creativeSTATE

#creativestate The official magazine of Arts NC State SPRING 2020

Endless Possibilities

The remarkable think and do career of Mary Ann Scherr PAGE 34

Tift Merritt meets the orchestra at NC State PAGE 42

arts.ncsu.edu

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PHOTO BY MARC JACKSON

Dear Friends – W

INSIDE THIS ISSUE #creativestate Vignettes .............................. 9 Endless Possibilities: Mary Ann Scherr . . ...... 34 Exploring the Margins: Tift Merritt .............. 42 Dining Guide ............................................ 49 Donors ..................................................... 50 Coda ........................................................ 54 Events Spring Events Calendar .............................. 6 NC State LIVE Spring 2020 ......................... 18 Gregg Museum Spring 2020....................... 24 University Theatre Spring 2020 .................. 30

ON THE COVER Mary Ann Scherr was renowned for turning wearable medical devices into works of art. In February, the Gregg Museum of Art & Design opens an exhibition of work from her remarkable career. Learn more about her life and creations beginning on page 34, and see what this cool gadget – an electronic oxygen pendant – looks like on the inside.

omen have played significant roles in the arts for centuries, yet are too often overlooked in history books, on the walls of art museums, in the programming of orchestras, and so on. I am extremely proud of my arts colleagues on campus for featuring and celebrating the tremendous artistic contributions of women this semester.

In this issue of #creativestate I know you’ll enjoy learning about Mary Ann Scherr, who graced the Triangle with her presence and artistry for the last 25 years of her glorious and intriguing life. Mary Ann shared her many talents with numerous students and art lovers through teaching, exhibiting and arts leadership. Please join us by visiting the exhibition of her works at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design this spring.

NC State LIVE has been bringing meaningful performances to our campus for almost fifty years, and this March 26 will be highlighting the work of seven female playwrights who write about seven women from seven countries – a work, not surprisingly, titled SEVEN, which highlights the strength and resiliency of women.

On April 19 I hope you will join us and the Raleigh Civic Symphony for the conclusion of our series titled “20 for ‘20,” which celebrates that the orchestras of NC State have presented a world premiere performance at every concert for the past five years. This particular concert will feature a new work by Raleigh’s renowned singer-songwriter Tift Merritt, inspired by the history of Dix Park.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Arts NC State!

Rich Holly Executive Director for the Arts

FROM THE COLLECTION OF RANDY SCHERR, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE.

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#creativestate The official magazine of Arts NC State SPRING 2020 | VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2 Arts NC State is the collective voice of the visual and performing arts programs of North Carolina State University.

2019

The Crafts Center Dance Program Gregg Museum of Art & Design Department of Music NC State LIVE University Theatre DIAMOND

AWARD

Arts NC State is part of the Division of Academic and Student Affairs.

TRAVEL. CULTURE. FOOD.

Rich Holly Associate Dean and Executive Director for the Arts ADVERTISERS MAKE THIS MAGAZINE POSSIBLE For advertising information, contact mktulber@ncsu.edu.

Arts NC State 3140 Talley Student Union Campus Box 7306 Raleigh NC 27695 arts.ncsu.edu artsncstate@ncsu.edu Mark K.S. Tulbert Director of Arts Marketing

If you like North Carolina, you’ll love Our State.

Visit ourstate.com to subscribe.

Ticket Central: 919.515.1100 Administration Offices: 919.513.1800 This magazine was not produced or mailed with state-appropriated funds.

Arts NC State Who We Are THE CRAFTS CENTER Open to campus and the community, the Crafts Center provides hands-on, immersive, lifelong learning skills.

Focus areas include clay, wood, jewelry, lapidary, mixed media, photography, glass and fibers. Students and patrons from all disciplines, backgrounds, and skill sets find a welcoming, supportive and creative home here. crafts.arts.ncsu.edu

DANCE PROGRAM This nationally recognized program educates, empowers and inspires NC State student dancers and choreographers to find and express their creative voice. dance.arts.ncsu.edu

GREGG MUSEUM OF ART & DESIGN A collecting and exhibiting museum with over 35,000 objects, the Gregg makes art accessible to the NC State community and public. It’s the museum of NC State University, where objects spark ideas – and admission is always free. gregg.arts.ncsu.edu

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC NC State Music provides educational opportunities for student and community participants through a variety of ensembles and courses, and offers both Music Minor and Arts Entrepreneurship Minor curricula. The department also serves as a cultural resource for the university and the greater community through numerous performances and presentations. music.arts.ncsu.edu

NC STATE LIVE NC State LIVE has established a regional and national reputation for presenting a professional performing arts season of the highest artistic excellence, connecting artists and audiences in a meaningful exploration of the diverse cultures and issues that define our communities and world. live.arts.ncsu.edu

UNIVERSITY THEATRE University Theatre provides high-impact educational and artistic experiences for NC State students by staging top-quality theatrical productions and providing expert production services for live events. theatre.arts.ncsu.edu

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CALENDAR

F E AT U R E S

2020 SPRING  NC STATE LIVE  UNIVERSITY THEATRE  THE CRAFTS CENTER

CHORAL CONCERTS

 GREGG MUSEUM

You have two opportunities to hear the choirs of NC State this spring, with performances on March 27 and April 18, both in Stewart Theatre.

Check page 11 for some exciting choir news.

 DANCE PROGRAM  DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

PHOTO BY ERIN ZANDERS

 ARTS NC STATE

JANUARY  Fantastic Fauna: Chimeric Creatures Gregg Museum of Art & Design Through January 26  Art’s Work in the Age of Biotechnology: Shaping Our Genetic Futures Gregg Museum of Art & Design Through March 15  Teach and Do: The Crafts Center Instructors’ Exhibition January 6 - March 6  Grains of Time Stewart Theatre January 11

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 Poetry reading with Jeffery Beam Gregg Museum of Art & Design January 16

 PMC Lecture: Tiber F.M. Falzett Price Music Center, Room 110 January 23

 Arts NOW Series: Timothy Holley, cellist Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre January 22

 Marcus Roberts and the Modern Jazz Generation Stewart Theatre January 24

 All that Glitters: Spark and Dazzle from the Permanent Collection Gregg Museum of Art & Design January 24-May 17 (opening reception January 23)

 Sketching in the galleries led by Christina Wytko Gregg Museum of Art & Design January 30

 Design by Time Gregg Museum of Art & Design January 24-May 17 (opening reception January 23)

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FOR TICKETS 919.515.1100 arts.ncsu.edu

 Lecture with Adam Hartstone-Rose Gregg Museum of Art & Design February 6

 Film screening: Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run Gregg Museum of Art & Design February 13

 Faculty recital: Olga Kleiankina, piano Titmus Theatre February 16  Ragtime Stewart Theatre February 19-23  How I Made This: Ryan Dudek The Crafts Center February 20

MARCH  Short lectures in conjunction with Art’s Work in the Age of Biotechnology: Jennifer Baltzegar, Todd Kuikin, Jennifer Kuzma and Chris Tonelli Gregg Museum of Art & Design March 5  Wind Ensemble Stewart Theatre March 5  First Friday: The Irish Session Gregg Museum of Art & Design March 6  Docent Tours Gregg Museum of Art & Design March 12

 Student Shorts Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre March 18-22  Lecture: The biosensing jewelry of Mary Ann Scherr by visiting scholar Kayleigh Perkov Gregg Museum of Art & Design March 19  Panoramic Dance Project Concert Stewart Theatre March 19-20

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 Shana Tucker Titmus Theatre February 15

 Yamato: The Drummers of Japan Stewart Theatre February 28

 Scherr Passion The Crafts Center March 16-July 28 (opening reception March 18)

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 First Friday: NC State Woodwind Quintet Gregg Museum of Art & Design February 7

 Highlight tour with curator Ana Estrades of All is Possible (registration required) Gregg Museum of Art & Design February 27

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FEBRUARY

 Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia: The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites Stewart Theatre March 22  How I Made This: Suijin Li The Crafts Center March 23  Yoga in the Garden Gregg Museum of Art & Design March 26

 All is Possible: Mary Ann Scherr’s Legacy in Metal Gregg Museum of Art & Design February 21-September 6 (opening reception February 20)

Experience dance by NC State’s two student companies, Panoramic Dance Project (pictured), March 19-20, and State Dance Company, April 2-3, both in Stewart Theatre.

PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

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EVENTS

 L.A. Theatre Works: SEVEN Stewart Theatre March 26  Spring Choir Concert Stewart Theatre March 27

VIGNETTES

 Mu Beta Psi’s A Cappella Fest Stewart Theatre March 28 APRIL

F E AT U R E S

 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Titmus Theatre April 1-11  State Dance Company Concert Stewart Theatre April 2-3  First Friday: Wolfpack Pickers Gregg Museum of Art & Design April 3  NC State Jazz Orchestra Stewart Theatre April 4  Raleigh Civic Chamber Orchestra Stewart Theatre April 5  Eco Film Series Gregg Museum of Art & Design April 7, 8, 9  How I Made This: Rosalie Midyette The Crafts Center April 15

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 Artist talks: Jacob Olmedo, Erin Kirchner and Ryan Hoover Gregg Museum of Art & Design April 16  LIVE @ Lake Raleigh: Music Maker Blues Revue Centennial Campus April 16  NC State Jazz Lab Band Stewart Theatre April 16  Student Art Sale Talley Student Union April 17  Grains of Time Stewart Theatre April 17  Leela Dance Collective: SPEAK Titmus Theatre April 17-18  NC State Choirs Stewart Theatre April 18  Raleigh Civic Symphony Stewart Theatre April 19

 Ladies in Red Stewart Theatre April 24  Wolfgang A Cappella Stewart Theatre April 25  Acappology Stewart Theatre April 26  LIVE @ Lake Raleigh: Violet Bell Centennial Campus April 30 MAY  First Friday: Justin Kuhn Gregg Museum of Art & Design May 1  LIVE @ Lake Raleigh: Caique Vidal & Batuque Centennial Campus May 14  LIVE @ Lake Raleigh: The Collection Centennial Campus May 28 JUNE

 Wind Ensemble Stewart Theatre April 21  Symphonic Band Stewart Theatre April 22  Across the Threshold of India Gregg Museum of Art & Design April 24-October 18 (opening reception April 23)

 TheatreFEST 2020: Holmes and Watson Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre June 4-21  TheatreFEST 2020: Peter and the Starcatcher June 18-28  TheatreFESTival Thompson Hall June 20

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#creativestate VIGNETTES

F E AT U R E S

PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

VIGNETTES

AGAINST THE RAILING, REDUX Eleven years ago, Tara Zaffuto Mullins created a dance inspired by the life of her grandmother, who at age 16 emigrated from Sicily to the United States.

Maddalena Lucchese left her parents behind and headed to a new country. Young and scared, she traveled by ship with her aunt to America. She would meet her future husband, Ferdinando Zaffuto, who had arrived in New York a year earlier; their marriage had been arranged back home.

In 2012, in her first year as assistant director of the Dance Program at NC State, Mullins set this work on the members of the NCSU Dance Company (now State Dance Company).

