Critical Mass photographyreview/competition. "The aim of Critical Mass, and all Photolucida programming, is to provide participants with career-building opportunities and to promote the best emerging and mid-career artists working today." Photolucida's 2009 Critical Mass received almost 600 applicants from around the world. Initially a panel of 20 curators and photo professionals narrowed down the field to the top 175. The top 175 then went on to be reviewed by 200 gallery and museum directors, curators, photo editors, publishers, etc. They voted on the work and narrowed down to the Top 50 candidates, which Shannon is a part of. Great job, Shannon! |
At the 2009 Southeastern College Art Conference in Mobile, James Boyles was given the Award of Distinction for his service as editor of the SECAC Review.
This year he also chaired a panel on American art history and gave a paper, "The War at Home: John Rogers' Returned Volunteer and Industrial Change in America."
Pinhole Photographers Eric Renner and Nancy Spencer Lecture Oct. 5
Eric Renner and Nancy Spencer, renowned pinhole photography advocates, will speak at Meredith College on October 5. The lecture, “Pinhole Photography: History to Contemporary,” will be held at the Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center, room 137, at 8:00 p.m.
Renner is the author of the book Pinhole Photography: Rediscovering a Historic Technique. Renner and Spencer are coeditors of the Pinhole Journal.
Renner and Spencer have exhibited their work internationally and received many awards, including a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and a grant from the J. Paul Getty Trust.
Photojournalist and Photographer Gerd Ludwig to Give Lecture
Meredith College is hosting an evening with internationally acclaimed photojournalist and National Geographic photographer, Gerd Ludwig. Ludwig's lecture, "A Great Photograph Touches the Soul and Broadens the Mind", will be held at Jones Auditorium Thursday, October 15 at 6 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of Canon USA and the Canon Explorers of Light Program.
Ludwig’s photography captures beautifully all the complexities of life. Whether documenting children born with severe birth defects or the sweetness of an embrace, his photography resonates with the full scale of human emotion.
On assignment for National Geographic Magazine since the late 1980s, he has covered diverse locations around the globe—from the ecological disasters of California’s Salton Sea to the origins of the Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales in rural Germany; from Tasmania’s remote beauty, to Toronto’s multi-ethnic society. He is best known, however, as the magazine’s front man in the former Soviet Union.
His lecture presentation will span his life’s work, from his art school days in Germany to recently published and unpublished images of Russia’s warp-speed transformation from communism to runaway capitalism—marked by bold aspirations, poignant suffering, and glittering opportunity.
Each image adds a new piece to the eternal puzzle called Russia—by turns greedy and generous, stoic and exuberant, suspicious and sympathetic—and it is evident why these stunning, complex, and provocative images have garnered Ludwig’s distinction as the world’s foremost color photographer documenting this region.
Roberts Presents Paper in Alabama
Faculty member Eva Roberts presented a paper entitled "Word:Meaning/s" during a general session at the University and College Designers Association (UCDA) 5th National Design Educators Summit Design for the Common Good. Hosted at Spring Hill College, the summit was held May 28–30 in Mobile, Alabama.
Hyde's Orchids and Clay in Current Exhibit
In a current exhibit at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, avid “artist/naturalist” and Meredith art instructor, Warner Hyde has found an exciting opportunity to combine his two loves―cultivating orchids and crafting clay.
It is his intent that these two subjects inform each other in a balanced manner. The ceramic forms are created from indigenous clay and their unglazed surface is the result of a ten hour wood/salt firing process. The forms are reflective of the orchid’s indigenous growing habits. The forms and surfaces recall the limestone cliffs in Vietnam where lady slippers (paphiopedilum) are found dangling, or the texture of a rough tree in the canopy of the South American jungles where a cattleya orchid rests.
While the forms stand on their own, as do the orchids, Hyde believes a compelling presentation and understanding of both are achieved when presented as one together.
Instructor Experiences First Diving Trip
Faculty Member Eva Roberts experienced sea-life below the surface in Honduras this summer for a first-ever scuba diving trip.
Roberts took diving lessons in Raleigh and then completed the open water portion of her instruction on Cayos Cochinos, an island off Honduras in a national preserve. Roberts enthusiastically reported that "it was an amazing experience!"
Summer in the Southwest Arts Program and Upcoming Exhibition
The Art Department sponsored another arts program to New Mexico and Arizona in May, 2009. Linda FitzSimons and James Boyles were co-directors and instructors for both the Spring class, Southwestern Art, Culture and Histories in Context and the summer course, Summer in the Southwest Arts Program. Twelve students participated and were joined by one other faculty member, Lisa Pearce. Our base was Santa Fe for a week from which we made many day trips as well as exploring Santa Fe. Then we traveled west into central New Mexico and eastern Arizona.
Highlights from the travel program included the remote and beautiful mesa of Tsankawi, Bandelier National Monument and cliff dwellings, the unbelievable hoodoo rock formations of Tent Rocks, Georgia O’Keeffe country at Ghost Ranch, the swirling red rocks of Canyon de Chelly, the lunar landscape of the Painted Desert, and the historic and mysterious Chaco Canyon.
We visited Tesuque, Santa Clara, Cochiti, Zuni and Acoma Pueblos in addition to the Navajo Nation. We also went to numerous galleries and several museums including the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, the Spanish Colonial Museum, the Folk Art Museum and the Hispanic Cultural Center. On the last day, we had the opportunity to visit and talk to the award-winning wildlife and nature photographer, David Cramer, and go with him to meet and photograph the wild horses that live in the hills beside his neighborhood in Placitas, New Mexico. Two quotes taken from reflective papers sum up the experience:
“Whether we were going to museums and galleries, meeting the craftsmen
in local pueblos, or traveling the rough terrain, we were always learning.”“I am blown away! Today was my favorite, even though I say that everyday!”
An exhibition of participants’ culminating notebooks and reflective art projects will open Sunday, September 13, 2–4 p.m. and will remain open through Sunday, October 11. Come visually follow our wonderful experiences in the Southwest and see art projects that reflect our inspirations.
Farewell Party for Sharon Hill
The Art Department had a farewell party for Sharon Hill on Wednesday, August 5, hosted by Ann Roth. Sharon, who taught at Meredith for seven years and served as Department Head last year, moved to San Diego, California with her husband, Tom Sherry. Tom received a promotion from Aramark and a transfer to the West Coast. Sharon was presented with a print by Cameron Johnson entitled, “Mingus.” We are sorry to see both Sharon and Tom leave Meredith College, but now we have a good excuse to go to San Diego. We wish them the best in their new home, and they will be greatly missed.
