Head over to the Anderson Gallery for a screening of the Concepts in Drawing class’s charcoal animations followed by a casual reception to learn about Friends of Drake Arts. The screening will last approximately 25 minutes and masks are required in the gallery. Refreshments will follow in the lobby. All Art and Design Students invited!
Generously sponsored by Friends of Drake Arts.
is an installation that weaves together inside and outside, near and far, visible and invisible, artifacts of the past and actions in the present, through the space of the Anderson Gallery. This site-specific installation and series of performances taking place periodically from September 2 through October 15, 2021, is a collaboration between Fırat Erdim, Paula Matthusen, and Olivia Valentine.
The performances are accessible both in-person and online, via the loom-room-harp.space website and Sunship, the website of the Arts Letters & Numbers 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale Italian Virtual Pavilion at artslettersandnumbers.org. The performance schedule is available on these websites.
Throughout the course of the exhibition, the gallery contains dynamic visual and audio artifacts of the periodic performances. Together, these artifacts, performances, and other components of the installation seek to permeate interior with exterior, here with there, now with then.
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 2 from 5-7pm
Five Art + Design seniors have launched their Virtual BFA Thesis Exhibitions, and their shows are now available to view online. Join us as we celebrate selected works by Caroline Bushman, Jordan DeFelice, Madison Frey, Melissa McElin, and Lasha Stewart. The virtual exhibitions will be available from April 22 – May 31, 2021. Please scroll down to learn more about each student and click on links to take you to their individual shows and exhibition catalogs. You can tour their virtual exhibitions by choosing to enter and navigate the space with your arrow keys, or by selecting “Start Guided Tour” which will automatically take you around the gallery. Congratulations, seniors! We wish you all the best.
CAROLINE BUSHMAN
Caroline Bushman grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her parents, four siblings, and beloved sheepdog. After studying at BYU, she transferred to Drake University where she earned her BA in Painting and BFA in graphic design. She counts her education as a huge blessing because of the wonderful peers, thoughtful teachers, and invaluable skills she has gained. Her artwork is honest and true to her experiences, both painful and beautiful. Drawn to topics such as grief, fear, growth, and hope, she explores many mediums and finds this creation to be healing and sacred. While painting is her first love, Caroline is delighted to have a full time graphic design job. When she is not working and creating, she spends quality time with her very supportive husband, Joey, and their new sheepdog puppy, Sam.
JORDAN DEFELICE
Jordan DeFelice is graduating with a BFA and is based in Des Moines, Iowa. He uses digital illustration tools to create art inspired by the techniques of traditional media. When he isn’t working on art, he spends his time playing games and sleeping. Mostly sleeping.
MADISON FREY
Madison Frey is from St. Charles, Illinois, and is a Graphic Design major. She uses antiquated imagery to address contemporary issues. Her work, “Silent All These Years,” was recently included in the “50th Annual Juried Student Exhibition.”
MELISSA MCELIN
Melisaa McElin is from Stillwater, Minnesota. She is graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design, a printmaking minor, and a Women and Gender Studies Concentration. Melissa had prints and a powerful film on beauty included in the recent “50th Annual Juried Student Exhibition.” For the future, Melissa plans to create and launch her own brand of clothing, designs and prints.
LASHA STEWART
Lasha Stewart came to Drake University from Anna, Texas, to start her path towards a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Drawing. Lasha’s work discusses topics related to race, gender, and society. Her work has recently been featured in the Anderson Gallery’s “50th Annual Student Juried Exhibition” where she won overall Best in Show. When she is not focusing on her art, Lasha likes to take care of her plants and knit blankets. After she graduates from Drake University, she plans to enroll in the MFA Program at the Pennsylvania Academy of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Anderson Gallery will be featuring these seniors on social media during late April and early May. Follow us!
It’s our 50th year of hosting a student exhibition, and there is a lot to celebrate! Because a lot of students are learning remotely this year, we don’t have physical works to showcase. We are adapting and hosting a virtual exhibition through Art Spaces that will allow you to move around a virtual gallery setting to experience the works. We will also host a digital, flippable catalog that will feature works by the students and highlight award winners.
