HI+RES ISSUE 2
UCM ART AND DESIGN MAGAZINE 2010
HI+RES VISUAL ARTS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 Editor Rebecca Katzer Design Editor Dustin Williams Staff Jon Linn Meagan Dion Wes Harbison Courtney Lacy Elise Gregory Katy West Kaycie Booher
Contributing Writers Justine Harris Jeremy Mikolajczak Marie Newell Acknowledgements Mick Luehrman Matt Melvin UCM University Relations UCM Publishing & Promotions UCM Academic Affairs UCM Gallery of Art & Design UCM Enrollment Management
Everyone who helped us with this and past issues of Hi+Res, Thank you.
Unless otherwise noted, artists featured in Hi+Res retain copyright to their work. We will be pleased to correct any mistakes or omissions in our next issue. Hi+Res welcomes editorial submissions; no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All letters will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and subject to Hi+Res’ right to edit and comment editorially. Please submit all questions, comments, and proposals to hiresmagazine@gmail.com. Cover and above photo by Tyler Dean King.
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to the second issue of Hi+Res, an art and design magazine produced by students at the University of Central Missouri. The idea for this art zine emerged a little over two years ago amongst an ambitious group of freshmen and sophomores living in the UCM Special Housing Interest Program (SHIP) for Art & Design. Through hard work and dedication they gave birth to a welldesigned and engaging issue that showcased student and professional artists, including an interview with and exclusive photo spread from internationally recognized photographer Nick Vedros. After a year’s break to recover from the demands of producing issue number one, the core of the original Hi+Res staff, along with an enthusiastic group of newcomers, has taken on the task of producing issue two, and building a Hi+Res tradition. The current issue features a wide variety of student artists, Art & Design faculty, and national figures such as the Guerrilla Girls. It provides a student-based viewpoint of happenings in the diverse world of art and design. Every aspect of creating and producing Hi+Res has been overseen and managed by students. Being passionate about art and design is something we hope to instill in our students. Watching them work to make this magazine come into being has been one of the most exciting things I have witnessed during my time at UCM, precisely because it is all their doing. A particular thank you is owed to the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, UCM Academic Affairs, UCM University Relations and UCM Enrollment Management for their support and encouragement. A special thank you to the office of University Relations who immediately recognized the value of this project and supported the Hi+Res group from the beginning in the production of this publication. So, enjoy this issue, a tradition we hope will continue as successive groups of students take their lead from these ambitious founders of Hi+Res. If you would like to become a financial sponsor and supporter of Hi+Res, contact me at luehrman@ucmo.edu. Also look for Hi+Res to appear online in the near future with a link from the Department of Art & Design website: www.ucmo.edu/art. Best wishes, Mick Luehrman, Chair Department of Art & Design
STUDENTS
ZINES WITHIN A ZINE Both Jon Linn and Dustin Williams are avid zine makers, attracted by the immediacy, low costs, self-promotion and collaborative opportunities that zines provide.
Dustin Williams: Excerpts from The Latest & Greatest Space Race, a zine about the future of space travel, exploration, and lunar research stations.
ORGANIZATION
STUDENT ARTIST COALITION By Meagan Dion
The Student Artist Coalition at UCM was designed for art students of any discipline seeking to establish a stronger art community on campus, in Warrensburg, and in the art world. The primary task of the group is to offer opportunities to further the cultivation of art. In the past, SAC has sponsored professional artists like Dan Scott, Eric Purvukhin and the faculty members of the Art Department to deliver demonstrations. SAC also invites working artists and professors to give senior critiques once a semester. To develop a stronger identity within the local community, SAC provides opportunities to display students’ work and efforts publicly. They have participated in the homecoming 2
parade and formulated fundraisers that require outside businesses and attention. The Red Balloon Art Walk originated in fall 2009. It is a community affair in downtown Warrensburg arranged to display student artwork. The Student Artist Coalition hopes to display art in the Warrensburg Community for Arts, soon to be located directly above CafĂŠ Blackadder. The Student Artist Coalition plans trips to experience art outside of the Warrensburg community. Recently, a group traveled to the Des Moines Art Center to view artwork by a renowned artist, Tara Donovan. One of the most profound trips is a yearly trip to Chicago, where students are given tours of museums, galleries, studios, architecture, public artworks and more.
For more information about the Student Artist Coalition, please visit the link on the UCM art department website, www.ucmo.edu/art.
Jon Linn: I made this set of illustrations of cryptid animals. I intend to write facts about each and make it into a zine for all ages. Pictured: The Mothman, Loch Ness Monster, Skunk Ape, Jersey Devil, Yeti, and Unicorn.
ORGANIZATION
UCM AIGA STUDENT GROUP By Marie Newell, Chapter President
AIGA is the oldest and largest nonprofit professional membership organization for design. The student chapter at UCM strives to create opportunities for creative and professional development through activities and events on campus and participation in the wealth of opportunities in the Kansas City area. Graphic Design students can meet and work alongside both students and professionals in their discipline. Through this diverse network, emphasis on both the value and the potential of what design can do is demonstrated. In the past, UCM’s student chapter of AIGA has taken trips, created and produced products that have been sold, and participated in local design related events. Recently, the group has visited
illustration and graphic design studios in Kansas City and New York. Holiday cards are designed by students during the fall semester then produced and sold to the public as a fundraiser to support future endeavors. Multiple events and lectures are offered by various chapters of AIGA in the Kansas City area and attended by UCM design students and professors.
For more information about the student chapter of AIGA at UCM, visit the blog at www.ucmaiga.blogspot.com or contact the chapter via email at ucmaiga@gmail.com.