For the spring 2020 concert by the State Dance Company, Mullins – now the director of the Dance Program – felt it was a good time to not only revisit this dance work, but to expand it to reflect immigration stories from members of the company and the NC State community.

In the years since Mullins first choreographed Against the Railing, the issues surrounding immigration have been on the forefront of our

conversations, and have received extensive media coverage. “I’m trying to get to our personal stories,” she explains. “I want to inspire people to have conversations about immigration by humanizing the discussion.”

Mullins’ dance students offer a range of rich family history that will be reflected in the revised work.

The grandmother of Jenna Finkelstein (junior in biochemistry with a minor in dance) left Germany during the Holocaust, immigrating to Uruguay.

The great-great-great grandparents of dancer Madison Johnson (senior in psychology) met as stowaways on a ship from Ireland to the U.S. And the journey to America story for LilyGrace Wolfe (junior in communication media with a minor in arts studies) is even more poignant. As an infant, LilyGrace was found in a cardboard box in a park in China and taken to an orphanage.

Her American parents adopted her from that orphanage.

Mullins adds, “We live in a time that thrives on sound bites, which serve to disconnect and divide human beings. Art can provide bridges to encourage important conversations that help humanize political issues. It is my hope that Against the Railing will do just that.” arts.ncsu.edu

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Arts NC State seeks to bring the world to campus through NC State LIVE artist residencies, Gregg Museum of Art & Design exhibitions, and so much more. Nevertheless, there is often no substitute for leaving campus for a new challenge in a new environment, with new people.

Below you will find three stories of students who left campus – for a couple of days to a whole semester – and their lives changed. These students illustrate the enormous value of student travel opportunities, which are often only made possible through the help of scholarships and awards funded by supporters like you.

Téa Blumer graduated in spring 2019 with a degree in art and design. In 2018 she traveled to NC State’s European Center in Prague, where she had the opportunity to study and experience the original work of Alphonse Mucha, an artist who pioneered the Art Nouveau movement and laid the foundation for poster and illustrative art.

Blumer had never been to Europe before arriving in Prague, and she immersed herself in her new life and city home. When planning for her trip, she applied for scholarship funding at the Study Abroad Office within NC State’s Office of Global Engagement. She

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Nia Crews is a senior majoring in communication and media.

She joined University Theatre as soon as she arrived at NC State, and has served as a production assistant, board operator, assistant stage manager, and stage manager.

In March 2019, Crews had the opportunity to travel to Cincinnati to be backstage for two performances of the touring production of Hamilton.

Her experience was made possible with funding from the Stafford Endowment for Arts NC State Student Travel, a fund established in 2012 in honor of Vice Chancellor Emeritus Thomas H. Stafford, Jr. Crews raves about the supportive community within University Theatre.

Her mentor, Josh Reaves (interim director of University Theatre), suggested the trip.

He knew the production’s stage manager, and he helped connect her to funding through the Stafford Travel Endowment. What surprised Crews in Cincinnati was how – despite the pace, the budget and the scale of the production – everyone there was just as welcoming and inclusive as at a University Theatre show.

TÉA BLUMER

NIA CREWS

OLIVIA PREVOST

Experiencing Hamilton backstage “confirmed my passion for stage management and what I want to do with my life.”

Olivia Prevost is a junior majoring in nutrition science with a dance minor. The Holly Springs native has danced all her life and is a member of the Panoramic Dance Project. Dance is her passion, a feeling confirmed during a sixweek professional preparatory program at the American Dance Festival in Durham in summer 2019. At ADF, Prevost was surrounded by people who push themselves to grow as dancers

PHOTO BY RON FOREMAN

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STUDENT TRAVEL

PHOTO BY JILLIAN CLARK

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THINK AND DO THE EXTRAORDINARY CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHT

received the Joan Mills Busko Arts Travel Scholarship, one of the few benefiting students studying the arts off-campus.

Recipients are selected by a committee comprised of members of the Friends of the Gregg board of advisors.

“Studying abroad for an entire semester actually allowed me to live in another country, versus just visiting a place as a tourist,” Blumer explains. “It was an incredible experience.”

AJAY SURESH / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (CC BY 2.0)

VIGNETTES

HOW DO YOU GET TO CARNEGIE HALL? Ah, the mystique. Mention that NC State choral students will be performing at Carnegie Hall this spring, and you sense an immediate jolt of excitement.

What are you doing Memorial Day weekend? How about a trip to New York City? On May 23, Dr. Nathan Leaf, director of choral activities in the Department of Music, will be conducting a concert with the NC State choirs and the Concert Singers of Cary, performing Mozart’s Solemn Vespers. Carnegie Hall is one of the most prestigious performance venues in the world, acclaimed for its spectacular acoustics.

Fun fact: The old joke about how you get to Carnegie Hall? They have a webpage for that. Search for “Carnegie Hall The Joke.”

F E AT U R E S

To learn more about contributing to an existing student travel fund or scholarship, or to establish your own named endowment, contact Jill Orr, director of development, at 919.513.4101 or jhorr2@ncsu.edu.

EVENTS

and leaders, in a very supportive environment. “People come to ADF from all over and from all sorts of backgrounds. But we have a common experience with dance. The dance community [at ADF and at NC State] is so open and loving and so visually and physically accepting of everyone.

We may be different, but we’re unified in movement.”

Prevost knows many fellow students who would love to pursue similar opportunities but cannot because of the costs involved. “Giving back to students is really important,” she explains. “I know a lot of people who want to do something like this but can’t.

Dancing at ADF has had a great impact on me, and that opportunity should be open to everyone.”

TEACH AND DO: THE CRAFTS CENTER INSTRUCTORS’ EXHIBITION January 6-March 6

A RELIEF CARVING BY MARIA FRATI, WHO TEACHES THE “BOARD AND BRUSH” CLASS IN THE WOOD STUDIO.

Not only do our Crafts Center instructors TEACH amazing classes here at NC State, they are professional artists in their own right. This exhibition highlights the work they DO and their incredible craftsmanship and expertise. Works will be on display and many offered for sale in a wide variety of traditional media, ranging from clay, wood, lapidary, mixed media, glass, fibers, photography, jewelry and more.

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EVENTS

KATIE QUINN

F E AT U R E S

VIGNETTES

COLERIDGE NASH

BASSAM BIKDASH

STUDENT ARTS AWARDS Arts NC State recently conferred the annual Performing, Creative and Visual Arts Awards, and 13 NC State students were honored for their accomplishments during the 2018-2019 academic year.

The awards were presented

by Arts NC State executive director Rich Holly at a ceremony on November 1.

These awards celebrate NC State University students from across the university’s colleges who exhibit extraordinary creativity and mastery of their craft. The Creative Artist Award recognizes students who have written, composed or choreographed an outstanding piece of original theatre, music or dance, while the Performing

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L-R: ABRAM MAGALDI, TÉA BLUMMER, BRITNEY SYMONE, KATIE QUINN, OLIVIA PREVOST, RYAN VASCONCELLOS, ISA CORTES, BASSAM BIKDASH, HEIKE SCHNEIDER, NICHOLAS MURPHY, COLERIDGE NASH ALL PHOTOS BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

and Téa Blumer (art + design) for her artwork titled Sushi Sculpture.

The Creative, Performing and Visual Artist Awards are made possible by the NC State University Foundation, the Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf Endowment for Creativity in the Performing Arts, the Roxanne Hicklin Visual Artist Award Endowment, and Arts NC State.

To learn more about the student arts awards and this year’s recipients, see go.ncsu.edu/artistawards.

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Cortes (psychology) and Hannah Monroe (biological and agricultural engineering) in dance; Nicholas Murphy (materials science and engineering), Coleridge Nash (applied mathematics and physics) and Will Shen (statistics) in music; and Ryan Vasconcellos (communication: media) in theatre.

The Visual Artist Award recipients are Abram Magaldi (industrial design) and Heike Schneider (art + design) for a joint submission collage, Orange Vanilla; Britney Symone (graphic design) for her artwork titled Dark Skin Holds History;

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Artist Awards are given to exceptional student performers.

The Visual Artist Award honors NC State students for artwork submitted for the annual Student Art Sale each spring.

The Creative Artist Award recipients are Olivia Prevost (nutrition science) in dance for choreography of Why Can’t You See Me?; Katie Quinn (conservation biology) in dance for choreography of Strings; Bassam Bikdash (mechanical engineering) in music for a composition titled FantasiaNotturna, Op. 2, No. 2.

The Performing Artist Award recipients are Isa

INHERITED TRAUMA INFORMS NEW MUSIC Flutist and composer Allison Loggins-Hull is one of four artists commissioned to create a new work for the orchestras of NC State during this “20 for ’20” themed season.

The 2019-20 academic year marks the fifth consecutive season with new compositions performed on each concert – four new works per year, for a total of twenty premieres in the last five years – by the Raleigh Civic Symphony and the Raleigh Civic Chamber Orchestra. The ensembles are conducted by Dr. Peter Askim, director of orchestral studies in the NC State Department of Music.

Supported by a grant from New Music USA, Loggins-Hull is creating a new work – titled The Inheritors – for the Raleigh Civic Chamber Orchestra based on her personal experiences as an African-American woman in today’s cultural landscape. The new composition will premiere on Sunday, April 5.

For her first orchestral composition, Loggins-Hull will explore the concept of the intergenerational transmission of trauma, drawing on the stories of descendants of victims of slavery and the Holocaust. Previous

commissioners of her new works include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Carolina Performing Arts.

Askim is eager to share the vision of LogginsHull with students, orchestras and audiences.

“Allison’s music is so rich, powerful and from the heart. It will be exciting to see what she does with the palette of colors, sounds and textures available when composing for the orchestra.”

Building on a relationship that Department of Music head Dan Monek established with the NC State Counseling Center, Askim is planning campus-wide collaborative events on the topics of trauma and mental health.

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EVENTS VIGNETTES F E AT U R E S

IMAGE BY ROBIN VUCHNICH, FROM A VERNON PRATT SELF-PORTRAIT

EVEN MORE POSSIBILITIES In October 2018, the Gregg Museum of Art & Design opened a four-month exhibition of a monumental work that director Roger Manley calls “Vernon Pratt’s magnum opus.”

All the Possibilities of Filling in Sixteenths (65,536), completed between 1980 and 1982, was put on display for the first time almost 18 years after Pratt died following a mysterious bicycle accident. It’s an immense work comprised of 256 panels that, for years, lived in boxes in a warehouse. When mounted, it was 18 feet high and 110 feet wide, filling the Black-Sanderson Gallery at the Gregg. To provide audio ambience for the exhibition, NC State’s executive director for the arts, Rich Holly, composed and recorded a 105-minute long work based on Pratt’s two primary artistic themes, jazz and mathematics.

Holly pitched the idea of a film to document the exhibition, and Manley recommended contacting Marsha Gordon (professor of film history at NC State) and her husband, architect Louis Cherry. The two had recently completed Rendered Small, a documentary about the

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collection of American folk art buildings curated

by Steven Burke and Randy Campbell. As luck would have it, they were looking for a subject for a second film.

