Proceeds from a silent auction in late 2011 to benefit relief efforts in Joplin, Mo. have been donated to the southern Missouri region of the American Red Cross. The silent auction raised $1,129 to support rebuilding efforts in the city after the devastating May 22 tornado. Chris Harmon, the region’s chief emergency services officer, received the donation.

“This donation really speaks to us about the compassion of our community, and in such a unique and creative way.” Harmon says.

Nine art and design faculty members — Iwona Duszek, Roman Duszek, Judith Fowler, Jacek Fraczak, Kevin Hughes, Marcus Howell, Maria Michalczyk, Cedomir Kostovic, and Eric Pervukhin — donated 24 pieces for an auction hosted by the Paw Prints Bookstore in the Plaster Student Union. Bidding began in late November and winning bids were announced at “A Dickensian Christmas,” a special event hosted by the English Society on Dec. 5 with help from the theatre and dance and music departments. The event included period costumes, readings from Charles Dickens’s famous work A Christmas Carol, and musical performances. In promoting the event, English Society students and their faculty co-sponsors, Dr. James S. Baumlin and Dr. Lanette Cadle, also generated publicity for the auction.

“I was proud of the way that our students pitched in,” Baumlin, professor of english, says. “It was truly a college-wide collaboration: students and faculty in music, art and design, theatre and dance, as well as in english gave of their time and talent.”

“I offer humble thanks to my colleagues for their generosity in donating art,” Jacek Fraczak, assistant professor of art and design, says. Visiting Joplin as a photographer, Professor Fraczak “was stunned by the extent of the destruction,” which inspired him to organize the art auction.

“In my native Poland,” Fraczak notes, “we have experienced devastations of war, but never have I seen such a force of nature. The tornado taught me not just the power of nature, but the power of the American spirit in helping and rebuilding.” His photographs of conditions in Joplin after the tornado comprised an entire wall of his exhibition, “Midwest Habitat,” which chronicles the lives of people in the Midwest through the places where they live. Fraczak exhibited “Midwest Habitat” in Poland, including the cities of Warsaw and Bialystok, and also displayed portions of the exhibit at the Capitol Building in Jefferson City. He has revisited Joplin to chronicle the rebuilding efforts.

“My colleague, Professor Fraczak, was one of the first professional photographers allowed in town to record the devastation, and his photographs have been on public display in Jefferson City,” Baumlin says. “Fraczak has since revisited Joplin and is preparing a photographic history of the rebuilding. The Missouri State English Department will continue to collaborate with him in relief efforts, and I hope that we have the chance to publish his Joplin photography in book form.”

With rebuilding efforts continuing, the need for further Joplin relief remains. The University’s Joplin Relief blog contains donation links for organizations actively assisting in relief efforts and lists volunteer and donation opportunities. Several upcoming Bears and Lady Bears basketball games will feature bucket donations for Joplin relief.

Read more about contributions to Joplin relief efforts in the Fall 2011 issue of Expressions.

Work by Jacek Fraczak, assistant professor in art and design, is included in Prints U.S.A, a national biennial competitive exhibition opening at the Springfield Art Museum in November 2011. Prints U.S.A., which was created to recognize skilled artists in printmaking, is in its seventh year. Elizabeth Wyckoff, curator of prints, drawings and photographs at the Saint Louis Art Museum, judged exhibition entries. Fraczak received a $350 cash award, one of nineteen cash awards distributed out of the eighty-six entries included in the exhibition.

“This recognition, for me, is so valuable because it happens here, in the Springfield Art Museum, in the city where I decided to settle down with my family,” Fraczak says.

Jacek Fraczak received his masters in fine arts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland. Since 2007, he has lived in Springfield and taught computer graphics and illustration courses in the art and design department. Fraczak has also been selected for “50 Places” a national printmaking exhibition curated by Melanie Yazzie of the University of Colorado. The exhibition consists of one print representing each of the fifty states. Fraczak’s print, Missouri Waltz (featured above) was selected to represent Missouri.

Fraczak is one of several artists from Springfield and the region to be featured in the Prints U.S.A. exhibition. A reception for the exhibition will be held on Nov. 18, 2011 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Springfield Art Museum. Prints U.S.A. will be on display at the museum from Nov. 19, 2011 to Jan. 8, 2012.

Bruce West, professor of photography in the art and design department, is part of an exhibition highlighting the photography of Mississippi. The exhibit, “Mississippi Photographs 1860s-Present” is running in the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans through September 18. West attended the exhibition’s August 6 opening, which had several thousand attendees.