According to the AIGA website, “AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.” UCM students can choose to pay dues to be officially recognized by AIGA and reap the many benefits or just participate as a member of the UCM chapter for free.
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LOCAL
CAFÉ BLACKADDER By Rebecca Katzer
When the TeeHaus shut down in 2008, tea drinkers and cheap food lovers all across Warrensburg were sadden by the loss of a local favorite. Fortunately, in 2009, the space reopened its newly renovated doors to Café Blackadder. With their menu of ever changing food items (and yes, there’s still tea), Café Blackadder has proven to be a fine fit for the downtown area. Though the food is delicious, it’s not the only reason you should be interested in heading over. UCM alum Julie Kendall has been in talks to open up an arts center here in Warrensburg for quite some time. So when the space on Holden street opened, it seemed like a perfect fit. The high ceilings and open walls lend themselves nicely to local artworks. Due to the lack of gallery space in Warrensburg, Kendall wants to give local artists a venue to show off their work. If you head upstairs, away from the café, you’ll find a large open space, which she intends to turn into more space for artists. While already established artists have a place here, she hopes newcomers will too. Classes for children interested in art are in the works and will provide a place for them to go after school. While it’s only been open for a short while now, Café Blackadder is quickly making a name for itself. With delicious food, great atmosphere and promise of artistic opportunities, Café Blackadder is a place that I hope will be around for years to come.
DOGS DRINK COFFEE Written & Illustrated by Jon Linn
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RETIRING FACULTY
ANDREW KATSOURIDIES There’s no denying the fact that Andrew Katsourides is passionate about interior design. For the past 28 years, he has been a beloved professor and an important asset to UCM. As founder of UCM’s current interior design program, he has been responsible for creating new courses, keeping the program relevant and increasing the amount of interior design majors. Originally from Greece, Katsourides moved to the United States at the age of two. He resided in New Jersey from the age of seventeen until going to the University of Kansas for undergraduate studies in architecture and interior design. After graduation, he decided to head back to New Jersey to start a career, but soon found his way back to the University of Kansas to earn
his MFA. In 1982, when he began teaching at UCM, there were only a handful of students getting their degrees in interior design. Since then, he has increased the interior design student body up to around the hundred mark. In 2002, the department received National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accreditation and they are currently working on getting accredited by the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). When asked about grading, he feels that it’s hard to judge everyone by skills. He notes that everyone can be at different levels, but that doesn’t mean they are any less talented. As long as the effort is there, growth and potential are the most important things. He feels that the most
fulfilling part of his job is being able to look back at the growth they had throughout their time here and seeing them succeed. “Sometimes I hear from someone after a year or ten years and they tell me how much I helped and how much they learned from me. It’s important to see you’ve influenced them to a certain extent.” Katsourides plans on retirement at the end of the 2009-2010 school year. He plans on moving to Florida, spending more time with his family, and working on more art and design. “I think that when you are a creative person you’re interested in a lot of things. As a retired individual, I want to make something that’s from me.”
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STUDENT ARTIST
MEGAN JONES Hi+Res: Would you briefly give us a background of yourself? Megan Jones: My name’s Megan Jones and I’m a senior double majoring in Painting and Illustration. I grew up on a farm outside the township of Ballard, MO. What was the initial idea behind this series and how has that original idea evolved? The initial idea came from my fascination with birds. I saw them everywhere throughout my childhood. I also saw a lot of dead birds thanks to my barn cats. I’ve always been curious about death. My initial idea was to set up birds in a still life to make people think about the beauty
that can be found in death. All of the birds I use are loaned from the Biology department thanks to Dr. Kurt Dean. As I’ve worked through this series it’s become autobiographical as well. I use the techniques of friends so that they remind me more of them. Most people wouldn’t catch this, but the main message of beauty in death can still be found. Are there things that usually tend to inspire your work? I’m inspired by a lot of things (nature being first and foremost). I also enjoy looking at contemporary children’s book illustrations and animations. I’m huge into cartoons. I draw inspiration from my friends’ work as well.
Do you think people will perceive these paintings differently then they are intended to be perceived? (Or does this happen often with your work?) I think the message is simple enough that most people will pick up on it. Those that don’t will draw their own conclusions about using dead birds as objects. The main thing I want the viewer to think about is their own relationship with death. Even if my personal, autobiographical message doesn’t get across, they can still see the beauty of these birds.