Gordon and Cherry have just completed All the Possibilities... Reflections on a Painting

by Vernon Pratt, a 16-minute, 16-second documentary (get it?) that explores Pratt’s most ambitious painting. The film gives viewers a unique experience of his mesmerizing and massive work of art from the level of the smallest square to the painting as a whole, and includes interviews with Gregg Museum director Roger Manley; Larry Wheeler, director emeritus of the North Carolina Museum of Art; William Dodge, director of the Vernon Pratt Project; NC State mathematician Radmila Sazdanović; retired North Carolina Museum of Art curator Huston Paschal; and writer Georgeann Eubanks. The film features a percussive score drawn from the longer work composed and performed by Rich Holly for the exhibition.

The directors are currently submitting the new film to festivals, and look forward to a local screening in the near future.

PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

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PHOTO BY BECKY KIRKLAND

F E AT U R E S

The Friends of Arts NC State Board of Advisors has presented the 2019 Bowers Medal of Arts to Robert Black, Ormond Sanderson and Bing Sizemore. The awards were presented in a ceremony in the Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre on November 1.

Robert Black and Ormond Sanderson first met as teachers at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in the late 1950s. Robert attended NC State before studying design at Parsons School of Design in New York City and the University of Georgia. Ormond earned degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music – and took a pottery class at NC State. In 1959 they built Straw Valley, a studio and retail space located between Durham and Chapel Hill. It was there that they met Charlotte Wainwright, former curator and director of the Gregg Museum. Since then, they have been outstanding supporters of the museum and the arts at NC State.

They reside in Burlington, NC, surrounded by the art they have created and collected across a shared lifetime. In 2016, Robert and Ormond made a transformative gift that will provide support for museum exhibitions and acquisitions. An exhibition of their personal artwork was displayed in their named gallery in the Gregg Museum in 2018.

Bing Sizemore received a B.S. in Textile Chemistry from NC State in 1971. He worked in textiles with Cone Mills and Burlington Industries until 1983 when he entered the financial services industry. Bing is the past chair of the Friends of Arts NC State Board of Advisors and is a current member of the NC Museum of Art Foundation Board and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Advisory Board. He is a lifetime member of the NC State Alumni Association and an avid Wolfpack Club supporter. Bing is a longtime supporter of the Arts NC State and was instrumental during the Gregg Museum capital campaign, serving as an executive member of the campaign committee. In recognition for his dedication to the museum, the entry plaza bears his family name.

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BOWERS MEDALS AWARDED

TOP: BING SIZEMORE. BOTTOM: ORMOND SANDERSON AND ROBERT BLACK.

The Bowers Medal of Arts was established in 2000 to recognize and celebrate the vital role that Henry Bowers played in the development of and support for the visual and performing arts at NC State University.

As associate vice chancellor for student affairs, Bowers committed himself to the goal of making the arts an inseparable part of the educational experience for all NC State students. He worked ceaselessly to create opportunities for students to have access to a full range of the arts, whether as engaged and enlightened audiences or creative and innovative participants.

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PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

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THINK AND DO (AND MAKE IT HERE) It all started as most creative endeavors do – with an idea, or rather a problem that begs to be solved.

When Carol Fountain Nix began working as director of the Crafts Center in 2017, she noticed that many people would walk by

the front door never realizing that it is one of the most creative spaces on campus.

She wondered, “What if there was a way to introduce public art that could reflect the remarkable work done by artists at the center and create visibility for the entrance?”

Nix did not have to go very far to find an artist who could MAKE IT HERE (to embrace the Crafts Center mantra). Clay studio manager Jennifer Siegel accepted the challenge of crafting not one, but two, large ceramic vessels that now flank the entrance to the Crafts Center.

Siegel began to conceptualize then work on several scale models (“maquettes”).

The university’s Public Arts Committee – comprised of architects, artists and fabricators – was then brought in for a presentation of the concept, space and models. After review meetings, a final model was selected and Siegel went to work on the full-scale pieces.

“At 180 pounds of clay each, these are the largest forms I have ever made – a true representation of THINK and DO!” Siegel explained. “This project has been a rewarding challenge for me – one that I cannot wait to look at every day I come to work.”

The new vessels – the first public artworks for the Crafts Center – were unveiled on August 20, and now stand outside the front door as a signal that wonderfully creative stuff happens inside.

2020 STUDENT ART SALE

Open to the public.

No admission charge.

Explore and purchase the original artwork of NC State students in a pop-up art gallery on the third floor of Talley.

Learn more at go.ncsu.edu/studentart.

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PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

Friday, April 17, 12-5pm Talley Student Union, third floor

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In summer 2018, sculptor and NC State alumnus Heath Satow ’91 posted a call for help on Facebook. He had just moved from Los Angeles to Ogden, Utah, when he was contacted by the RDU Airport Authority, saying that his Dream of Flight sculpture (his first large-scale public sculpture commission in 2004) had to be removed from the general aviation terminal. Over two thousand miles away, Satow was hoping that a friend in Raleigh would come to his aid.

It worked. Fellow College of Design alum Carol Fountain Nix, director of the NC State Crafts Center, saw the message.

Because of her interest in bringing more public art to campus, Nix worked with the university’s public art committee to take advantage of this opportunity. “We’re always trying to find funding for the arts on campus and here was a chance to claim a major work – by one of our grads, no less,” she explained. She quickly gathered the committee to discuss the project and everyone was excited. However, the process wasn’t without its challenges. How would the works be stored? What were the legal issues between

F E AT U R E S

A COLLABORATIVE “WIN” FOR THE ARTS

RDU and the university? Where would it be located and how would funding be secured for the installation?

After weeks of working out the transfer of ownership, Nix enlisted her colleagues from University Theatre to go pick up the sculpture and put it in storage until a permanent campus home could be confirmed.

Cue serendipity. The Office of the University Architect was developing plans to transform the underutilized space between Primrose and Tompkins Halls, adjacent to Hillsborough Street.

The NC State Office of Global Engagement had relocated to Primrose in 2017, and the staff was seeking to create an outdoor gathering place that would both highlight the growing international diversity of the university and provide a space for events. A sculpture inspired by flight became an ideal match for the new Global Courtyard.

Though originally created for an indoor space, the sculpture is built of stainless steel, so it works outside as well. The installation in the new courtyard has been designed using Satow’s actual plans and renderings with pavers to match the globe-shaped terrazzo flooring at RDU. When the Global Courtyard opens in spring 2020, Heath Satow’s Dream of Flight will have a prominent new home on campus – and the arts folks can celebrate the power of collaboration.

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SHANA TUCKER brings ChamberSoul to Titmus Theatre on February 15.

PHOTO BY JANNELLE BLACKMAN

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EVENTS VIGNETTES

NC State LIVE Spring 2020 MARCUS ROBERTS AND THE MODERN JAZZ GENERATION

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Roberts has a driving passion to train the next generation of jazz musicians – a principle of mentoring that he finds critical to the evolution of Friday, January 24 at 8pm the form. Partnering with his longtime Stewart Theatre collaborators Rodney Jordan (on bass) and Jason Marsalis (on drums), When jazz legend Marcus Roberts they’ve founded the Modern Jazz sits down at the piano, you want to Generation. The music born from this be in that room. He’s got the wild multigenerational group is charged style of Thelonious Monk with a with history and innovation – truly little Fats Waller thrown in for good measure. He’s won countless awards, shaping the next generation of jazz. launched his own record label, been This presentation is funded in commissioned by prestigious jazz part by a grant from South Arts festivals, and profiled on CBS’ 60 in partnership with the National Minutes. But his greatness doesn’t Endowment for the Arts. stop there.

MARCUS ROBERTS AND THE MODERN JAZZ GENERATION PHOTO BY YASMINE OMARI

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YAMATO

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PHOTO BY MASA OGAWA

SHANA TUCKER

YAMATO: THE DRUMMERS OF JAPAN

Saturday, February 15 at 5pm & 8pm Titmus Theatre

Friday, February 28 at 8pm Stewart Theatre

North Carolina has a rich musical heritage, and pioneering artists like Shana Tucker are keeping this lineage alive. “ChamberSoul” is how Tucker prefers to label her distinctive mix of lyrical storytelling, uplifting jazz, classical, folk, R&B and pop – all translated through her soulful voice and hypnotic cello arrangements.

She has opened for internationally acclaimed artists including Norah Jones, Lisa Fischer, Sweet Honey in the Rock, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and Indigo Girls. An interview with NPR prompted an invitation from Cirque du Soleil to join the company as cellist and vocalist for their show KÀ in Las Vegas, where she stayed and performed for five years before returning to North Carolina.

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Yamato’s motto is “Go anywhere if invited and make the world a little more happy.” With close to 200 performances a year worldwide, they take happiness very seriously. Traveling from Japan’s Asuka Village in Nara Prefecture, these highly trained musicians captivate audiences through Japan’s traditional Wadaiko (Taiko) drums.

Yamato thinks of their ancient instruments as a heartbeat, the basic element of life. To witness their playing is to become surrounded by this beat and immersed in an energy that ties us all together. The experience reminds us all of the power of live performance.

MERMAID THEATRE OF NOVA SCOTIA: THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR & OTHER ERIC CARLE FAVOURITES Sunday, March 22 at 3pm Stewart Theatre The enchanting Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia returns to the Kidstuff Series to bring us Eric Carle’s classic tale of transition, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Using the magic of black light and fanciful puppets, this inventive theatre company brings the beloved story to life in a blaze of color. Their charming puppeteering also shines a light on Little Cloud and The MixedUp Chameleon, celebrating the genius and charm of Eric Carle.

Recommended for curious and creative minds ages 3 to 8 and their families.

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SEVEN PHOTO BY RICH ROSE

L.A. THEATRE WORKS IN SEVEN Thursday, March 26 at 8pm Stewart Theatre Seven game-changing female playwrights – Paula Clzmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Anna Deavere Smith and Susan Yankowitz – take on the true stories of seven remarkable women from seven countries across the globe who faced seemingly insurmountable odds to create heroic change. L.A. Theatre Works breathes life into these stories using their powerful, signature radio theatre style.

This rich tapestry of documentary storytelling transports the audience to Pakistan, Nigeria, Ireland, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Russia and Cambodia, showcasing the strength and resiliency of women around the world. SEVEN reveals that even in the darkest times, one person, one voice and a single act of courage can change the lives of thousands.

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SPEAK

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PHOTO BY SHAUN ALEXANDER

SPEAK Friday, April 17 at 8pm Saturday, April 18 at 3pm & 8pm Titmus Theatre Indian Kathak dance and American tap intertwine to celebrate tradition and embrace new possibilities. Flipping the script on forms generally dominated by men, four women (Rina Mehta, Rachna Nivas, Dormeshia, and Chapel Hill native Michelle Dorrance) have co-created a triumph of cross-cultural collaboration.

