2018 Department News
December 2018
The Hungry Heartland media project is a multi-tiered, multi-media project that addresses the issue of food deserts across Kansas, the nation's breadbasket.
At the heart of the campaign are three Kansas State University classes: a photography class (Art 563 Intermediate Photography), a writing class (ENGL 510 Professional Writing), and a video production class (MC 471 Advanced Audio/Video Production). Students from these classes received training on how to shoot documentary-style photographs, how to write about technical subjects and social media posts, and how to create documentaries. in the fall semester of 2018, they went on field trips to rural Kansas, engaging with Kansans who live in food deserts, and produced photographs, social media, and videos to raise public awareness about food deserts in Kansas. The results from the Intermediate Photography class, led by Professor Shree Joglekar, can be seen here: https://tinyurl.com/KSUHeartland.
Melissa Donlon Coker, painting and printmaking student, was awarded a Frogman's printmaking workshop assistantship for this Summer.
This is a highly competitive and prestigious award.
http://frogmans.net/workshop-info/
Art Department Professor Awarded Residency at Asia Cultural Center in South Korea
Carlos Castellanos, Assistant Professor in the Department of Art's Digital/Experimental Media Program has been awarded a residency at the Asia Cultural Center in Gwangju, South Korea. Done in partnership with the International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA2019), the global residency program for media artists addresses the theme of ISEA2019: Lux Aeterna (Eternal Light), along with its four sub-themes: Aeternitas, Symphonia, Illuminatio, and Penumbra.
The residency will focus on the development of a human-plant communication system. Along with artist and former DX Media student Bello Bello, Castellanos will build a system that measures the photosynthetic and bioelectrical activity from an array of plant microbial fuel cells (P-MFCs) and translate the data into light and sound patterns using machine learning. Bioelectricity, light, sound, CO2, photosynthesis and computational intelligence form a circuit that enhances informational linkages between human, plant, bacteria and the physical environment, enabling a mode of interaction that is experienced not just as a technologically-enabled act of translation but as an embodied flow of information. The research will culminate in a public demonstration and exhibition during the week of the festival (June 22-28).
Multimedia projects from the Department of Art, English and Journalism to show challenges of rural food deserts Dec. 10
November 2018
Department of Art DX Media Laser Series
Come to the Department of Art's DX Media Lab in Willard 217 on December 6th to experience three Art and Technology Research Projects currently being developed by our DX Media students and faculty. Assistant Professor Anthony Warnick will present on Mobile Technologies for Text-based Narratives; Computer Science Graduate Student Sandeep Dasari will present his work on Gestural Musical Interfaces, and Art Department Graduate Student Lathan Mastellar will present on his Meditation Photo Booth. The presenters will discuss their projects and engage the audience with interactive demonstrations. More info at dxmedialab.org/laser.
K-State Alumni donates large gift to the Department of Art
"I hope my gift will raise the stature of the art department at K-State and help expose students to a variety of art." - Lindy Bell
Lindy Bell, Rancho Mirage, California, has given a gift of $2 million to name the position of the head of the Department of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University. Bell is also leaving his vast art collection to the department.
Bell's gift to name the Lindy Bell Head of the Department of Art and the donation of his art collection will have an enormous impact on the department and its ability to deliver high-quality instruction and unique educational experiences to its students.
"We will be able to enhance our ability to provide students with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as allow us to bring a broader spectrum of contemporary artists to campus to enrich their creative activities," said Matthew Gaynor, art department head. "The program will benefit from our ability to maintain Willard Hall and our teaching studio spaces in a manner that reflects the outstanding quality of the work our students produce. Having Lindy's collection will offer the opportunity to allow our art history students to research and curate themed exhibitions based on the collection and develop an initial understanding of curatorial practice."
October 2018
KSU assistant professor and area coordinator, Nick Geankoplis, nominated and inducted into the International Academy of Ceramics
The Department Art is proud to announce the nomination and induction of Nick Geankoplis, Ceramics Area Head into the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) http://www.aic-iac.org/en/academy/the-iac-mission/. This prestigious congress of international artists, less than 700 members globally, seeks to stimulate an international exchange of culture and critical ideologies representing the highest levels of professionals in the field of ceramics. It combines ceramists, potters, artists, designers, authors, collectors, gallerists, conservators, restorers', curators as well as a panel of prestigious institutions. The IAC is also an official partner of the UNESCO cultural section and the only international association devoted strictly to the medium of clay and ceramic art.