opposite: Decadence and Dead Birds, Oil on Canvas above left: Mary O My Birdy, Oil on Canvas above right: Sierra, Oil on Canvas 7
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Jessica Pine Nature Sounds, Digital Dustin Williams Spacecube, Serigraphy Holly Wright Untitled, Watercolor Morgan Hobbs Untitled, Pastel Brian Freeborn Charlie Bishop, Spray Paint Joseph Trotter EPO2, Relief
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FACULTY
CHRIS LOWRANCE Elise Gregory: Giving up our materialistic corporate society for a simpler approach to observing and recording human behavior and beyond can for some seem hopeless and an irrational waste of time. As long as a human mind is processing a vast amount of energy, creative people are going to be looking for ways to solve problems, express ideas, and adapt to new situations and people. For Christopher Lowrance, being a husband, parent and art instructor allows him to find enjoyment observing the world around him and the people in it. He finds inspiration in thinking of the human experience and the way in which we function on a high level in spite of our irrationality and limited understanding of how the world around us operates. 10
Chris, as he asks his students to call him, has always drawn and experimented with painting, but until reaching college, was unaware that people still spent time doing those things. Before college, Chris had the idea of being a comic book artist or making storyboards for films. It wasn’t until his sophomore year studying art at Missouri State University that he discovered people do indeed still paint and draw. He felt “challenged and inspired” at the time to pursue that lifestyle. Chris makes it clear that he didn’t feel that studying art was even a decision to be made. He can’t remember a time he thought of studying anything but art, even before he knew people still painted. It was during his sophomore year at MSU, after seeing paintings in museums and galleries and being encouraged by faculty, that he finally made the decision to try to make a career at art. Chris attended Indiana
University to finish his MFA and from there has moved to many places to instruct art courses in different universities. Chris now enjoys the time that being an art instructor allows for him to work in his own studio space on the days he is not teaching, and the time he is able to write, research and sketch on the three to four days a week he is teaching. As an art instructor, Chris says he has continued learning from colleagues, conferences, workshops, his own work, and specifically his students. The “simplest” of the lessons being an instructor has taught Chris is that “having to explain or demonstrate any concept or technique sharpens one’s ownership of that idea”. Chris believes that everyone learns a lot through a process of trial-and-error and many times “happy accident” and that a lot of times we are
unaware of the means through which we have just learned until teaching someone else forces us to examine those means. This idea becomes especially clear when one inevitably has to instruct “outside one’s area of expertise.” When working with a particular subject matter, a lot of research is required about “texture or color harmonies”, which then allows for a greater appreciation of other artists’ work. “Sometimes,” as Chris says “someone (a student) has more experience with a technique or media than I do. Sometimes someone does something that they don’t really intend to and it will be strange but somehow stunning.” Chris enjoys watching his students “process” the space in which they are working. A lot of times Chris will even assign a project that he may not know how to go about, so as to work with his class on the problem, solving elements that sharpen the mind.
left Telepathy II (detail) 2010, Acrylic on canvas 48”x60”
Watching students see and record is a reminder of the human experience and is a “big theme” for Chris. He also enjoys finding inspiration through students’ creative energy, successes, and failures, and is a reminder to him of “how important it is to work with an open mind, to take chances and let things develop.” Chris’ artistic process includes starting with drawings and compositional sketches, studies of subject matter, painting, searching for the right color and tone of paint, and then a lot of revisions and changes. “I’m a pretty fearless reviser,” states Chris. “Paintings can be nearly unrecognizable. Bodies come and go, rotate and spin. Light can flood a painting and then disappear almost entirely.” It is important to Chris that his paintings take on a sense of mystery, humor, and personality. Although Chris says his time to paint has been reduced since the birth of his son Tilman, he finds inspiration in watching his son learn new
things. It makes him more aware of the things that he takes for granted and allows him to feel more attached to the world than he was before his son’s birth. Tilman is also a source of relaxation when Chris finds himself being particularly critical of his work. He works slowly and therefore the limited time he has in his studio is even more precious now. When Chris is in his studio, his wife Melanie, who is also an art instructor at UCM, is taking care of their son and vice versa. When they trade off they ask the other to look over specific aspects of their work. “Is that foot too big? Do I need to paint more detail into that guy’s hair? Do I need more color? More contrast? More space?” and so on. Chris says that he and Melanie are “big believers in friendly competition, and have never had any problems balancing challenge and cooperation.”
not afraid to admit that he is still learning how to process thoughts himself, it seems like anyone wanting to just broaden their own outlook could find it worth their while to learn a thing or two from a fellow learner. Maybe slowing things down a bit and taking some time to observe the world around you is just what the doctor ordered. In any case no one could blame a man for wanting a semi-laid-back life style. Couldn’t we all use even a little personal reflection at a time in our world where all our problems seem so complex and the tasks before us so daunting?
Whether balancing family and work, observing the world around, or remembering how to appreciate more in life, a mark of a good teacher is a person who never stops learning. As Chris is 11
STUDENT ARTIST
KIMBERLY LUTHER Hi+Res: What things tend to inspire your work? Kim Luther: I am inspired by the ornamentation of the Rococo period which has influenced my choice of decorating the nude figure with elaborate wigs or pastries and surrounding them with intricate patterning. You seem to use yourself as a subject for a lot of your paintings and drawings, is there a particular reason? I paint and draw myself as subject because it is easier than trying to get a model to pose a certain way and sit for a long period of time. I’m usually more willing to sit in uncomfortable positions to finish the drawing or painting.
Is there generally a difference between the intent of your work and the public’s perception? The intent of my work is to invite the viewer to look upon the figure in a playful yet voyeuristic manner. The surface is meant to tempt, with opulent gold and sweet candy-like colors. Public perception so far has been slightly different, and I am in the process of learning what I can do differently to change that. How do you feel studying art at a collegiate level has helped you grow as an artist? Studying art at the collegiate level has taught me to take advantage of the opportunities around me. If there is a conference, lecture or
workshop that I am able to attend, I go. These are all chances to learn new techniques, meet professionals, and view new work, helping me grow as an artist. What is it about clay that keeps you coming back? I continue using clay because there is something about the medium that can really bring an idea to life. I start with a mound of clay and a couple of weeks later there is a small figure staring at me from my desk. It is a very unpredictable and exciting process.
opposite: Self-Portrait, Oil on Canvas top left: Sweets for My Sweet, Porcelain top right: Happy Birthday Joyce!, Porcelain 13
GUERRILLA GIRLS
Meagan Dion: The Guerrilla Girls are a feminist activist group out of New York that started in 1985, and are working to this day for women’s rights. They started with the lack of women in museums and moved on to gender- and color-related political correctness in popular culture, stereotyping, and other artworld corruption. Their influence has reached far beyond the art world and has rehabilitated the essence of feminism. Each Guerrilla Girl has chosen the code name of a dead female artist, both to preserve their real names in the art world, and to allow the focus of the Guerilla Girls to remain on the task at hand. Kathe Kollwitz was a founding member of the Guerrilla Girls and has done every project since they started. The Guerilla Girls never say how many there are, but at least 60 or so women have come through the group, diverse in ethnicity, age and levels of art world success.