Expect to be fully taken by rhythm and virtuosity as these forms collide. The dancers share the stage with a stellar array of Indian classical musicians and a jazz combo. The original score was co-created by masterful Indian instrumentalist Jayanta Banerjee and groundbreaking jazz musicians Allison Miller (drums) and Carmen Staaf (piano).

This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources and is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission. This presentation is also funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

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VIOLET BELL PHOTO BY KENDALL BAILEY ATWATER

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F E AT U R E S

 FOR TICKETS

LIVE @ LAKE RALEIGH After playing chicken with both Hurricanes Florence and Michael in fall 2018 (note: we lost), LIVE @ Lake Raleigh became a spring series. Our free, family-friendly concert series on the picturesque shore of Lake Raleigh returns for spring 2020 with four Thursday evening performances.

This collaboration between NC State LIVE and Visit Centennial celebrates the rising voices of North Carolina’s vibrant music scene.

MUSIC MAKER BLUES REVUE Thursday, April 16 at 6pm Presented in partnership with the Music Maker Relief Foundation.

VIOLET BELL Thursday, April 30 at 6pm CAIQUE VIDAL & BATUQUE Thursday, May 14 at 6pm THE COLLECTION Thursday, May 28 at 6pm The venue is located on the shore of Lake Raleigh, at the corner of Main Campus Drive & Campus Shores Drive. Bring your picnic blankets and lawn chairs (and non-perishable food donations for the Feed the Pack food pantry). Opening bands take the stage at 6pm. Food trucks will be on site beginning at 5pm. Free parking.

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EVENTS VIGNETTES F E AT U R E S

ART 2 WEAR DRESS, VERONICA TIBBITTS, 2011.

NCSU ART 2 WEAR ARCHIVAL COLLECTION, COURTESY OF THE GREGG MUSEUM OF ART & DESIGN. 2012.040.004

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Gregg Museum of Art & Design Spring 2020

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ALL THAT GLITTERS SPARK AND DAZZLE FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION January 24-May 17, 2020 Opening reception: January 23, 6-8pm The sparkle of a diamond signaling a commitment to marriage. The gleam of chrome and glossy paint on a brand new car or motorcycle. The sequined shimmer of a stage performer’s costume. The glitter of crystal and sparkling silverware at a formal dinner party. Nearly everyone would agree that shiny or sparkling things are eye-catching. But just what is it about them that makes them so (literally) attractive?

In its spring exhibition All that Glitters: Spark and Dazzle from the Permanent Collection, the Gregg Museum not only showcases some of the most visually stunning objects in its holdings, but uses them as points of departure to probe some of the deeper cultural, psychological and even evolutionary impulses that may have brought about their creation in the first place.

Every human society has demonstrated a fascination with glittering light, one way or another. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Celts and Colombians alike covered the faces of buried

19TH CENTURY MARIONETTE FROM BURMA. GIFT OF HARRIET T. HERRING. 2016.002.001

priests and royals with luminous gold, while Mayans and Chinese did the same with polished jade. Native Americans decorated baskets and dance masks with iridescent shells, wove glossy porcupine quills into their clothing and accessories, and wore necklaces of polished beads. Both Hawaiian and Andean royalty donned garments entirely covered with lustrous feathers to proclaim their status. The textile artisans of India embroidered cloth with metallic green and violet beetle wing-covers and bits of

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(Above) 19TH CENTURY PEACOCK FEATHER SCREEN FAN FROM INDIA. GIFT OF ROSEMARY H. CLAUDY, IN LOVING MEMORY OF NICHOLAS HANFORD CLAUDY, GRANDSON OF EMMA HANFORD SMITH. 2016.003.070

(Below) LARGE ROOKWOOD POTTERY VASE, 1883.

DESIGNED BY ALBERT VALENTIEN (1862-1925). TRANSFERRED FROM CHINQUAPENN PLANTATION. 2003.004.074

1. To read more about why the appeal of shiny objects may be genetic, visit tinyurl.com/glossy-as-water.

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mirrored mica, and wove pure gold and silver wire into intricate motifs in the ornate silk brocades of saris. Africans created costumes embellished with gleaming cowrie shells and made cotton textiles as shiny as foil by pounding concentrated indigo into the cloth. The pageantry of nearly every religion on earth has long been enhanced by reflections, from the golden statues and stupas of Buddhist temples, and the gleaming mosaics of Muslim mosques and Byzantine churches, to the bejeweled altarpieces of Gothic cathedrals.

The fascination with shiny objects is nearly as old as the human race. Jewelry made of naturally glossy shells has been dated to nearly 135,000 years ago, while crystals of transparent quartz have been found in prehistoric burials, suggesting the allure they once held for their original owners. But again, the question is why?

Some recent research indicates that the human brain may be instinctively hard-wired to associate glossy surfaces with water.1 If so, this suggests that the attraction may have evolved as a survival mechanism.

By making reflective surfaces innately desirable, even infants would be drawn to seek water, the second most essential requirement for life after air. But there may also be subconscious links to other survival necessities that are almost equally as deepseated. Gold, for example, has long been associated with fire or the sun, the source of all heat, light, and plant growth. The glitter of beads or sequins may recall the nighttime stars, needed for finding one’s way back to shelter.

The sparkle of jewels might command our full attention because of an instinctive association with eyes. In jungles, as well as open grasslands, both prey and predator can be well-camouflaged, and the reflections in their eyes might be the only giveaway to their presence. In either case – whether one were hunting for food or being hunted – survival would have depended on immediate detection and identification of the hidden creature. Noticing a tiny glint of light reflected in a lurking eye could be a matter of life or death.

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SEBASTIAN BRAJKOVIC. LATHE V CHAIR, 2008.

COLLECTION MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN, NEW YORK. COURTESY SEBASTIAN BRAJKOVIC STUDIO.

All that Glitters explores theories like this while taking full advantage of the sheer delight that brilliant objects can provide.

Embroidered silken banners that once graced walls in imperial China form backdrops for never-before-exhibited dragon robes.

A sequined flag used in Haitian voodoo (vodun) ceremonies to call forth the spirits contrasts with staggeringly ornate cloth-ofgold vestments once worn by a Mexican priest. Rhinestone- or bead-encrusted flapper dresses recall the fast-paced glamour of the Roaring ‘20s. An array of twinkling evening bags vies with a gathering of bejeweled hats for sheer charisma. While the exhibition is educational, it doesn’t stint on pure eye candy, for even if it’s true that what makes it all so attractive has to do with primal survival instincts, that doesn’t detract from how enjoyable it is to see it now.

DESIGN BY TIME January 24-May 17, 2020 Opening reception: January 23, 6-8pm From the Pratt Manhattan Gallery comes Design by Time, an exhibition with work from 22 international designers portraying time and its dynamic effects on fashion, furniture, textiles, vessels and more.

In this exhibition, the featured designers employ all manner of influences – chemistry, crystallization, magnetism, astronomy, oceanography, and the more expected forms of drawing, music and weaving – to portray relationships between time and creation, its relationship with nature, and its inevitability. The objects on display reveal a partnership of sorts between each designer and their chosen materials, and how that relates to the intersection of space and time.

Design by Time includes work by Atelier Mark Sturkenboom; Auger-Loizeau; Maarten Baas; BeatWoven; Sebastian

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FRONT DESIGN STUDIO, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. BLOW AWAY VASE, 2008.

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GLAZED PORCELAIN. PRODUCED BY ROYAL DELFT. COURTESY MOOOI.

Brajkovic; Hussein Chalayan; Edhv, Architects of Identity; Patrick Frey; Front; Glithero; Marlène Huissoud; Humans since 1982; William Lamson; Mathieu Lehanneur; mischer’traxler studio; Jacob Olmedo; Diana Scherer; Sebastian Cox Workshop; Bartholomäus Traubeck; Nicole Wermers; Jólan van der Wiel; and Ryan Mario Yasin.

This exhibition and companion publication are supported in part by a grant from the Creative Industries Fund NL, and as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.

Design by Time is organized by the Department of Exhibitions, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, and is curated by Ginger Gregg Duggan and Judith Hoos Fox of c2 curatorsquared.

FREE PROGRAMS AT THE GREGG On most Thursday evenings (when the Gregg is always open until 9pm), free public programs are offered. Events include artist talks, lectures, tours, yoga, and opening receptions. See the calendar on page 6 or visit gregg.arts.ncsu.edu/ programs for the latest list of events.

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ALL IS POSSIBLE MARY ANN SCHERR’S LEGACY IN METAL February 21-September 6, 2020 Opening reception: February 20, 6-8pm All is Possible is a tribute to a larger-than-life designer who influenced the metal and design communities for over six decades.

The exhibition title communicates her zest for life, as well as the many creative possibilities she saw in metal design, leading to a 60-year career in the field. Curated by jewelry historian and educator Ana Estrades, the exhibition aims to explore the full extent of Mary Ann Scherr’s legacy, endless creativity, and innovations through new archival material, works from private collections, and recent oral histories taken from relatives, friends, collectors, former students and studio assistants. See page 34 for a feature story about Scherr’s life.

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ACROSS THE THRESHOLD OF INDIA ART, WOMEN AND CULTURE

MODIFIED LOTUS, A PONGAL DIAGRAM FROM SRIRANGAM IN TAMIL NADU, 1986.

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Sarasvati, Hindu goddess of the arts and knowledge, surrounds and permeates the mysteries of spice, taste and art in Indian culture.

One practice in honoring her spiritual foundation is to sanctify the space between physical and spiritual existence by the creation of evanescent drawings, which are typically made of rice flour carefully sprinkled on the ground in transitional spaces to create intricate patterns. Martha Strawn, visual ecologist and photographer, documents and examines the practice of making these “threshold drawings” (kolam or rangoli) in her book, Across the Threshold of India: Art, Women and Culture.

The designs have captivated her for over 30 years, resulting in image after image of these special diagrams drawn on the actual thresholds of Indian homes. They are usually created by the women of the family, and serve to symbolize the separation of secular and sacred spaces, and as a protection from evil, ill will or bad luck.

The designs, often based on natural forms, may be used to separate rooms within a house, a home from the street, or a business from the bustle of the surrounding world. The patterns, which are often quite intricate, can be found in other examples of Indian vernacular art such as tapestries, rugs, cloth and architecture. The exhibition will include a selection of Strawn’s photographs enhanced with artifacts, clothing and other examples of Indian culture and design from the Gregg’s permanent collection.

“To discover and live in the immediacy of an ancient practice of art, life, religion has been a truly humbling yet remarkable gift,” Strawn says in the preface to her book. In addition to photography, Strawn has engaged in extensive research based on interviews with the women who make these diagrams, documenting Indian culture.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTHA STRAWN April 24-October 18, 2020 Opening reception: April 23, 6-8pm

PHOTO BY MARTHA STRAWN

Threshold designs may be created to mark a wide range of life’s mileposts, such as fertility rituals, weddings, births or deaths. Strawn describes multiple ways of creating the designs which vary from creator to creator. Patterns and techniques are passed down through generations, from grandmother to granddaughter and vary from region to region. Taking this into account, Strawn’s intention is to go beyond the surface of photography and delve into the cultural aspects of the designs, including aspects of Hinduism, the connection between secular and sacred, the function of the diagrams, the pantheon of Hindu deities, influences of astrology, magic, mysticism, numerology, and finally, her encounters with inspirational female creativity. As she notes in her essay, “Sarasvati, The Muse”: “These diagrams are magical and mysterious in their complexity and in their simplicity. They reflect the larger tradition.”

