Texas Tech University

Christina Thomas (BFA in Visual Studies, 2009) has been selected for a Spring 2010 internship at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Thomas will be interning in the museum’s Education Department and the position involves the “development, implementation, and administration of programs for all museum audiences including adults, schools, families, children, and general gallery visitors, across a variety of learning interests including art, history, literature, art/museum education, film, new media, and much more.”

As an education intern, Thomas will work in areas from Learning Through Art, Onsite School & Family Programs, and Public Programs to New Media, Teens, and Gallery Tours & Programs. She will interface with nearly all museum departments including visitor services, security, curatorial, library, marketing, public affairs, finance, and design.

In a message on Facebook, Thomas says that she is excited about working at the internationally renowned museum and living in New York and that she plans to take “full advantage” of the concurrent Museum Culture Seminar. The museum’s website describes the seminar program as “an integral part of [the] internship program” with “field trips to auction houses, galleries, corporate collections, artists’ studios, and other museums. A field trip outside the city is also planned for each semester.” Through discussions with museum staff from the different departments, the seminar also facilitates an awareness of current and critical issues in the arts and related fields. Thomas said that she is “certain that this opportunity will significantly influence the direction [her] career takes.” For more information on the Guggenheim internship program, visit http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/internships.

Colorwheel by Jonathan Whitfill

Mercurial Imagination, featuring the work of Ryder Jon Piotrs collaborative members Piotr Chizinski (2007 BFA Sculpture), Ryder Richards (2001 BFA Painting), Sue Anne Rische (1994 BFA Jewelry Design & Metalsmithing) and Jonathan Whitfill (2006 MFA Sculpture) is on exhibit now at the Ira M. Taylor Memorial Gallery at Hardin Simmons University until November 13, 2009. The work ranges from altered books and shredded text to gunpowder drawings and cast bomb forms. The work questions social class systems, the intangible form of knowledge, and violence in a modern world.

The gallery will host a closing reception featuring an artist’s talk and question/answer session on November 13, 5:00-6:30 PM.

Ryder Jon Piotrs (RJP) is comprised of artists who have created an alternative method of engagement with the development of a Nomadic Truck Gallery. The gallery is a converted 24′ Ryder truck complete with white sheetrock panels and track lighting. Since it’s debut over 2 years ago the mobile gallery has prompted several group exhibitions for the RJP members. Most recently the group has shown in Dallas, Abilene, and Marfa. They have also hosted a national juried ceramics exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information please visit the website ::
http://ryderjonpiotrs.wordpress.com/

Sonia Avila (front left) and her Southwest Graphic Design team (from left to right) John Jones, Quyen Dong, and Trent Duran.

“I’ll never forget how I got into design, “explains Southwest Airlines Graphic Design Team Manager Sonia Avilla (2003 BFA Communication Design) Southwest Airlines Graphic Design team manager. I read an article about design and came to talk to Carla Tedeschi in her then “cave “ office wedged in between restrooms in the architecture building. That was all it took.”

Avilla returned to Lubbock recently to assist Tedeschi, associate professor in Communication Design and the program’s coordinator, by critiquing some student projects and later giving tips to all Communication Design classes on how to land a job in the graphic design field.

She remembered about her SoA days.  “I lived at home and had a job, so going to college wasn’t terribly costly for me, “she flashes a smile. “I was a cartographer- several of us in my family were. I drew maps at first by hand and then later digitally.”

“Critiquing projects this morning reminded me of the old days here — some miserable; some great. I remember the camaraderie though – going out at all hours to eat and talk— struggling to learn in the college atmosphere. I miss some of those moments . . . and some are not design-related!”

That afternoon, Avilla presented “Yummy Work” starting with a simple, large sandwich going on to the meat, hold the mayo, don’t forget the pickle and more. Using the making of a sandwich as analogous to building a successful career, she explained decisions she had made in her own career, relating some triumphs and pitfalls while offering suggestions like 1) research companies – find out their customers and what they really do 2) network—no getting away from design people – look for them 3) tie everything together in your portfolio – letters, cards, leave behinds and 4) look professional – dress and smell appropriately for an interview – no gum!    read more >>

Terry Morrow with alumna, Cakky Brawley, during 40th Anniversary Studio Alumni Invitational Exhibition

Professor Terry Morrow begins his 41st year this semester as art professor at Texas Tech. It is a momentous time and an accomplishment that current students, faculty, and alumni applaud. He spent eight of those years additionally as Assistant Art Department Chairman, Art Department Chairman or Director when the school was called the  Art Department, and two-times as Interim Director at the SoA.  Morrow has always been ready to come forward as needed, which showcases his outstanding service and regard for students and the faculty. He is a perennial favorite professor with students and sought after as a colleague. He began our interview by telling me:

I guess I will continue to teach as long as I have health, still enjoy it, and feel like I have something left to contribute to the students. I used to get sons and daughters of former students when I did SMAP (Saturday Morning Art Program for high school students who are serious about art) but it’s grandchildren of graduates, now. I still enjoy it and as teachers, we owe it to be mentors – always.

In a recent interview with Scott Dadich, BFA Communications Design, 1999, the Creative Director of Wired magazine, he agreed that Morrow was a mentor. He said, “Terry Morrow was a great mentor and I started out in his SMAP program and was there every Saturday all through high school to learn. Later, when I went to Tech, Professor Morrow would look in on me to check how my classes were going. In his classes, I learned so much about drawing.”

Many students agree with Dadich and really treasure the times they spent in your classes. What made you decide to go into your field?

As a child growing up in Austin, I liked drawing and got to experience a program like our SMAP. It made the difference. Yes, it did inspire me to start SMAP here over 30 years ago.

In what ways has your art influenced you?

Art has been a part of me that always grows. It nurtures me. Being able to observe one’s world, aesthetic things— shapes, form, light— it’s a way of getting at who I am.  I chose Printmaking because of its relationship to drawing-latitude of the processes -painting and design together.

What changes have you noticed in teaching?

When I began here in 1968, I would say that only half the faculty was engaged in teaching. Now we have a good and caring faculty – no more unconscious state of routine “zombified” teaching.

How has your teaching changed?

Standards called for in NASAD  (National Association of Schools of Art and Design) helped me set a standard—not to go to automatic pilot. I combine some philosophy when I teach figure drawing, because in the beginning some students have a fear of drawing the human figure.  In this class, we watch old movies and observe great body movements. I know that it is connecting when in class, a student, Paloma Lidzy, sophomore, said, ‘ Professor Morrow, look at what you have done. I walk around campus, studying people now all the time and think, my – her calves are very pronounced!’

His next class that night was studying photography and the body, he explained to me. The class was going to study Paul Simon’s song “Kodachrome.” I’m humming it  to myself “Momma, don’t take our kodachrome— or Terry Morrow— away.”    read more >>

The artwork of Chris Voss (MFA candidate in painting) can be seen in an upcoming exhibition, Four Degrees of Abstraction, at the Agora Gallery, 530 W. 25th Chelsea, New York, NY 10001. 212-226-415, www.Art-Mine.com and www.Agora-Gallery.com. The reception will be at the gallery on October 8th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  The show begins October 2nd and ends October 23rd. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Additionally, Voss now has gallery representation with Agora Gallery. More of his art work may be viewed at www.vossartstudio.net