Hi+Res: What are the most important aspects about the guerilla girls and what they stand for? Guerrilla Girls: One of our most important goals is creating interesting activism. We talk about issues in our own way, using facts, creativity and humor. We have never worried about the fact that the issues were really large; we just tried one small thing after the other. Some things worked while others did not. The main thing is women’s rights. We criticize the lack of women in the art world, pop culture, work force, and museum collections. Very few women artists make it into museum collections, even in contemporary museums. When the Guerrilla Girls first started creating posters, did you expect a large response? Not at all! We hung two posters in New York and Hell broke loose. We’ve created books and billboards, stickers, magazine spreads, about discrimination in the arts and politics. We are
always trying something new, one small thing at a time. We are all artists, always tormented with new ideas and concepts. As artists, we work constantly to get any satisfaction. I think it has made a difference; we are able to reach people and change their minds. We don’t want to speak only to the converted. What are some of the new projects you are working on? We are finishing a piece in streets in Montreal about hate speech against women. In public, anyone can say anything about women and get away with it. The Guerilla Girls have collected centuries of these misogynist quotes: religious (Hindi, Christian, Catholic, Buddhist), pop culture icons from the past (Picasso, Frank Sinatra) and even from the present day “idiots” like Rush Limbaugh. These quotes make up a graffiti art wall in Montreal. The wall ends with a quote by Bob Herbert, a NY Times columnist. He speaks about how the hate speech about
women has resulted in hate towards women. In our country, this is coupled with the fact that guns are so easy to get and it’s not surprising that there has been generated so much violence towards women. If you were the curator of an upcoming show, what would be the premise? We would never want to be curators, we would never want to choose who would be in and out; there is a world of artists. We feel we represent all of them, and we are more about inclusion. Being a curator is about exclusion, excluding certain artists when there are a number of different artists that could actually be in the show. I will say that the Guerrilla Girls are in a show at Pompidou Center in Paris. We have criticized them for their low showings of women, and they tried to make up for it. So, they showed their entire collection of women’s artwork. They had a wonderful collection, but they were just keeping it in the basement. 15
How would you define feminism in art, and what does it mean to you?
Some people consider this a post-feminist era; would you agree?
Many artists talking about feminism today are not just women artists, but they have all developed a diverse basis of attitudes regarding feminism in art. Being an artist dealing with feminism in the art world doesn’t mean they are making art about feminism, but that they have feminist attitudes.
No, I don’t even know what that means. There’s still a lot of work to do. In most of the world, women still can’t get education, they are still considered property, and it is not time to be calling it post. People just like to call things “post” these days. We have only had about 150-160 years for this idea, and that is hardly long enough to get started. We worry about the way feminism has been demonized in media. Many people who believe in the basic tenets of feminism - equality, protection, women’s rights in education and work force - don’t want to call themselves feminists because of the name society has given it. There are many women artists creating art about life experiences, but do not necessarily identify with the feminist movement. Is it possible for a woman artist to create art that
How has feminism shifted today? Each generation has its own mini feminism, a different way they deal with the idea. Ideas about women continue brewing, but feminism has become a wider concept. There are so many levels and layers of feminism. There is a lot of creativity in today’s activism.
is not feminist? Of course a woman can create artwork that is not feminist. Feminists creating art is different from creating feminist art. The Guerrilla Girls are feminists who do feminist art. We do political art that is pretty straightforward. What is an important tip for artist professionals? Stand up for what they believe in. It is important to get the job done, but it is also important to stand up for injustice. The more people stand up, the more is resolved. We have figured out a way to stand up about things we are pissed off about, and really have fun doing it. We are very lucky to be able to do this work, and lucky that it means something to people. People age 8 to 80 will mail us that we have inspired them to stand up for what they believe.
FACULTY
DR. KATHLEEN DESMOND Dr. Kathleen Desmond is a Professor of Art History at the University of Central Missouri in the Department of Art and Design. She started here eighteen years ago as Graduate Dean, then as Assistant Provost and is now happily on the faculty teaching “Ideas and the Visual Arts”, the Integrated Capstone class “Artists in Contemporary Society”, and a special addition this semester, “Women Artists”. The “Women Artists” course was added to support the visiting Guerilla Girls. Hi+Res: Why do you think it’s important for artist groups like the Guerilla Girls to come to universities? Dr. Kathleen Desmond: It’s extremely important for universities to have people like the Guerilla Girls, the social conscience of the art world, here to support feminist ideas that are relevant in every field today. In a university setting, the Guerilla Girls can have a huge effect because of their reputation; they have the credibility that makes us want to listen to them. In the past, people might have thought, “Oh, gee, who are those crazy women walking around in those funny outfits with the gorilla masks on their faces?” In fact, when my students are first introduced to them, “Guerrilla Girls” is often spelled “gorilla”, like the animal. The Guerrilla Girls are engaged in guerilla warfare to help people get the facts they need to be able to make accurate assumptions and decisions to support not only women, but people of color as well. I want students to be aware of the facts. There are a lot of young women in particular who think, “Oh, that feminist stuff, that’s all done with. We’re all equal! I’ve never been discriminated against as a young woman.” The facts the Guerrilla Girls 16
have to present and the acceptance of those facts are essential for students to move forward and help make some changes, even if it is just a change of attitude. A little thing said here, a little action taken there has the possibility of changing things one little bit at a time. Universities are a perfect place to start. Some people consider this a post-feminist era; would you agree? I don’t think we are in a post-feminist era. Even though some people would disagree, I think that we are still in a patriarchal society. Even though women are becoming more and more equal all over the world and are securing positions in the government and corporations, it’s still not entirely equal. Until we have an equal society, I don’t think we can be in a post-feminist era. Post-feminism is used today because we are in a postmodern era. We’re in a different era of feminism than we have been in the past, but it is hardly post-feminism; we still need to pay attention.