Martha Strawn, a professor of art emerita at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, co-founded The Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography and Film, was a Fulbright fellow to India, and a National Endowment for the Arts fellow in photography.

Her photographs have been exhibited worldwide, and in addition to Across the Threshold: Art, Women and Culture, she is the author of Alligators, Prehistoric Presence in the American Landscape (1977), and Religion: From Place to Placelessness (2009) with Yi-Fu Tuan. arts.ncsu.edu

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OUR TOWN, FALL 2019 PHOTO BY RON FOREMAN

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University Theatre Spring 2020

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RAGTIME February 19-23 Stewart Theatre A glorious musical adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s novel, with music by Stephen Flaherty, book by Terrence McNally, and lyrics

by Lynn Ahrens. Historical figures like Emma Goldman, Booker T. Washington, and Evelyn Nesbitt intersect with three groups of New Yorkers – the upper crust of New Rochelle, the African Americans of Harlem, and the Eastern European immigrants living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Boundaries are crossed, alliances are forged, and lives are explosively altered. Directed by Mia Self, with musical direction by Diane C. Petteway.

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE April 1-11 Titmus Theatre Siblings Vanya and Sonia live in their ancestral home in Pennsylvania where they spend their days bemoaning their small lives and tiny cherry orchard – if it can even be called an orchard.

When their rich movie star sister, Masha, comes for a visit with her sexy young boyfriend, Spike, she informs Vanya and Sonia that she is selling the house. Chaos and revenge plots ensue.

While Christopher Durang plays on Anton Chekov’s characters and situations, the audience doesn’t need to know Chekov’s plays to enjoy this absurd and hilarious comedy. Directed by Rachel Klem.

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GO BACK FOR MURDER THEATREFEST 2019

PHOTO BY RON FOREMAN

PHOTO BY RON FOREMAN

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BRIGHT STAR THEATREFEST 2019

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TheatreFEST 2020 Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 1

HOLMES AND WATSON June 4-21 Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre Sherlock Holmes is dead. Or so it is assumed. The world knows the great detective went over the ledge at Reichenbach Falls with his nemesis Professor Moriarty. But as Holmes’ body was never retrieved, a number of frauds and fakes have come forward to lay claim to his identity. In this captivating play, the audience follows Dr. Watson as he determines if one of these mad men is the real Sherlock Holmes. The Arizona Daily Star describes Jeffrey Hatcher’s enthralling mystery as “tight and clever and full of suspense,” and that it “has enough red herrings to feed a family of 40.” Directed by Rachel Klem.

FOR

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER June 18-28 Titmus Theatre A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s best-selling novels, the Tony Award-winning Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be “The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up” (aka Peter Pan).

A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a starcatcher-in-training, who realizes that the trunk contains “starstuff,” a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure. Adapted for the stage by Rick Elice.

Directed by Mia Self.

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THE COLORED MUSEUM FALL 2019 EVENTS

PHOTO BY JOSHUA REAVES

SPECIAL EVENT

TheatreFESTival June 20, 1-5pm Thompson Hall

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Meet the cast, tour backstage and see how a show is made at this year’s TheatreFESTival. NC State pulls back the curtain for a casual gathering featuring, live music, games, food, and great conversations with the creative teams of TheatreFEST.

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TheatreFEST roles are open to community actors. Auditions will be held March 6-8. Visit go.ncsu. edu/utaudition for details.

TheatreFEST 2020 is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission.

Announcing the 2020-2021 University Theatre season!

THE COLORED MUSEUM FALL 2019 PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

Season tickets on sale April 27, 2020.

ALMOST, MAINE September 24-October 4, 2020

ARGONAUTIKA November 12-22, 2020

HEAD OVER HEELS February 24-28, 2021

THE PARCHMAN HOUR April 15-25, 2021

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EVENTS VIGNETTES F E AT U R E S MARY ANN SCHERR, C. 1990.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SCHERR COLLECTION. 34 #CREATIVESTATE

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ENDLESS

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POSSIBILITIES The Fearless Creativity of Mary Ann Scherr

BY KELLY McCALL BRANSON

W

HEN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED JEWELRY MAKER MARY ANN SCHERR first fell in love with metal, back in the 1940s, it wasn’t the slightest obstacle to her newfound passion that there existed only one, rather incomplete textbook on the subject of jewelry making; she simply launched her own mission of discovery – seeking out the expertise of chemists, engineers and metal workers, and spending countless hours in experimentation in her home studio – all with the kind of ravenous curiosity and unwavering persistence that was the hallmark of virtually every day of Mary Ann Scherr’s 94 years.

Scherr told writer Blue Greenberg in a 1990 interview: “For me, art is not just the action of the maker; it is the investigation, the learning, the change, the discovery.”

The retrospective of the work of this industrial designer, illustrator, writer, graphic artist, educator, inventor and goldsmith – on exhibition February 21 through September 6 at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design – is a tangible testament to the utterly unstoppable, seemingly limitless and marvelously fearless creativity that was Mary Ann Scherr.

Her prominent clients included the Duke of Windsor, Chelsea Clinton and Ralph Lauren. Her work is held in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Vatican Museum of Contemporary Art and the Goldsmith’s Hall in London. She received copyrights and patents for her innovations in metal etching and wearable medical devices. She won countless

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NUMBER ONE cuff. Oxidized silver.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF RANDY SCHERR, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE.

awards and accolades and is considered one of the most influential metalsmiths of the 20th century.

Some of Scherr’s bracelets and rings bear the phrase “All is Possible,” and for the curator of this retrospective, Ana Estrades, this summed up the essence of the woman and her work; hence the exhibition’s title, All is Possible: Mary Ann Scherr’s Legacy in Metal. “‘All is Possible’ communicates Mary Ann’s zest for life and also the many creative possibilities she saw in metal design,” says Estrades, a jewelry historian, designer and teacher. “The title refers to so many layers – the challenges of a woman working in her time, the diversity of her work, when she chose metals, all that her energy, her ability, her creativity made possible.”

AN ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY For the last 25 years of her life, Mary Ann Scherr called Raleigh home, and her influence on the local arts scene over that time was far-reaching and her accomplishments impressive, but this was only a fraction Scherr’s creative resume.

With a career spanning some seven decades, she spent her entire adult life exploring, creating, innovating – and reinventing herself. She often commented that her life read like a telephone

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book and that once anything became too familiar, she had to move on. Scherr worked as a graphic designer, a dancer, an illustrator, a cartographer, an industrial designer, a fashion designer, a teacher, an inventor and, of course, a metalsmith.

And she excelled at every endeavor.

She was the first woman hired to the automotive division of Ford Motor Company, where she designed hood ornaments and car interiors. She and her husband Sam co-founded Scherr & McDermott, one of the leading industrial design firms in the world at the time.

There, she designed everything from rubber toys to umbrellas to boots.

A cookie jar she created was snapped up by Andy Warhol for his collection and later sold at auction for $19,000. Always a fashionista – when Scherr experienced firsthand the less-thanelegant maternity wear of the day, she created her own line of chic maternity dresses (sketches of which are in the Gregg collection).

It was just after the birth of her first child that, as Scherr liked to put it, she “backed into metals” and discovered one of her true lifetime loves. Her experience as a stay-at-home housewife and mother left her feeling stifled. So Scherr enrolled in a beginning jewelry-making class, chosen mainly because it fit her schedule.

And she was hooked.

The infinite possibilities presented by a blank sheet of metal – of cutting and shaping, coloring and marking, piercing and layering, of the chemistry and physics and engineering and even biology involved – this, for Scherr, was irresistibly alluring. More than 50 years later, shortly before her death, she commented in an interview that she was still investigating new techniques with metals and might never learn all there was to know.

With a single textbook to guide her in the beginning, she dove in headfirst educating herself, experimenting. A pair of earrings she designed in 1951 won a prize. Within two years, Scherr was teaching all the metals courses at the Akron Art Institute.

Scherr’s insatiable curiosity led her to pioneer techniques in exotic metals. Her jewelry is crafted from pyrite, sliced walrus tusk, jade, granite, glass, titanium, quartz, stainless steel, aluminum and more. She seemed to find the soul in every material she worked with, most particularly metal, saying in a 2001 interview

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NECKLACE, TITANIUM GRAPES. ANODIZED TITANIUM. FROM THE COLLECTION OF CHRISTINA TREVINO, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE.

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Decades before the advent of the Fitbit, Mary Ann Scherr saw the possibilities for all manner of compact, wearable, elegant body monitors for heart rate, air quality, respiration and temperature.

This image shows the inner workings of the Electronic Oxygen Pendant, 1974, pictured on the front cover. Want to learn more about Scherr’s history of creating body monitors? In April 2001, Mary Douglas of the Mint Museum of Craft and Design recorded an oral history interview with Scherr for the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. A 5-minute audio excerpt and a full transcript are available at go.ncsu.edu/scherr-oral-history.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF RANDY SCHERR, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE. STERLING SILVER, ELECTRONICS, AMBER, OXYGEN MASK, 12 X 4 X 1 IN.

with the Smithsonian Institution, “there’s something gentle about pewter; there’s instant magic with titanium; something precious about gold; silver is endless; iron is a proud, handsome metal; and aluminum is quixotic.”

In addition to her prolific design work, Scherr was devoted to sharing her skills and wisdom. “She was absolutely driven to share her knowledge,” says former NC State Crafts Center director George Thomas.

“And had devised such great methods for simplifying and

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demonstrating.” Scherr was an educator her entire adult life, chairing the graduate program in metals at Kent State University for 27 years and later overseeing the product design department at the Parsons School of Design in New York for a decade. Scherr began teaching at the Penland School of Crafts in 1968 and was their longest tenured instructor.

In 1969 Scherr was commissioned to create a space-themed costume for Miss Ohio. As she worked late one night on the stainlesssteel belt of the ensemble, she

watched the grainy images of the astronauts walking on the moon. A lightbulb went off.

Why couldn’t the decorative belt she was fashioning to look like it carried a readout of the wearer’s heartbeat actually work?

And so, a new lifelong passion was born for Scherr.

She saw – decades before the advent of the Fitbit – the possibilities for all manner of compact, wearable, elegant body monitors for heart rate, air quality, respiration and temperature.

The very next week, she

February 21-September 6, 2020 Gregg Museum of Art & Design Free opening reception: February 20, 6-8pm

SCHERR PASSION PASSING THE TORCH March 16-July 28, 2020 The Crafts Center Free opening reception: March 18, 5:30-8pm This companion exhibition at the Crafts Center will feature some of Mary Ann Scherr’s works, her tools, and works from her apprentices, who are now Crafts Center instructors.