This year, 52 Drake students submitted 150 works. Our juror, Nikki Renee Anderson, selected 67 works by 35 Drake students to be included in the exhibition. Nikki Renee Anderson, a Drake Alum and Chicago-based artist and educator, had a tough job and seriously considered all the entries. She said, “The work in this show represents a collection of ideas that have impact and resonance within the context of Drake and the larger society.” We can’t wait for you to see it!
At 2pm on Sunday, March 7, 2021, we live-streamed the virtual opening. President Martin provided some opening remarks. We will also had the opportunity to hear from our juror, Nikki, and Provost Mattison and Dean Gerhard presented over $1500 in awards generously donated by family and friends of Thad Archie. Click on the button below to watch as we unveiled our virtual exhibition and announced student award winners.
Click the buttons below to view the virtual exhibition and flip through the digital catalog. These amazing resources are up through the end of April 2021. Participate as many times as you like! Thanks for joining us and helping us celebrate Drake’s long tradition of showcasing student works!
AWARDS:
Juror Nikki Renee Anderson selected these works for special recognition:
The Department of Art + Design selected Kaili Miller’s “Three Piece Letter Press Series” for the prestigious Provost Purchase Award! Congratulations to all the award winners and to those who had the courage to submit and share their works!
And don’t forget to follow us on social media where we will be sharing the works of each of the 35 participating students from March 8 – April 16, 2021. Learn more about these talented Drake students and see details of their works.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Sigurd Anderson. He, along with his wife Ann, established the Anderson Gallery at Drake University in 1996. We celebrate his life as we recognize his legacy and impact. We send our sympathies to his cherished family and friends.
Sigurd Einar Anderson, 88, was born January 26, 1933 in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Gladys (Jones) Anderson. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family Saturday, February 13, 2021. Sigurd is survived by his wife, Ann Green Anderson; daughter, Mertze Anderson Johnson; grandchildren, Ian (Amy) Johnson, Sigurd Anderson IV and Sean Anderson; other loving relatives and many dear friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Sigurd Anderson III and his son-in-law, Wade B. Johnson. Cremation has occurred and per Sigurd’s wishes, there will be no services at this time. His ashes will be distributed with those of his family in the summertime. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Des Moines Art Center in loving memory of Sigurd.
From Hamilton Funeral Home on 2.20.21
PAGES FROM THE BOOK OF THE UNKNOWN EXPLORER – A Virtual Performance Lecture
Join us online on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 7pm for Judit Hersko’s virtual performance lecture followed by questions from the audience. This event is designed for the entire Drake community, and students and faculty in all disciplines are encouraged to attend. We will live-stream Judit’s performance, “Pages from the Book of the Unknown Explorer,” on the Anderson Gallery’s YouTube Channel.
Judit Hersko is an installation artist who works in the intersection of art and science. She collaborates with scientists on visualizing climate change science through art and narrative. Her work is rooted in extensive research as well as in a playful exploration of materials and phenomena of light, shadow and transparency. Her current practice involves story telling through performances that incorporate the objects she makes.
Judit Hersko is the recipient of the 2020 Myron “Mike” Marty Arts + Humanities Lectureship awarded by the Center for the Humanities through a generous donation from the Ralph & Sylvia G. Green Charitable Foundation.
IMAGINING THE FUTURE: HOW STORIES WE TELL SHAPE THE PLANET – A Collage Workshop
Drake students, please join us in person for a safe and socially distanced collage workshop in the Anderson Gallery on Friday, March 26, 2021 from 1-4pm. This is limited to 16 students from any discipline. Learn more about climate change as Judit leads the group through brainstorming sessions and short demonstrations to create books made with found materials. Individual workstations and art kits are free and available to those who participate. Click the button below to register.
Workshop details: In this interactive workshop, we will explore how humans have come to dominate the planet earth by the fictions they create and live by. We will investigate how nature and culture might be telling a different story about who we are and where we come from. We will also look at alternative narratives of the future, and participants will be able to work on their own vision. The outcomes will range from lists of words, free writing, brief stories, to artist book pages.