Selection for membership is a rigorous process. Candidates for induction into IAC must be nominated by at least three current members. Candidates are then reviewed by a 14-member council. Membership is typically reserved for mid-to-late careers indviduals, however at 36, Professor Geankoplis is among its youngest members.
During this year's conference, in conjunction with the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, a thematic members-only juried exhibition was held. IAC members were invited to rethink artistic relationships with Far-East ceramic traditions under in the theme "New Orientalia – Functionality, Spirituality, Diversity". Geankoplis' research was not only selected for the exhibition, it was one of 4 art works selected by the council to receive an award.
Printmaking Professor, Jason Scuilla, and Chemistry Professor, Stefan Bossmann, along with the printmaking students attended and were featured at the Eisenhower Circle Celebration for interdisciplinary research at KSU Foundation.
The Eisenhower Circle Celebration was established to recognize our loyal donors who annually contribute $250 or more to the College of Arts and Sciences. By becoming a member of the Eisenhower Circle, our alumni and friends have the unique opportunity to engage with what is happening in the college today and participate in creating a better future.
Karen Griffith (pictued below) is one such donor. She was honored at the event for supporting the projects within the college, as well as her significant contribution towards the Printmaking area of the Department of Art.
The Earl Project
This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts,
and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Additional funding was provided by the Kansas State University Small Research Grant and the Kansas State University, Department of Art.
The Earl Project engages veterans and soldiers in creating new, original works of visual art both individually and in a collective war stories scroll sculpture. No previous art-making experience is required. It is a project based on the premise that making is cathartic, making feels good, and making meaning of combat experience through art-telling stories has healing potential. In Burn-out art workshops, veterans and soldiers will be taught simple but evocative methods in creating images and stories with fabric and paper burn-out techniques, conceived as emblematic of the psychic burn-out that many soldiers experience. They also are invited to contribute their stories to a community-made sculpture, transformed into abstracted language so it remains as confidential as they choose. Using burn-out techniques along with mending stitches as both metaphor and realization of healing in a physical manifestation, they will transform lived experience into art. The premier feature presentation is two exhibitions of individual and collective work produced by art workshop participants, at the Manhattan Art Center (Manhattan, KS) and Mingenback Art Gallery (Lindsborg, KS) in summer 2019.
 |
 |
 |
- The Earl Project workshop schedule
- Mid-‐America Arts Alliance Announces $180,626 in Grants for Artists and Arts Organizations
August 2018
6 K-state art dept students awarded undergraduate research scholarships to investigate new printmaking technology
Transforming Printmaking through Chemical Innovation is a National Endowment of the Arts research project that seeks to transfer technology from the microbiology, circuit board, and commercial plating industries into contemporary printmaking. An interdisciplinary team of nationally recognized artists, chemists, industry experts, and student researchers at Kansas State University are collaborating to empower contemporary printmakers with tools and knowledge necessary to create prints using safer, environmentally friendly, methods equal or superior to classical techniques. This Fall six Kansas State Art Dept Students have been awarded A & S Undergraduate Research Scholarships to apply their printmaking expertise to this research. Madeleine Wolff, Olathe; Rachel Hermes, Wichita; Mikayla Bond, Gardner; Byron Ashley, Topeka; Melissa Donlon, Layfayette, GA; and Kailey Prior, Greenleaf; will assist Printmaking Professor / Principal Investigator Jason Scuilla in further develop this technology. They will collaborate with a team of chemists led by Dr. Stefan Bossmann (Co-PI), create etchings utilizing this new technology, and assist nationally recognized artists who will be visiting to support this research.
July 2018
Former Graduate student and teaching assistant recently accepted faculty position at Oklahoma State University. He will be working with the Printmaking, Drawing and Foundations areas of the program.
Brandon Williams completed the three-year Master in Fine Arts program at K-State in Spring 2017. Congratulations, Brandon Williams! We wish him many success in his new role.
May 2018
This semester, K-State students studied sketches and printing proofs by John Steuart Curry and developed web pages for the "Curry Illustrations Project."
The project has emerged from a spring 2018 art department seminar taught by Beach Museum of Art Curator Liz Seaton with assistance from Digital Assets Assistant J.P. Harwick and registrars Sarah Price and Theresa Ketterer. English professor Mark Crosby, director of K-State's Digital Humanities Center, provided initial guidance for the course.