Do you think there has been a noticeable change in attitudes toward women artists since the conception of The Guerilla Girls? I wouldn’t give them all the credit. Since the inception of feminism, there have been key instigators to expand the idea that women exist in the art world alongside men. There are groups of women supporting women making art through critiques and art criticism for the purpose of improving their chances of being taken seriously. The Guerrilla Girls have taken facts and theories--about museums, galleries, collectors, economics--to the streets to make everyone aware of what was happening in the art world. The Guerrilla Girls have definitely boosted women’s art sales and museum presence. Even Janson’s History of Art, that included no women in its 1970 edition, now includes 19 black and white reproductions of art made by women--and 1,640 color images of art work made by men. Clearly, we still have a long way to go!
STUDENTS
ACROSS THE POND: STUDYING ABROAD By Justine Harris
Around this time last year, I made the decision to leave my quaint home town of Warrensburg, Missouri, and travel across the pond to England. I began my college career taking general education courses and just studying a little of everything. I knew I wanted to do something with art, but what exactly was the question. It was the one thing in my life that I truly enjoyed doing but I never thought I would be able to make it as an artist; so I made the decision to study art history. With the dream job of becoming a museum curator in mind, never in my life have I felt that such a dream fit in with who I am as a person. Unfortunately, UCM does not offer this degree, but through countless bouts of paperwork and labor, I constructed my own personally-tailored art history major. After two years of college I found it was time to do something more with my college career. I felt that at the age I was, I needed to not only find myself as a person, but also as an artist and an art historian, so I applied for the study abroad program to England. As artists, I feel we need to experience every aspect of life. The way I find inspiration for my work, as I’m sure others do, is through experience. How was I going to get any experience living in the same town I grew up in? One of my favorite quotes by Christopher Johnson McCandless from Into the Wild states: “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
Studying and living in England has definitely helped my major and I believe it would help any art major. Being here has given me a new viewpoint on art. As a historian, I am now able to analyze an artist and their artwork in a new perspective, just from the different teaching approaches the professors use at this university. As an artist, I am able to look at England’s cultural aesthetic and find new ideas for my work. I have found that England’s art scene is a little different than the scene I am used to in Warrensburg. I find there is more graffiti art not only in England but all around Europe. Artists are also creating more work outside to be seen and experienced by the public, like the slug piece I ran into in a courtyard in Milan, Italy. Visiting the museums while I am here in England has been an incredible experience as well. I think nothing compares to looking at an Alfred Stevens painting in person. Just the feeling of being in Europe and being able to experience the intricate architecture found in Venice, Italy, or the many canals in Amsterdam is remarkable.
country definitely helps my networking. This is a major advantage of studying abroad as an artist; you are able to network more. Here you can put your work in the Preston Gallery and be seen by curators who may want to use your work again another time. Being able to study here and also network is a great advantage of being here. But traveling around Europe is the most amazing part. Nothing compares to the anxious feeling when you miss your train in Madrid and you don’t know how to speak Spanish well, or when you have to trek through a foot of water for a mile because it flooded in Venice that day. Traveling and having these life changing experiences is an incredible part of studying abroad. The food is also an experience in itself. The pizza in Italy was probably one of the best things that I have ever tasted. I wish I could use better words than amazing or incredible to describe my experiences here, but it is so hard to explain how much of a journey studying abroad is, and if you get the chance to go I would definitely take it, no hesitations.
Coming to England has been one of the best things I have ever done in my life. While I have been here I have found myself change. I came to a country with no friends, family, or anything familiar and was able to make a new life for myself. I found I am eager to try new adventures. I am also creating my own exhibition for one of my courses and helping create an exhibition for the senior show this summer. Being able to create or help create exhibitions in another 17
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Nick McFee William Hacker William Hacker Nick McFee Sam Eubank
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IN CONVERSATION:
LISA IGLESIAS AND JEREMY MIKOLAJCZAK Lisa Iglesias is a Norwegian-Dominican second-generation New Yorker who was raised with three sisters in Queens. She received her B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton (2001), and her Master’s of Fine Arts from the University of Florida (2006). She has exhibited her individual work as well as work made with her sister, Janelle, as part of a collaborative they call Las Hermanas Iglesias. Recent exhibitions include the Queens Museum of Art and the Appleton Museum of Art as well as other national and international galleries and non-profits. “Ain’t no grave gonna hold me down” is Lisa Iglesias’s first exhibition at the University of Central Missouri’s Gallery of Art & Design. The title of the exhibition is based on a scene from the 1967 film, Cool Hand Luke. In a pivotal scene in the film about torture and humiliation, Luke (Paul Newman) has to dig a trench and fill it in and dig it out ad nauseam. With references to the Myth of Sisyphus, the exhibition will hold relevance to current political climate, climates in general, and an expressed struggle of “forever digging.” On a night during installation of her exhibition at the UCM Gallery of Art & Design, Director Jeremy Mikolajczak sat down with Lisa Iglesias to talk about the exhibition and her work.
