A CREATIVE LEGACY

Professors Gary and Lisa Mesa-Gaido shape Eagle artists

When many people see visual art, they see the finished product. However, art instructors get to see what goes into the finished piece – the artist’s passion, personality, and the progression of becoming a better artist with each new work.

Gary and Lisa Mesa-Gaido witness this type of progress regularly. As art professors at Morehead State University, both have distinct artistic abilities and a wealth of professional experience exhibiting their work nationally and internationally. Lisa’s Cuban-American roots frequently inspire her sculpture and textile art, while Gary incorporates his travels into his photography, digital art, and digital animation.

For over three decades at MSU, they have used their expertise and passion to help generations of Eagle art students tap into their professional potential and realize their artistic vision and voice.

Lisa met Gary when the two Pittsburgh natives attended the University of Pittsburgh. They were both studying art and quickly found common interests that led to a commitment to creativity and each other.

After they earned Bachelor of Arts in Art degrees, they continued their education together, earning their Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees from Ohio University (OU). While studying at OU, the MFA program received a call from MSU’s art program looking for recent MFA graduates to do some teaching over the summer. Gary drove to MSU to teach drawing as an adjunct instructor over the summer in 1992, and Lisa later began teaching in the fall.

By 1993, Lisa became an artist in residence while Gary continued to teach as an adjunct instructor. When MSU was looking for a new art professor, they established a shared singular position for the couple, where each one would teach with a half-time release to pursue their artwork.

Gary and Lisa became full-time tenure-track professors. Gary teaches foundation courses, painting, advanced studies, animation, and digital art and was instrumental in creating the digital classroom that helped bring the graphic design program into the digital age. Lisa teaches 3D foundations, co-advises INSCAPE Literary & Visual Arts journal, and oversees the Visual Art Capstone.

Both Gary and Lisa have earned some of MSU’s and the Commonwealth’s highest honors for their contributions. Each of them received the University’s Distinguished Creative Productions Award and two Kentucky Arts Council Al Smith Fellowships to recognize and support their art.

In every class the two artist-instructors teach, they try to provide a measured mix of critique and encouragement while always relating to their students.

“It’s all in the delivery,” Lisa said. “They understand it comes from a place of helping them instead of cutting them down.”

Gary and Lisa know that students coming to MSU to pursue an art career do not always have the endorsement of family or the funds to support their creative endeavors. Gary frequently donates canvases, paint, and other tools students need to complete their art. In different situations, a student will come to

MSU after being discouraged from pursuing art by those closest to them or having their confidence in their abilities shaken by negativity.

Lisa and Gary realize part of their job is to help students break through barriers to become the artists they could always be.

“We are helping to build self-esteem and confidence in people who don’t understand what they already have,” Gary said. “They can say, this is what I can do, and let me show everybody.”

The Mesa-Gaidos have helped a number of students unlock their potential and establish successful careers. Gabe Lewis (Class of 2016) is the conservator with VON AMMON Fine Art Conservation, where he assisted in restoring the works of renowned artists like Salvador Dali and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“The professional art world can be just as cruel and unyielding as it is brilliant and amazing. Gary and Lisa played a huge part in preparing me for this. I find now, almost seven years after graduating, that I can still reference skills that I was instructed directly and solely from them,” Lewis said.

Lisa and Gary are senior art faculty who feel compelled to keep creating and cultivating students in the department they helped shape. Witnessing and assisting with the progress of each student in their classrooms has given them unexpected purpose and helped to define a large part of their artistic legacy at Morehead State.

“I guess what was so surprising to me is how close you get to the students,” Gary said. “It doesn’t matter the student, there is always something you can connect to and make a connection with that student.”