Workshop Leader: Judit Hersko’s work has received national as well as international recognition. In 1997 she represented her native Hungary at the Venice Biennale, and in 2007 her work was featured in Weather Report: Art and Climate Change, curated by Lucy Lippard for the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. In 2008 she received the National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Grant and spent six weeks in Antarctica working with scientists. She has presented extensively on this work at universities, research institutions, conferences, and symposia around the world, and she has published several articles and book chapters. Hersko is a Professor in the Department of Art, Media, and Design at California State University San Marcos, where she initiated the Art and Science Project.
Should you have any questions or need more information, please contact the andersongallery@drake.edu. Or, take a look at more of our Gallery’s resources and opportunities. We look forward to your participation in these events!
The staff at the Anderson Gallery created a series of videos to help students photograph and light 2-D and 3-D works. Because a lot of students are working from home during Covid-19, the videos demonstrate how to take photographs with smartphones while at home or in a dorm room with materials that most already have on hand. This helps students showcase their works in class during critiques and prepare works for the Annual Juried Student Exhibition which is virtual during spring 2021. *Special shout outs go to Bryan Ortiz, Courtney McCuddin and Anh Nguyen for sharing their artworks for our demonstrations!
Videos produced with the help of Art Professor Emily Newman; Julia Franklin, the Anderson Gallery Manager; and Lydia White, Gallery Technology Assistant and Student Worker Extraordinaire.
Calling all Drake students who want to share your artwork! We invite you to enter works that will be selected as part of our 50th Annual Juried Student Exhibition. The exhibition will be virtual and will run from March 7 – April 16, 2021. Our juror will be Nikki Renee Anderson, a Drake Alum and Chicago-based artist and educator. She will select works to be included in the exhibition and award winners. Over $1000 in awards will be announced in addition to the Provost Award. The virtual exhibition and digital catalog will be debuted on Sunday, March 7 at 2pm as we live-stream the exhibition opening and awards ceremony.
CATEGORIES: Students can enter up to 4 works total in these categories: Drawing & Works on Paper, Graphic Design, Interactive Media, Painting, Performance, Printmaking, Sculpture, Installation, and Video. Videos are limited to 15 minutes, and we can only accept online entries. We allow entry files to be submitted as .jpg, .png, .gif, .mp3, .mp4. and .mov. Maximum file size is 500 mb and best resolution is preferred at 300dpi.
ELIGIBILITY: Entrants must be Drake students, and it is free to enter. All submissions must be original work produced by the student artist within the past two years and must have been produced while enrolled at Drake University.
DEADLINE: February 18, 2021 at midnight (That’s 11:59pm the night of Thursday, February 18, 2021).
TIMELINE:
ENTRY PROCESS: We are using a professional service, Entrythingy, which is similar to CaFE, Submittable and Slideroom, to manage all the entries and make the entry and selection process easy. Click below to sign up and submit your entries. There is no cost to Drake students, and you should receive an email alert from us once you have submitted your work. If you have any questions, please email julia.franklin@drake.edu. Scroll down to see some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
NEEDED INFO TO ENTER: Have these items ready so your submission process goes smoothly:
Watch this video that goes step by step through the entry process. Be sure to turn on captioning for extra information and a richer experience. Contact Julia.franklin@drake.edu with any questions.
We’ve created a PDF of the instructions should you want to get your information this way:
FAQs and ANSWERS: Here are some answers to common questions.
Q: When I look at my image in jury view, it is enlarged and looks grainy/bitmapped. I’m worried about the quality of my image. A: Your image actually looks fine on our end. If it doesn’t, please rest assured Julia Franklin will email you about it to request another image so it can get swapped out.
Q: I have a work where the details are important. Can I submit other detail shots or other views? A: Yes! Once you upload your first image, you will be given the option to add up to 3 other related images that show details or other views.
Q: I don’t know how to categorize my work. A: That’s okay. We’ve taken the confusion out of the process and given you only one option: All Media Accepted.