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In 1989, when Mary Ann and Sam Scherr decided to move from New York City to Raleigh to be closer to their three children, the local arts community wasted no time in embracing her. “I got a phone call that a famous jewelry designer was moving here,” says longtime friend, student and collaborator Patsy Hopfenberg, “so I called Mary Ann in New York. I wanted to get to her before people knew she was coming, and I asked her to serve with me on the Friends of the Gallery [now the Gregg Museum] Board.”

Without hesitation, Scherr agreed.

As with everything she did, Scherr threw herself into this new phase of her life with relish.

She joined the Raleigh Fine Arts Society and co-founded the artist cooperative gallery, The Roundabout. “She was just such an inspiration to all of the artists at Roundabout,” says fellow founder Susan Woodson. “She encouraged everyone. She worked harder than everyone.

I have her ‘Hell Yes!’ bracelet. That really was Mary Ann’s can-do attitude all the time.”

In addition to her flourishing jewelry business, and her extensive community service with arts and animal organizations, Scherr taught classes at Duke University, Meredith College, at NC State in the College of Design and at the Crafts Center, as well as in her home studio.

“Taking a class with her was one of the best experiences of my life,” says author and NC State professor, Marsha Gordon. “She had this gift of encouraging her students to dream big.” Local artist Joyce Watkins King concurs.

“She just had a way of giving you permission to pursue what you wanted to pursue. She didn’t push her own ideas but helped her students to bring to life their own ideas.”

MARY ANN SCHERR’S LEGACY IN METAL

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visited the biology department, the chemistry department and the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University. When one academic scoffed that her air quality sensor would require an 11 by 15 foot wall, she found another electronic engineer who, within a month, reduced that size to a 4.5 square inch electronic field. That pendant is now in the American Craft Museum’s permanent collection.

Scherr spent the rest of her life exploring and experimenting with body monitors. The belt she designed for Miss Ohio was donated to the Gregg Museum by a Raleigh collector.

Her students report her uncanny ability to break down complex processes into digestible bites. “She had this system of simple steps that was so easy to follow,” says Woodson, “but you never felt like you were just following the rules – it was so creative.”

Hopfenberg almost didn’t register for the class she took with Scherr at Duke; it was inconvenient, not a good time. But somehow, she knew she should make the time, and that class would begin a 27-year friendship and collaboration that would change the course of her life. “She was a force of nature,” says Hopfenberg. “When Mary Ann walked into a room, it was like a bright light had been turned on. She had such energy.”

One of the great delights of her friendship with Mary Ann was the opportunity to borrow spectacular pieces from Scherr’s collection. “She would say, ‘just get a black dress, and I’ll take care of the rest,’” says Hopfenberg. “She lent me a necklace with 40 Harry Winston diamonds to wear to the Playmakers ball one year. You can’t imagine the attention I got.”

Scherr also worked closely with apprentices and assistants in her studio, many of whom have

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EVENTS F E AT U R E S

(Top left) NO-NOD SLEEP DETECTOR, 1981.

Sterling silver, bronze, electronics, 1.35” x 1.5” x 0.5” deep. Collaboration with Dr. Steven Kanor.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF SCOTT SCHERR, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE.

(Bottom left) PENLAND GLASS NECKLACE. Hand-blown glass beads, sterling silver, hinge construction, parts fabricated, constructed, 3” h. x 8” diameter, 1988.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF CHRISTINA TREVINO, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE.

(Right) TRACH COVER NECKLACE, silver and gold.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF SCOTT SCHERR, PHOTO BY JASON DOWDLE.

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gone on to flourishing jewelry careers of their own. She believed that true talent should be encouraged and nurtured and never hoarded her little tricks and secrets for herself, but shared with abandon all she could.

Local jewelry designer Suijin Li Snyder began working with Scherr after taking one of her classes in 1992. “It was just a little taste, but I knew – this is not enough!” says Snyder, who went on to complete a two-year apprenticeship with Scherr. “She was always so encouraging,” says Snyder. “Even when there were mistakes, she only saw the possibilities there – to fix it or to learn from it or to make something new.”

Snyder remembers fondly their trips to the hardware store, where Scherr would inevitably discover some treasure she was sure to have a future use for. “She saw possibilities in everything,” says Snyder.

Sarah Tector, of Raleigh’s S. Tector Metals, worked as Scherr’s studio assistant right out of

BECOME A FRIEND OF THE GREGG Mary Ann Scherr became a Friend of the Gregg before she even moved to North Carolina. Join and be the first to know about exclusive membership celebrations and special events. You’ll find a creative community dedicated to inspiring innovation and the expression of ideas. Call 919.513.6264 or visit gregg.arts.ncsu.edu to become a member.

F E AT U R E S

Scherr’s influence in the Triangle was considerable, through her classes for both hobbyists and serious artists, her activism for the arts and animal organizations and, of course, her prolific work. “I was at an arts event once,” says Marsha Gordon, “and I looked around the room and said, ‘I think everyone in this room has taken a class from Mary Ann Scherr.’”

When curator Ana Estrades began her search for work to include in Scherr’s All is Possible exhibition, she turned first to the local community. The response was astonishing.

So much so that pieces from 15 local lenders, including Scherr’s two sons, will be included, making up the bulk of the retrospective.

Pieces on loan from Scherr’s daughter Sydney and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York will also be exhibited.

Patsy Hopfenberg’s most cherished piece is an elaborate niello neckpiece with the cross section of a Samurai sword. It was left to her by Scherr in her will. Joyce Watkins King treasures a necklace that she purchased from Scherr’s estate, a heavy gold “Nubian” necklace, etched with a series of circles – one that Scherr wore often.

Her “message” pieces are particularly valued by area collectors. In addition to the “All is Possible” mantra, and Woodson’s “Hell Yes!” cuff, Scherr created (and wore) a sassy

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college. She was struck by both the generosity of Scherr, with her wisdom and her skills, but also by the trust that Scherr showed in Tector’s talent. “That level of respect was so affirming,” says Tector. “It was her name that went on this work, but she had enough faith in my abilities to let me do the work.” Tector executed Scherr’s design work on the NC State chancellor’s medallion and years later, when modifications were made to the piece, Tector was selected to do the fabrication.

(This medallion will be displayed in the Gregg exhibition.)

Another local jewelry designer, Megan Clark, spent three years in Scherr’s studio.

“She was fierce!” says Clark. “She was tiny, but her physical strength and her energy – in her eighties! She gave me such a different perspective on what it means to grow older.”

“Bite Me” belt. She appliqued thousands of zodiac symbols, animal spirit icons and significant numbers and phrases onto necklaces, bracelets, rings and key fobs.

The work exhibited at the Gregg will span more than six decades of Scherr’s creative achievements. Some of her former assistants will model her jewelry at the opening, and visitors are encouraged to wear their own Mary Ann Scherr pieces. “I want museum visitors to explore this jewelry in its full complexity as much more than just a fashion accessory,” says Estrades, “but as works of art, meaningful design, personal expression.”

Indeed, the works of Mary Ann Scherr are a window into the indomitable spirit and the astounding creativity of the woman so beloved in the Triangle and beyond. 

Kelly McCall Branson is a freelance writer who has written about the arts, dining, travel, sustainable living and home building for regional and local publications throughout the Southeast.

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TIFT MERRITT

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PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA VALENTI

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Tift Merritt’s first orchestra composition is inspired by the history of Dix Hospital

BY DAVID MENCONI

F E AT U R E S

EXPLORING THE MARGINS

W

AY BACK IN 1908, a man named Lewis Hyder was involuntarily committed to Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh. He was 30 years old, recently returned from a four-year stint in the military, and he had threatened to burn down the barn on his father’s farm. So off to Dix he went, but Hyder did not go quietly.

Hyder fled the Dix grounds in repeated escape attempts, only to be brought back by the sheriff each time. Finally, his most ambitious and farthest-ranging escape came in early 1910. He broke out once again and fled more than 200 miles to the west, toward the Appalachian Mountains. He got past Charlotte and almost as far as Asheville, where he was (according to newspaper accounts at the time) apprehended on “the other side of Hungry River.”

Hyder’s sad story of waylaid freedom was one of the inspirations behind a new symphonic work, “The Other Side of Hungry River.” As composed by singer/songwriter

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PHOTO BY STEVE WYLIE

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THE DOROTHEA DIX HOSPITAL CEMETERY, IN USE FROM 1859 TO 1970, IS THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF 958 PATIENTS OF THE HOSPITAL. MANY WERE IMPOVERISHED, OR DIDN’T HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WOULD CLAIM THEIR BODIES FOR BURIAL. THIS GRANITE MEMORIAL STANDS AT THE ENTRANCE.

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The ‘margins’ are central to our wholeness, and to the health of society. It’s worth saying that what I’m singing about here is ourselves, all of us, not people who are scary or creepy or ‘different.’”

TIFT MERRITT

under somewhat controversial circumstances, with the state legislature attempting to undo the sale at one point.

The city has been working on turning Dix into a new showcase park, with a mix of open space and development.

Dix’s open field near the state farmer’s market is also the site of rapper J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival, a daylong hip-hop show that drew 40,000 people to its inaugural event in April 2019.

But as flashy as Dix’s future looks to be, its history is worth remembering.

“I don’t think its past should be papered over to where it’s suddenly this place that’s all just rainbows and balloons,” Merritt says. “It was such a significant beacon on the hill to so many generations of people – my grandmother and my mother and me, and now my daughter – and it’s always been a place that’s about relating to shame in different ways. That whole part of town with Dix, the prison and the orphanage is like this Jungian shadow everyone has tried to push

away because they don’t want to see it. But if we don’t deal with that, and who we really are, it becomes distorted and more powerful.”

For many nearby residents, Dix has always been little more than a tree-lined green space, as well as the best hill in town to go sledding down after a snowstorm. But Merritt, who grew up in Raleigh, also remembers it as something of a warning to behave – especially for women.

“For women, the message of Dix was like a warning that if you got pregnant or overemotional or had a sex life, you would be condemned as out-of-hand and crazy,” Merritt says. “It was very easy to trip in the wrong direction and get committed, especially if it’s what your family wanted or if you were poor. There were and are stringent rules enforced in society, that the margins are dangerous. But my project is to go to these untold stories because they’re central and essential and even prophetic.

The ‘margins’ are central to our wholeness, and to the health

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Tift Merritt in collaboration with NC State director of orchestral studies Peter Askim, a suite from the larger work will have its world premiere April 19 at NC State’s Stewart Theatre, performed by the Askim-conducted Raleigh Civic Symphony to close the “20 for ’20” season.

“The Other Side of Hungry River” is billed as a sitespecific song cycle about the “emotional history” of Dix. That makes for history that is quite fraught on multiple levels, given the property’s past and present.

Before it became a mental institution, the hilly 300-acre tract of rolling hills south of downtown Raleigh was the site of a slave plantation. After it opened in the 1850s, Dorothea Dix Hospital would serve the mental health needs of North Carolina residents for more than 150 years.