Jeremy Mikolajczak: Can you talk a little bit more about the work in the exhibition “Ain’t no grave gonna hold me down”? Lisa Iglesias: The title of this show is the namesake of the American Gospel song, Ain’t No Grave, by Claude Ely, incidentally the last song Johnny Cash allegedly recorded before his death. In the film, Cool Hand Luke, Paul Newman’s character is punished for his attempted escape from the Florida chain gang he was serving time with. The prison guards order Luke to dig a 20
trench and fill it in again and repeat the process all night until his inevitable collapse. Luke’s fellow inmates serenade him with the song, Ain’t No Grave in support while he digs. The idea of a stubborn persistence in the face of overwhelming odds accompanied with a bit of humor was the force behind the works in this show; they’re continuations of my fascination with repetition, futility and time. Your work has made major shifts in the past two years. It started as tight animalistic illustrations
drawn with fine graphite on paper and you are now working with text and changed materials to found objects, cardboard, and yarn. How did the new work manifest? Even when drawing, I’m using found imagery in the spirit of the found object and I continue to draw the graphite renderings you’re talking about. I’ve been wanting to explore drawing in more three and four dimensional ways for a long time – so recently I’ve been experimenting with working out similar concepts in video and
opposite: Installation of Stay Gold above, left: Entre Chien et Loup, Graphite above, right: Forest for the Trees, Graphite
sculpture that I talk about in my drawings – namely issues of repetition, memorialization and the uncanny. I’ve also been thinking about how the rendering in my drawings is as close to the fragment of the found image I’m referencing at the time as I can manage – and in most cases of the more sculptural work, I’m still using a real world referent, I’m still trying to approximate the guise of a nameplate or the embodiment of a factory-made celebration banner with my own hands. Your family history has always been a major influence in your work. Does that still exist in the new work? Definitely, though perhaps less directly than in the past. Stay Gold involves a collection of pretty melancholic expressions about time and fate in English, Spanish, and Norwegian, the languages I grew up listening to, spelled out in the form of celebration banners. While I feel connection to Spanish and Norwegian, my sisters and I weren’t raised bilingual (let alone trilingual) and I am far from fluent in either of these languages. The accumulation of these banners are displayed in such a way that renders their expressions unreadable – the expressions become the material – I wanted to talk about my relation to these languages, which is at once intimate and divorced. My Norwegian grandmother was famous in her farming village of Foldall for being an expert
rag rug weaver and especially for her talent of mending torn clothing. In many ways, I feel like I’m channeling her attention and pleasure for repair and renewal whenever I embroider (as in Gutter Blanket) or take something apart just to put it together again like in the video work in the show. You did not choose to go immediately from graduate school into teaching and decided on residencies instead. How has this helped or hindered your work and your “career” as an artist? Right now, I feel a real momentum and desire to actualize certain ideas, to expand projects in my own work and in the collaborations I do with Janelle. When I’m an artist-in-residence, I have the time to make mistakes and think of new ideas, focus on certain research, create work – the things I want my career to be about. Residencies have enabled me to sustain a rigorous studio practice so I think they’ve definitely helped me at this stage. How is it to work collaboratively with your sister, Janelle Iglesias? Janelle and I are able to fight each other one minute and then get excited to work on a project the next so our collaboration definitely thrives off our willingness to communicate to each other directly and honestly. Both of us enjoy bringing a sense of humor to the table – settling disputes
with ping-pong tournaments or developing projects like Sibling Rivalry in which we compete against each other in pie eating contests or arm wrestling so that the performance is about the act of collaboration itself. When we work together, there is definitely the sense of having a posse - that we have each other’s back in this adult world as we did in the schoolyard. Also, we’re able to do things together that would be much harder to do with just one set of hands which opens up possibilities in a fun way. You’re a New Yorker by birth, but live in Ithaca, NY. Do you think it is necessary to live in NYC as a working artist? I love Queens, I love the boroughs. Certainly you have access to a concentrated community of artists, writers, curators and museums, galleries and project spaces in New York City. But no, I don’t think it’s necessary to live there. You make it work wherever you are. The Gallery of Art & Design is an entity of the University of Central Missouri. We support the academic mission of the department and college; by offering exhibitions of art and design, multidisciplinary learning experiences, and community focused outreach.
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FACULTY
JOHN HAYDU Hi+Res: Will you tell us a little bit about your background in printmaking? John Haydu: I actually didn’t have any printmaking experience until I was in graduate school. At that time my primary focus was painting so printmaking became my area of secondary emphasis. How did you end up teaching printmaking? When I first started teaching at UCM, like most of the other faculty, I taught a variety of studio courses, including painting, drawing and design, as well as art history. At that time, there were three faculty already sharing the printmaking responsibilities. Finally, one of the faculty was willing to switch courses with me and I ended up teaching serigraphy. Eventually, the faculty member who taught lithography left for another school, and the department chair, who taught intaglio, retired. At that point I expressed an interest in teaching all of the printmaking courses. Later, the curriculum was revamped and the introduction course and relief printmaking were put into place. How do you feel that computers have contributed, either positively or negatively, to the printmaking process? Of course, artists are constantly looking for new ways to make a visual statement regardless 22
of their primary area of artistic endeavor. The computer, like anything else, has provided an additional avenue to explore in generating new imagery by the printmaker, or offering existing digital imagery that can be utilized in a print process. So, on the whole, I think the computer has benefited the printmaker in a positive way. Have you seen a change over the years in student work as technology has evolved? In recent years students have become more reliant on the use of technology (e.g. the computer) to develop imagery which can be used in their print work. So yes, many pieces of student work reflect a connection to technology, not only in terms of subject matter or imagery, but the way the print was produced. I could make a list of work I find awesome that would go on and on. Perhaps to name a few printmakers whose work I find fascinating, there’s Karen Kunc from the University of Nebraska who’s a wonderful relief printmaker. Then there’s Janet Ballweg from Bowling Green State University, in Ohio, who does impressive solar plate intaglio prints, while Wayne Kimball, from Utah, does fantastic polychrome lithographs. Though I doubt that the work of the people mentioned above has a direct impact on my work, the pieces they produce certainly show the high degree of artistic achievement possible in each of those processes.