Q: I need to re-do my submission! Or, I want to switch out a piece and enter something else instead. How do I do that? A: Email the Gallery Manager at julia.franklin@drake.edu as soon as possible. Let her know which piece (title) you want to change or delete, and she will mark it as Not Submitted. She will email you back so you can log back in to add additional views or submit another work.
VIDEO TUTORIALS: We’ve put together a series of short videos to help you set up and photograph your artwork at home with your phone. Take a look to make sure you are entering the most professional looking images as possible. All it takes is a little time and effort. It could mean the difference of having your work selected and winning cash prizes. You can’t win if you don’t enter, and you can’t get accepted without good images of your work!
Graphic Designs by Amelia Sims, Graphic Design Major ’23
Today we are proud to highlight the work of Nicole Krayneski James, Drake Alum, inspiring art teacher, mosaic artist, and chicken owner. Nicole is the last artist we are highlighting this winter as part of our series that showcases works and impacts by Drake Art + Design Alums. Thanks for tuning in!
BIOGRAPHY:
Nicole Krayneski James was born in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Iowa to attend Drake University. She received a BFA in Sculpture and shortly after obtained a MAT in Secondary Art Teaching. During her student teaching experience, her mentor teacher asked her to teach a lesson on mosaics. She was quickly intrigued by the art form. This led to teaching a class on mosaics at the Des Moines Art Center, which lead to working full-time in the studio education department for several years. After staying home with her four boys, she has returned to teaching art and is currently teaching in Johnston. She lives in Beaverdale with her husband, boys, dog, and lots of chickens.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Mosaics have been my main art medium for several years now. With a busy life teaching and raising for boys, creating them can be the most practical as I can work on them for little bits at a time. When I was painting, I would try to capture small moments of life when the light was just right and everything is still. These are my favorite moments to capture in glass. Although these moments may just last a few minutes, the glass gives it permanence. I also like to have fun with the glass, exploring color theory and how it differs from other mediums.
SELECTED WORKS:
FOLLOW NICOLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Today we shine the spotlight on Drake Alum, Marty Hicks, sculptor and metal artist who owns HIXWERX Metal Arts Studio in St. Paul, Minnesota. Marty designs and creates furniture, sculpture, architectural elements, and public art. He’s active in showing art, making commissions, and teaching and conserving sculpture in central Minnesota.
BIO:
Marty Hicks is the owner of HIXWERX Metal Arts Studio in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he designs and creates furniture, sculpture, architectural elements and public art. Marty received his B.F.A. from Drake University and an M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota. Marty has served as the Exhibit Fabricator Science Museum of Minnesota, Sculpture & Object Conservator for Kristin Cheronis, Inc. and Art Director for Jack Morton Worldwide. He has taught sculpture and 3-D image making classes at the Teaching Guild of Metalsmiths, East Side Arts Council, and Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He recently designed and built the kinetic outdoor public sculpture “River Wind,” commissioned by Greening the Avenue, Inc. and funded by Saint Paul STAR program.
Professional and artistic highlights include participating in 50 Years of Iron Sculpture at the University of Minnesota and receiving an Artist Initiative Grant and the Minnesota State Arts Board support to set up foundry equipment to cast bronze artwork. Marty has also received numerous commissions for works while being selected for a host of exhibitions and awards. Marty can be found living and working in his two-story studio near the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with his wife, Kelly.
STATEMENT:
I’m consumed with working metal. From decorative metal work to architectural-scaled public art, metalsmithing is my life. This work ranges from welding, to artist blacksmithing and bronze casting. My passion for metalsmithing is derived from organic materials found in the earth: iron, copper, silver, and bronze. I then work them by hand and fire to reveal a myriad of forms, textures and colors. Sculpting introduced me to a variety of materials and techniques that allow me to model, cut, bend, hammer, weld, and otherwise move the material and change its shape. The outcome includes fine art, decorative utilitarian objects, furniture, jewelry, and large outdoor public art installations. There is something primal at the core of this work that grows into something elegant and beautiful. My goal is to find myself in the “dance” with the tools and materials, which results in an object people appreciate and enjoy. It’s a never-ending process to go deeper, learn more, and get better.
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