Dix Hospital finally closed in 2012 after its operations were transferred to the state hospital in Butner 30 miles to the north. Then the state sold the land to the city of Raleigh

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THE DOROTHEA DIX HOSPITAL CEMETERY HAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE SKYLINE OF DOWNTOWN RALEIGH. MOST OF THE GRAVES (TO THE LEFT) HAVE TINY GRANITE MARKERS. PHOTO BY ROBERT DAVEZAC

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of society. It’s worth saying that what I’m singing about here is ourselves, all of us, not people who are scary or creepy or ‘different.’ That allows us to keep them at a distance, as if they have nothing to do with us. But we are they and they are us.”

As envisioned by Merritt, one model for “The Other Side of Hungry River” is “Spoon River Anthology,” Edgar Lee Masters’ 1915 collection of autobiographical epitaph poems recited by the dead in a graveyard. To that end, she’s been researching the history of Dix as well as Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro. They all have things in common, right down to unmarked graveyards for families who don’t want their names associated with psychological problems. And the fact that the Dix property was also once a plantation makes its stories resonate on the level of race relations as well as mental health.

Merritt has been compiling stories and working with Askim to turn them into songs. The two have known each other for more than a decade, first meeting when he came to one of Merritt’s shows in California on her “Another Country” tour. He was a conductor at a performing arts school near Los Angeles and eventually wound up moving to Raleigh, where he lives right around the corner from Merritt.

“I’ve been a huge fan of hers forever and we’ve been trying to figure out a way to work together for a long time,” says Askim. “There have been all these kind of intersections along the way, and it seems crazy that we’re

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even neighbors now. Grab that and go with it because it must mean something! So she’s been doing a lot of research, sketching out some things, and we’ve gotten together to trade ideas. We’re trying to figure out how we make something with a beginning, middle and end that tells a story and also works as a stand-alone musical journey.”

It’s a huge project that could potentially go on for years, so this premiere will be the work-in-progress early version.

They’ll perform four or five themes over 15 to 20 minutes of what Askim calls “hybrid orchestral songwriting.”

This is the first time Merritt has written material for an ensemble on this scale, as well as the first time she’s ever allowed public display of something before it’s 100-percent completed.

“This is a larger-scale project than anything I’ve ever done before, and I’m very open to whatever will happen with it,” Merritt says. “It’s kind of like a beta-test for me and a chance to work with textures that are very freeing and far beyond anything I’ve ever done. It’s a band with 80 people rather than four. And it’s a new thing for me to invite people into something that’s still unfinished. It will stand together for the performance, of course, but a certain amount of privacy is required for the process. That will be interesting to test.”

For Askim’s part, he’s excited that this will put a fitting capper on the 20192020 season for Raleigh Civic Symphony, a “town and gown” collaborative ensemble in the

NC State Department of Music with students as well as community members in its ranks. This is the fifth season where the symphony has done a world premiere at every concert, a total of 20 pieces.

“I think important music is happening right now, and we want to stay musically relevant because the orchestra is not a museum,” Askim says. “We’ve worked with a lot of different kinds of composers, many of them doing their first orchestral piece, like Tift. She’s never worked with this palette before. That’s the context for this whole season, and I love that she’s the culmination of it.” 

David Menconi is a music critic and arts reporter in Raleigh, North Carolina. His upcoming book, about the history of North Carolina music, will be published in the fall of 2020 by University of North Carolina Press.

The NC State Department of Music presents the Raleigh Civic Symphony with special guest Tift Merritt

THE OTHER SIDE OF HUNGRY RIVER Sunday, April 19 at 4pm Stewart Theatre $5-$12 (free for children 12 and under) 919-515-1100 go.ncsu.edu/concerts

DINING GUIDE TALLEY STUDENT UNION Floor 1 Starbucks Floor 2 Jason’s Deli Los Lobos Mexican Grill One Earth World Cuisine Port City Java Red Sky Pizza Company Talley Market (Howling Cow & Yates Mill Bakery) Tuffy’s Diner Floor 3 1887 Bistro

FIVE POINTS AREA Bloomsbury Bistro 509 W Whitaker Mill Rd 919.834.9011 Glenwood Grill 2603 Glenwood Ave 919.782.3102 Hayes Barton Cafe and Dessertery 2000 Fairview Rd 919.856.8551

NEAR CAMPUS

DOWNTOWN

David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar 1900 Hillsborough St 919.239.4536

Bida Manda 222 S Blount St 919.829.9999

Poole’s Diner 426 S McDowell St 919.832.4477

Brewery Bhavana 218 S Blount St 919.829.9998

The Raleigh Times Bar 14 E Hargett St 919.833.0999

Capital Club 16 16 W Martin St 919.747.9345

The Remedy Diner 927 W Morgan St 919.803.4556

Death & Taxes 105 W Hargett St 984.242.0218

Sitti 137 S Wilmington St 919.239.4070

Humble Pie 317 S Harrington St 919.829.9222

Taverna Agora 326 Hillsborough St 919.881.8333

Irregardless Café 901 W Morgan St 919.833.8898

Trophy Brewing Company 827 W Morgan St 919.803.4849

Gonza Tacos y Tequila 2100 Hillsborough St 919.268.8965 Kabob and Curry 2412 Hillsborough St 919.977.6974 Liquid State 1908 Hillsborough St 984.200.6184 Mitch’s Tavern 2426 Hillsborough St 919.821.7771 Players Retreat 105 Oberlin Rd 919.755.9589

CAMERON VILLAGE Cameron Bar & Grill 2018 Clark Ave 919.755.2231 Cantina 18 433 Daniels St 919.835.9911

Hereghty 2603 Glenwood Ave 919.787.3995

Piccola Italia 423 Woodburn Rd 919.833.6888

Lilly’s Pizza 1813 Glenwood Ave 919.833.0226

Soca 2130 Cameron St 919.322.0440

Mandolin 2519 Fairview Rd 919.322.0365

Tazza Kitchen 432 Woodburn Rd 919.835.9463

NOFO @ the Pig 2014 Fairview Rd 919.821.1240

Tupelo Honey 425 Oberlin Rd 919.723.9353

The Point at Glenwood 1626 Glenwood Ave 919.755.1007

Village Draft House 428 Daniels St 919.833.1373

The Third Place 1811 Glenwood Ave 919.834.6566

DRIVE THE ARTS FORWARD

Support arts advocacy with your license plate.

www.TheCreativeState.org

DONOR SPOTLIGHT SAVE THE DATE: MARCH 25, 2020 NC STATE’S SECOND ANNUAL DAY OF GIVING On March 27, 2019, NC State held its first Day of Giving as part of the university’s record-breaking Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign.

From midnight to midnight, NC State students, faculty, alumni, parents and friends donated over 10,000 gifts totaling more than $13.6 million. Nearly 1,200 of those gifts came from donors to the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, who gave almost $260,000.

Arts NC State raised more than half of that total; the Arts NC State Enhancement Fund alone received nearly 300 gifts, the greatest number of any fund within the division.

On March 25, 2020, NC State will hold its second annual Day of Giving, and Arts NC State is getting ready. Join us as we show the university that the arts are for everyone.

ABOUT DAY OF GIVING Day of Giving is a 24-hour effort to raise funds, awareness and enthusiasm for NC State.

Thousands of members of the Wolfpack community gather virtually, donating primarily online and engaging over social media, in the one-day philanthropic push. Colleges and units, assigned to red and white divisions, compete throughout the day to unlock various challenge funds that heighten their giving totals.

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For example, the Division of Academic and Students Affairs (of which Arts NC State is a part) led the White Division in number of gifts and won the Most Young Alumni Gifts Challenge, winning over $25,000 in bonus funds from university leadership.

At the same time, the Arts NC State Enhancement Fund raised the greatest number of gifts of any fund within the division, sending an additional $5,700 our way. The friendly competition between areas of the university is what many cite as the most fun part of Day of Giving. Bruce Branson, a Friends of Arts NC State board of advisors member and professor of accounting in the Poole College of Management agrees: “I especially enjoyed the competition. I was motivated to participate actively precisely because it allowed me to enhance the value of my gifts.”

HOW TO BEST SUPPORT ARTS NC STATE ON DAY OF GIVING This March, Arts NC State donors will have more options on Day of Giving. In addition to donating to the arts enhancement fund (which supports all six arts programs), donors may also give to a specific program. If you love Arts NC State, we invite you to give early and often and share your giving with your family and friends. John Coggin ’09, former chair of the Friends of Arts NC State Board of Advisors, advises how he

prepared for Day of Giving in 2019: “I decided in advance how much I would give in total on Day of Giving and then divided my gifts into smaller increments throughout the day,” explains Coggin. “Giving throughout the day gave me a chance to check in and see how Arts NC State was doing in the overall competition and allowed me to participate in the many hourly challenges, leading to more gifts for Arts NC State.”

THE ARTS ARE FOR EVERYONE Students, alumni, faculty, parents and friends all flocked to support the arts in 2019.

The Friends of Arts NC State Board of Advisors led the way.

Yet many others, including Dawn and Harry Wolfe, parents of current student LilyGrace Wolfe, were also moved to give last March. “Day of Giving gives everyone an opportunity to give back and feel like they made a difference,” says Dawn. “Anyone participating in Arts NC State should donate any amount they can to maintain the high quality of the programs.”

To learn more about Day of Giving, contact Michael Auchter at 919.515.6160 or mrauchte@ncsu.edu. Follow us on social media @artsncstate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

DONORS 2018 - 2019 We are grateful to our donors for their generous support. Individuals listed below have contributed cash gifts of $1,000 or more to Arts NC State between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.

Donors who have pledged their support will be listed when their gifts are received. The Honor Roll is one way we choose to recognize those who have contributed to and invested in the future of the arts at NC State University.