Do you remember the first print you ever made? That was a long time ago. I do remember a number of prints that I produced in graduate school, but couldn’t say which one was the very first. I remember some woodcuts I did that were awful, but there were a number of intaglio prints that I did that got me excited about that process. I’m proud to say that one of those prints is now in the permanent collection of the Canton Art Museum, in Canton, Ohio. What kind of opportunities would you say are unique to printmaking when compared to oneoff paintings or drawings? Well, for one thing printmaking can allow for edition printing, thus producing multiples of the same imagery. From a single matrix, one could produce an edition of ten, twenty, even a hundred prints, so the opportunity to sell the artwork from a single effort could be as lucrative as selling a single painting or drawing. The added bonus is that the artwork is in the hands of a larger number of people than would be the case, perhaps, for a painting or drawing. How do you stay connected to the rest of the printmaking community? I currently belong to two print organizations: the Mid-America Print Council and the Southern Graphics Council. Both organizations have annual or biennial conferences which provide an opportunity to attend lectures and various
top left: Interrupted Square I, Lithography top right: Interrupted Square II, Intaglio bottom: Sentinel, Mixed Media
workshops on a variety of printmaking topics and print methods. I try to attend one or more of these conferences whenever possible. Also, there are a number of online sites that have proven valuable to me, both from the standpoint of teaching as well as my own growth as a printmaker. In the recent past as well as in the present, I’ve maintained contact with numerous printmakers, online, who are willing to offer technical advice when a print problem arises. What kind of challenges face the printmaker in the marketplace today? A big challenge that the printmaker faces and has faced for a long time has been the marketing of commercially reproduced paintings and drawings sold as “original prints”. While it is true that many of these pieces are lithographs, they are, in fact, reproductions rather than images that are intended to be prints from their inception. Many of these “prints” have been
signed in a manner similar to hand-pulled prints despite the fact that they were reproduced commercially. It should be pointed out that there are print studios that produce prints for artists, but these are not the operations in question. Print studios contract with printmakers or artists (painters, for example) who wish to utilize the print facilities, and talents of others who have the expertise to produce prints. In these situations, the artist or printmaker has total control of every phase of the print process, from the development of the matrix to signing the edition of prints, and those who work at the studio are, in essence, the artist’s handmaidens. Basically, it is a collaboration between artists and fine art printers.
is surrendered to the company, the sequence of events is out of the artist’s hands and he or she has only limited input as to the outcome of the process. This method of getting additional “mileage” for a painting or drawing is in itself not a bad thing. It’s when it is promoted as an original hand-signed lithograph or similar reproduction that the problem becomes evident, and the unsuspecting public buys their “print”. This type of art marketing tends to undermine the opportunities for the printmaker who is attempting to offer his or her prints to a collecting public.
The opposite of this operation is where the artist takes a painting or other non-print artwork into a commercial printer and contracts to have an edition of reproductions made. Once the work 23
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Candice Temm Mermaids Are Just Pretend, Acrylic Jake Gorman Interrupt, Digital Zia Luehrman Scarlet Letter, Acrylic Zia Luehrman Vented, Acrylic Ryan Valle Smauge, Digital
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An interview with
TRAVIS LAMPE Dustin Williams: Travis Lampe is a storyteller. Based in Chicago, Travis has shown in exhibitions around the country, developing an illustration style based on old-timey cartoons and a cast of emotionally distraught characters. His work was recently featured as part of Design Chicago 2010 at the UCM Gallery of Art & Design. Travis was kind enough to answer a few questions about life as an artist as well as his recent foray into the designer toy world.
Hi+Res: Out of school, you worked in advertising for a bit. What was the transition from art director to full-blown artist/illustrator like? Was there a specific moment that gave you the confidence to make the switch? Travis Lampe: It was a long, somewhat painful process. I started refining my illustration when I was still full-time art directing in Warsaw. My girlfriend (wife now) lived in the United States so I had a lot of free time on my hands. I remember being initially inspired by an illustration of Camille Rose Garcia’s in Archive Magazine. I had some natural painting talent, but I didn’t really know how to execute when I started. My 26
first illustrations really sucked. It wasn’t until much later that I finally decided to give it a try for real. Until then there was a lot of getting up at 5 a.m. and staying up late to work on my illustration portfolio while I still worked as a freelance art director during the day. Eventually I decided to try my hand at doing gallery stuff. I thought I’d start locally, so I went down to Rotofugi in Chicago with a few pieces I’d done for BLAB! Magazine. (I was finally getting into BLAB! after many frustrated attempts – something which helped me get more shows down the line.). Rotofugi liked my stuff and asked if I’d like to be in a group show they had coming up. Then out of the blue
Ryan Heshka contacted me about doing a two man show at the (now defunct) DVA Gallery in Chicago. That was my first real show. I still hadn’t figured out exactly what I was doing, so it was a bit of a trial by fire. I didn’t know how many pieces I’d need or how much time I’d need to finish. It was crazy. In the end that entire show sold out, but I think it had a lot to do with the fact that my pricing was really low. You have to start somewhere. The DVA show got noticed and led to a show at G1988 in L.A., which got noticed by still other galleries. Everything just kind of snowballed from there.