Poster
Graduate Student, Jennifer Hudson, receives 2nd Place Award at Online Exhibition
The Department of Art Master of Fine Arts graduate student, Jennifer Hudson, took 2nd place in online exhibition, Transplanted, with her work titled 'Hen Party'.
April 2018
Faculty Show @ Beach Museum makes Local paper
The Manhattan Mercury's exclusive on the KSU Department of Art Faculty Show at the Beach Museum on campus.
OPEN HOUSE 2018_Department of ART
Willard Hall was a flourish of activity and creativity on Saturday, April 6th during Open House. Both the Drawing area and KSU Photo Klub had interactive activities and demos going on on the second floor of Willard and the Prairie Fire Printmakers club and Graphic Designer AIGA organization represented activities on the third floor.
Tables were set up at the Student Union by our Art Advisor, Wendy Queal, and the Art Student Ambassadors ready to meet and greet interested folks wanting to learn more about our programs and department.
Additional Photos...
The Department of Art Scholarship Reception and Award Presentation is quickly approaching. Please join us on April 6, 2018 for hors d’oeuvres, art, and conversation from 4:00-4:45pm outside of the Chapman Gallery located on the first floor of Willard Hall. Our Scholarship Award Presentation will start at 5:00pm in Willard 114.
The Department of Art is pleased to announce 2017-2018 Art Scholarship winners. Congratulations to the following students:
Department of Art Merit Scholarship
- Lindsay Ebach – Goddard, KS
- Clare Fallon – Auburn, KS
- Stephanie Kluitenberg – Manhattan, KS
- Nahshon Thomas – Manhattan, KS
- Madison Zorn – Wichita, KS
Weary Family Art Scholarship
- Melissa Donlon – Manhattan, KS
- Kelsey Hoines – Atchinson, KS
- Adrienne Maxwell – Paola, KS
- Natalie Phrakonekham – Winfield, KS
- Antonio Pipkin – Manhattan, KS
- Shelbie Stuckey – Wichita, KS
- Alexandria Walters – Abilene, KS
Mark A. Chapman & Cheryl Mellenthin Fine Arts Scholarship
- Bello Bello – Manhattan, KS
- Jessica Burnes – Westwood, KS
- Mary Carnes – Overland Park, KS
- Victoria Harvey – Manhattan, KS
- Rachel Hermes – Wichita, KS
- Fiona Liem – Surabaya, Indonesia
- Logan Robertson – Shawnee, KS
- Shannon Saville – Wichita, KS
Jason Harper Memorial Scholarship
- Annie Sauer – Wichita, KS
Pat & Jim Hagan Art Scholarship
- Emma Allegri – Leawood, KS
- Adrienne Maxwell – Paola, KS
Oscar V. Larmer Art Scholarship
- Emma Allegri – Leawood, KS
Florence H. Walker Art Scholarship
- Elizabeth Hayes – Pittsburg, KS
John W. O'Shea Art Scholarship
- Elizabeth Hayes – Pittsburg, KS
Eugenia Fairman McNall Award
- Andrea Klepper – Ellinwood, KS
Charles William Hugo Scholarship
- Acacia Thalmann – Palmer, KS
Yoshiro and Ester Ikeda Art Scholarship
- Jessica Levey - Oakland, CA
Charlotte Scott Award
- Therese Schmaltz – Manhattan, KS
Mary Lucille Dunn Art Scholarship
- Selena Badami – Overland Park, KS
- Hazel Ingram – Lawrence, KS
- Neely Joyce – Manhattan, KS
- Zelie Thompson – Cypress, TX
The student's works will be displayed in the Chapman Gallery in Willard Hall from April 2-7, 10am-5:00pm. Admission is free to the public.
March 2018
Rebecca Hackemann-Bahlmann, Assistant Professor in Art, was on a panel for immigration for International Women's Day together with Manhattan's Mayor Usha Reddi.
She chaired the fellowships for AAUW Manhattan Branch, who put this event on in the evening of Thursday, March 8th, and was a guest as a 1st generation female immigrant. The AAUW give away $4 million in fellowships to female grad students nationwide. Professor Bahlmann has been working with the Provost and Deans to get the word out to female grad students.
The following link is the article recently published by K-state today: https://www.k-state.edu/today/announcement.php?id=40057