To view a full list of 2018-2019 donors, or to learn more about giving to Arts NC State, visit support.arts.ncsu.edu.  NC

State Faculty/Staff *deceased

LEADER ($20,000 & above)

PATRON ($1,000-$2,499)

Anonymous Robert Black & Ormond Sanderson Bill Gardner & Miriam Bailey Gardner Roxanne Hicklin

Todd & Whitney Adams John & Sabra Andrews Laura Armstrong Bart & Sue Bielawski Diane Boone Henry & Sory Bowers David & Shawn Brewster Wade & Brenda Brickhouse Gene Brown & Penelope Gallins William Ellenson & Kathy Brown Doug & Mary Jane Bryant Frank Konhaus & Ellen Cassilly Peter & Patti Celestini Tim & Carroll Clancy John Coggin Dan & Fairley Cook Robert Cooper & Sharon Perry Terry & Nancy Cox Martha & Gregory Crampton Steve & Janet Darnell Paul Streib & Susan Daughtridge Jaye Day-Trotter Charlie & JoAnne Dickinson Lynn & Faye Eury Elizabeth Fentress Annabelle Fetterman* Greg & Julie Florin Allin & Barbara Foulkrod Roland & Jill Gammon Andrew & Debra Gardner Gary & Julie Greene Robert & Linda Grew Kyle Held & Jennifer Doorey Mike Holland

VISIONARY ($10,000-$19,999) Steve & Charlotte Wainwright BENEFACTOR ($5,000-$9,999) Tom Cabaniss William & Melanie Knight Neill McLeod Michael  Stoskopf & Suzanne  Kennedy Stoskopf Judi & David Wilkinson Douglas Witcher Randy  & Susan Woodson CONNOISSEUR ($2,500-$4,999) Bruce  & Kelly Branson Jeffery Beam & Stanley Finch Bob & Mickie Masini, in memory of Toni Christine Masini Gordon & Pat Neville Tom & Judy Stafford Jim & Sterling Wheless

Rich  & Jeanne Holly Hal & Patsy Hopfenberg Jason Horne & Eva  Feucht Billy Warden & Lucy Inman Chris Leazer & Heath Ramsey Jason & Lina Lemons Roger  Manley & Theodora Brack Charlotte Martin Alex Miller Daniel & Elizabeth Page John & Lynette Parker Jim & Anne Peden Nicole  Peterson Wade & Kathy Reece Thomas & Lauren Ryan Joe Sanders & Diane Ocilka Sanders Bill Savage & Mary Losik Roby  & Amber Sawyers Thomas Sayre & Joan Ellen Deck Linh & Mette Schladweiler Kay Schoellhorn Bing Sizemore Jennette Skinner Tom Lee & Hiller  Spires Brad & Anna Sullivan Becky Thompson Jim & Cathy Ward Lane & Linda Wharton Oliver White & Linda Satterfield Larry & Judith Wilson Charles Winton Harry & Dawn Wolfe George & Reba Worsley Smedes & Rosemary York Eddie & Jane Youngblood Henry & Martha Zaytoun

While we make every effort to be accurate and thorough, it is possible to accidentally omit or misspell a name.

Please contact Michael Auchter at 919.515.6160 or mrauchte@ncsu.edu with any additions or corrections.

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CORPORATIONS & FOUNDATIONS

We express our sincere gratitude to following corporations and foundations that support Arts NC State through one-time and multi-year cash gifts, grant awards and in-kind gifts.

1789 Questers Alpha Psi Omega Chapter American Online Giving Foundation Arts Wake Forest Bailey Endowment Bank of America Foundation Boeing Company Campbell Rentals Centro Mexican Restaurant Chamber Music Raleigh Coman Publishing Company Cree LED Lighting Solutions Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation Duke Energy Foundation Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Fox Family Foundation Frameworks Gallery and Frame Design GE Foundation Genworth Financial

Holt Brothers Foundation IBM Corporation Intel Foundation Kabuto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Lakeshore Raleigh The Lundy Fetterman Family Foundation Marcotte Family Foundation Metropolitan Life Foundation Microsoft Corporation National Christian Foundation National Coatings National Power Corporation Netflix New England Foundation for the Arts Norfolk Southern Corporation North Carolina State University Woman's Club North Shore 2441 Oakleaf Reading Club

Plant City Animal Hospital PNC George Smedes Poyner Foundation Raleigh Golden Years Association Schneider Electric Schwab Charitable Fund Sir Walter Cabinet Smart Choice Stained Glass Center State Employees Combined Campaign Synchrony Financial T. Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving The Warner Fund Triangle Gourd Patch Guild Verizon Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation White Oak Properties Windgate Charitable Foundation Winston-Salem Foundation

R. STANHOPE PULLEN SOCIETY

The R. Stanhope Pullen Society was created in 1993 and recognizes those who invest in the future of the university through deferred gifts such as charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, life insurance and will bequests.

Arts NC State would like to recognize Pullen Society members who have designated support to our arts programs.

Dorothy Adams J. Norwood* & Valeria* Adams Thomas & Virginia Avery Robert Black & J. Ormond Sanderson Jr. C. Wade & Brenda Brickhouse Joan DeBruin Mike & Terry Davis Linda & Charles* Edwards Ronald Ellis Jr. Norman* & Gilda Greenberg Nancy Gregg*

gg

e NC State

FRIENDS OF ARTS NC STATE 2019-2020 Board of Advisors

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Glenn Harman Michael Holland Ginger & Freddy Horton Jr. Ame & Jack Hunter Jr. Bernard & Patricia Hyman Louise Johanson John & Jane Kanipe Jr. Martha Keravuori Peggy Jo Kirby* James* & Eileen Lecce Sheila Lund* N. Alexander Miller III

Officers Tara Owens, Chair Dan Cook, Chair Elect Ex-Officio Charles Phaneuf, President, Friends of the Gregg Rich Holly, Executive Director for the Arts Jill Orr, Director of Development Michael Auchter, Development Associate

Wendy & Charles Musser Paul & Rebecca Nagy Mac & Lindsay Newsom Sharon Perry & Robert Cooper Lew & Billie Rentel Anita Baker Sherman Banks* & Louise* Talley Eric & Lisa Terwilliger Caroline Hickman Vaughan David & Judi Wilkinson *deceased

Members Bruce Branson John Coggin Dare Coulter Joan Ellen Deck Roxanne Hicklin Jason Horne Mary Anne Howard Bernard Hyman Jason Lemons Ken Maruyama Sharon Perry

Diane Ocilka Sanders Linda Satterfield Becky Thompson Linda Wharton Suzanne Whitmeyer Rahul Bhat, Student Representative Alex Obiol, Student Senate Representative

SCHOLARSHIPS & ENDOWMENTS Named Scholarships & Endowments may be established with a minimum commitment of $50,000 and may honor or memorialize an individual or family while supporting arts initiatives such as student scholarships, programmatic support, and collections.

ABB Inc. Arts Outreach Endowment Judy C. Abee Marching Band Endowment Patricia H. Adams Scholarship Arts NC State Endowment Athletic Bands Endowment Thomas W. and Virginia P. Avery Instrumental Music Endowment Donald & Maryann Bitzer Theatre Achievement Awards Endowment Robert Keith Black & J. Ormond Sanderson, Jr. Endowment Carey H. Bostian Music Endowment Henry & Sory Bowers Arts Endowment Brenda & E. Wade Brickhouse Fine Craft Collection Endowment Bruce T. Brown Marching Band Endowment Charlotte V. Brown Museum Endowment Raymond A. Bryan, Jr. Jazz Endowment Dr. Eloise A. Cofer Arts Endowment Margaret Price Corcoran Marching Band Scholarship Curtis R. Craver Clarinet Scholarship Mildred J. Davis Museum Endowment Ronald G. Ellis & Earl Lynn Roberson Scholarship Annabelle Lundy Fetterman Symphony Concertmaster Endowment Fox Family Foundation Crafts Center Endowment Randy Foy Music Scholarship Endowment Friends of the Gallery Miriam Bailey Gardner Music Scholarship Endowment

Dr. Norman Greenberg Brass Quintet Endowment Gregg Museum Collection Endowment John N. & Nancy C. Gregg Museum Endowment Dewey M. Griffith Marching Band Endowment Harry M. Habets Music Scholarship Endowment Harry M. Habets Music Technology Endowment Dr. Frank M. Hammond Endowment for Musicianship & Outstanding Leadership Robin Harris Dance Program Endowment Roxanne Hicklin Visual Artist Award Endowment Horton Fellowship Endowment Fund Amelia E. Hunter Choral Leadership Endowment ITG Norma Ausley Memorial Endowment Jerry & Nina Jackson Endowment for Outdoor Programming The Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf Endowment for Creativity in the Performing Arts Kutschinski-Fulghum Music Scholarship Endowment The Lattice Endowment for the Performing Arts James & Eileen Lecce Ethnic Art Collection Endowment Sheila Margaret Lund Endowment Jim Marchman Marching Band Endowment Toni Christine Masini Memorial Marching Band Scholarship Endowment John C. McIlwee Theatre Endowment John Menapace Photography Endowment Sharon Herr Moore NC State LIVE Endowment

Mu Beta Psi Honorary Music Scholarship NC State LIVE Endowment NCSU Pipes and Drums Scholarship NCSU Theatre Endowment Barbara G. & Hayne Palmour III Museum Endowment Pearsall-Wilkinson Scholarship Endowment James M. Poyner Visiting Artist Endowment Kimberly Titmus Przybyl Music Endowment Lew & Billie Rentel Arts NC State Endowed Scholarship Lew & Billie Rentel Museum Enhancement Endowment Lew & Billie Rentel Thompson Building Endowment Stephen P. Reynolds Scholarship Endowment Alby Rose Marching Band Scholarship Marc & Anita Baker Sherman Music Endowment Stafford Endowment for Arts NC State Student Travel Banks & Louise Talley Arts Endowment Banks C. Talley Jr. Arts Endowment for the Frank Thompson Building Brita M. Tate Memorial Endowment Martha Emerson Upchurch Performing Arts Endowment Randall & Susan Ward Arts NC State Scholarship Randall & Susan Ward Museum Endowment Wells Fargo Endowment for Excellence in Visual and Performing Arts Mary Lib Wood Endowment for the Visual and Performing Arts

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PHOTO BY FRANK BAKER

ORCHESTRAL BLUEGRASS

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HRILLING. Once in a lifetime.Totally exhilarating. That’s a sample of reactions from NC State Department of Music orchestra students (and their professor, Dr. Peter Askim) in response to a transformative experience in October 2019.

The International Bluegrass Music Association was in town for the annual World of Bluegrass festival. North Carolina’s Balsam Range, 2018 IBMA Entertainer of the Year, was scheduled to play for both the annual awards ceremony in Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium, and in Red Hat Amphitheater the next night. Balsam Range has a history of performing with orchestral musicians (the Atlanta Pops Orchestra). And their bassist Tim Surrett (2015 and 2018 IBMA Bass Player of the Year) happens to know a local guy respected for his guitar picking skills, NC State’s chancellor Randy Woodson.

Thirteen NC State orchestra students – led by Askim, NC State’s director of orchestral studies – were invited to perform for both events. It

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was spectacular. Violinist Caroline Branan, a sophomore double major in marine sciences and biological sciences (with a minor in music) especially loved the outdoor performance at Red Hat, noting that “Standing in front of 6,000 plus people and playing with a bluegrass band was a rush of adrenaline that I could only experience once in a lifetime.”

The NC State student-musicians got to play for huge audiences in both Memorial Auditorium and Red Hat. Bryant Cox, a senior in applied mathematics and statistics (with a minor in economics) plays cello in both NC State orchestras, the Raleigh Civic Symphony and the Raleigh Civic Chamber Orchestra. Also thrilled by the experience, Cox says that “While it was not my first time playing something other than classical music, it was the first time I had played in front of such large, cheering crowds.”

Askim adds, “It was an incredible opportunity for our students to play with such virtuoso musicians as Balsam Range. They were pushed to master a new style and a new way of thinking about rhythm, feel and energy with just a few rehearsals. From the very first notes Balsam Range played, the students were transported to another level of music making.”

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