opposite: The Rainbow Seed, Acrylic above, left: Wood Burning Miscreant, Acrylic above, right: Love Proof, Acrylic
Your paintings are incredibly narrative. Do you write and map out stories before you begin a series, or is it something that develops naturally as you work from painting to painting? The ideas evolve as I go. Characters develop out of sketches, then I assign them loose roles and apply them as needed. I do love the suggestion of a mysterious hidden narrative. Sometimes there is a bit of a back story, something only I know. But knowing the whole story would ruin it for me and everyone else, I suspect. Why are those dumb-ass trees always causing a ruckus? Wondering why is a lot more fun than knowing.
for something that would be consistent with my “Fantasy Cryland” theme, easy to produce and relatively inexpensive. The original Drips were made of stitched canvas painted with acrylic. They sold really quickly, mostly before the show even opened. After the show, Kirby and Whitney told me they were partnering with Squibbles Ink to make some toys and asked if I’d be interested in making the Tear Drips. We ran into all kinds of delays so the Drips didn’t end up getting released until two years later. That was a learning experience. If you want to learn about frustrated expectation, that is.
Last year you released one of my personally favorite projects, Tear Drips, with the help of Squibbles Ink and Rotofugi. How did the project come about, and what kind of advantages do three dimensional pieces offer over your two dimensional work?
Still it was incredibly satisfying to know my Tear Drips were making people everywhere just a tiny bit sadder. I love making sculptures, stitching things together and painting them, probably even more than making regular paintings. Having a 3D object that you made out there, something that wouldn’t exist otherwise, that’s something.
The Tear Drips came about as the result of some pieces I did for my first Rotofugi show in 2007. Since I wasn’t too well known yet, I was looking
How do you go about preparing for a gallery show? Is the process pretty similar between each one, or does it change show to show?
I’m getting better, more organized, with every show. My original shows were like a painting explosion, loosely tied together by style. Now I’m better at planning them out, color-wise and thematically. I start with an idea for a theme, usually something sad and ridiculous... well, ok, always sad and ridiculous. Then I make a series of tiny sketches of paintings and sculptures I know I want to do. Usually about 3/4 of the show gets planned this way, the rest evolves as I paint. The title for the show usually comes last. This process stays pretty much the same from show to show, though I try to incorporate new media when I can. For my next show there will be some silk-screened prints and frames, so I’ve had to plan out that process, too. Lastly, out of all of the Tear Drips, which is the saddest? Well, clearly it’s Gimlet. Yes, Gimlet is by far the saddest…
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An interview with
TYLER COEY Kaycie Booher: I recently had the chance to pick the brains of one of Kansas City’s own. Tyler Coey, a contemporary artist that is currently gaining national and international success with his phenomenal vinyl toy collection, MUTT, and mixed media paintings.
Hi+Res: Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself, Tyler? Tyler Coey: Well, I’m from the Kansas City area. I went to college in Ohio at Columbus College of Art and Design and impulsively withdrew from school and moved to New York City for a few months. I then returned to Kansas City and settled in the Crossroads District. It was after coming back that I got serious about my art. My good friend, Trenton Matthews, got me in my first show and since then things started taking off for me. Now, a year and half or so later, I’m booking shows nearly every month locally, nationally and internationally. Also, in that time MUTT toys was started and has been an awesome project that has allowed me to work with some amazing talent. The fact I get to do what I do is largely owed to the awesome people in my life; Trenton for getting me back into my art, John and Mundzi for countless hours on the router, Candice for dealing with me, and of course my mom for all the support. I couldn’t do it without any of them. Interesting name… why “MUTT?” MUTT got its name because the concept of the toy was to make the most ambiguous “shell” possible. The toy is only defined by its 28
accessories, so the ability to combine features makes it a mutt of a toy. It’s the only d.i.y. designer toy you can completely create yourself. What got you interested in designing toys? Jeremy Madl, aka MAD, went to the same high school as me, and when he came back from college, he came to visit his old (and my current) art teacher. My teacher pulled me from the class I was in and said, “this is someone you should meet.” Fast forward a few years and a friend, Jesse, asks me if I know anything about designer vinyl toys. I say,“nope”, so he proceeds to tell me about the scene then mentions MAD and I was like, “hey, I know that guy!” Jeremy had coincidentally moved back to the area and put his studio directly behind the sign shop my mom owns. So I walked on down to say what’s up, and see what this toy thing was all about. I left his studio hooked! Was your style something that developed over time or was it something you’ve always just done? I consider “my style” in constant development, and I suspect it will be that way until I can no longer pick up a pencil. It’s the bastard child of everything I see, and as long as I have eyes and
an environment, it will evolve. If I were to pick out the main influences involved, it would be my love for traditional illustrative painting and contemporary street art. What inspires you? What kind of process do you work through to come up with your pieces? My inspiration is unique from piece to piece. Sometimes I’m listening to music, doodling in my sketchbook, or I wake up with an idea I feel compelled to create that day. There’s really no formula I follow, and actually, when I sit down and try to be inspired, I do my worst work. I’m best when I let it blindside me. Graduating artists will want to know… how do they go about generating success as you have? (And how do they do it in this awful economy?) There’s no way around working your ass off. Never skip an opportunity and constantly be planning your next move. I wouldn’t consider myself successful in the slightest. I have my sights set miles away from where I am now. Stay hungry for that next step and never be satisfied.
top: Lemme Light That, Acrylic left: Boo, Acrylic right: MUTT, Mixed Media opposite: Detail of Hello, Acrylic
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