Described as a survey of Mississippi photography over the last 150 years, the exhibit includes work from West and other photographers such as Walker Evans, William Eggleston, and author Eudora Welty. West’s appearance in this exhibit represents the culmination of years of work spent documenting the state through photography; he began photographing there in 1994 while on his first sabbatical, and has returned annually to document the rural landscape and culture of the Mississippi delta area. West has produced two series out of this work: “Take Time to Appreciate” and “Spiritual Advisor to the World.”

“Being included in this particular exhibition is a very meaningful experience for me,” West says. “It is exciting and inspiring to be included in the company of so many respected photographers.”

West has been featured in exhibits both nationwide and internationally. In 2009, he served as visiting professor for a digital photography workshop at the University of the United Arab Emirates. He also has collections in the St. Louis Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, and the Library of Congress. View West’s galleries at www.brucewestphotography.com.

Dr. Mary Jane Pardue and Dr. Andy Cline, both from the media, journalism and film department, will host this conversation on media ethics in collaboration with the department and the Society of Professional Journalists on March 28 from 1-3 p.m. in Plaster Student Union 313.

For a discussion about media and journalism ethics, WikiLeaks is a perfect topic choice because the controversy has implications on real ethical decisions that are especially relevant to MJF students. WikiLeaks is an international non-profit organization that publishes submissions of private, secret and classified media from anonymous sources. The big question is, how well did the media handle it?

“We’re excited about holding this panel and hope the MSU community and residents of southwest Missouri will take this opportunity to hear an in-depth discussion of the ethical issues involved in the WikiLeaks story. While WikiLeaks is a hugely important story, perhaps equally as important is how the media handled it,” Pardue said.

Panelists will bring a variety of perspectives and opinions to the conversations. To give the media’s perspective, Executive Editor at the Springfield News-Leader David Stoeffler is included as a panelist. Faculty members from different departments will represent additional perspectives including Dr. Brian Calfano, assistant professor of political science; Dr. Daniel Kaufman, professor of philosophy; and Cline. Joy Robertson, KOLR 10 News anchor, will moderate the discussion.

The most important reason for the conversation is to highlight one of the guiding principles of the university’s public affairs mission, ethical leadership.

“We are teaching and instilling ethical leadership,” Pardue said. “It is good for all of our students to have a discussion about making decisions we would actually face after graduation.”

For those who are unable to attend the event, the conversation will be blogged and covered live online.

Presiding over 13 states, a Missouri State professor of art and coordinator for the art education program has received recognition from the Caucus on the Spiritual in Art Education and elected to the position of western region representative.

Last spring, Judith Fowler was one of at least eight nominees for this position. She has been an active member of CSAE for two years.

“Being elected to this position by the CSAE membership is quite an honor,” Fowler said.

The western region has the largest membership in the organization including Arizona, Arkansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Indiana, North Dakota, Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, South Dakota, Minnesota, Texas, Wisconsin and Missouri.

“At the time I was notified of the position, I didn’t realize how many states the western region covered,” Fowler explained. “Facilitating meetings and communicating with art educators from so many states will be really exciting.”

Because the western region covers such a large group of states, Fowler shares this position with Nancy Brady, a colleague from the University of New Mexico.

Fowler has been teaching for over 45 years in higher education, 16 of which have been with the Missouri State art and design department. She is a nationally registered art therapist and has a main emphasis in art therapy with terminally ill patients as well as with adults and children in emotional distress.

“This position will most definitely impact the students in my art education classes, as it will give them insight into art education practices in the western region,” Fowler said.

In addition to her teaching experience, Fowler has an extensive publishing record. With a total of 25 juried presentations, she has been presenting on the national level for the National Art Education Association since 1998. This year, her presentation, “Turning Full Circle: Recapturing Our Creative Spirit in Studio,” was accepted for the 2011 NAEA conference March 17-21 in Seattle, Wash. More than 5,000 art teachers and museum educators attend this conference. Fowler has also been presenting for 16 years on art education and art therapy for the Missouri Art Education Association.

In front of an audience of more than a thousand music teachers, students and professionals, the Missouri Music Educators Association honored Dr. Guy Webb, choral director and music professor, at its 2011 convention with an induction into the MMEA Hall of Fame.

“I just appreciate the recognition that MMEA has given to me because it’s not just for choral music, it’s for all music and service,” Webb said. “I am very honored and thrilled to see this plaque hanging on my wall.”

To gain induction into the MMEA Hall of Fame, Webb was nominated with three recommendation letters. Those letters were read at the induction ceremony before Webb offered a few remarks of acceptance and shared some congratulatory comments from his colleagues, including Roger Stoner, associate dean.

“Dr. Stoner wanted to know if my award would be on stone or parchment paper to match my birth certificate,” Webb chuckled.

Webb has been Coordinator of Choral Studies at Missouri State since 1980. He previously taught at the University of Florida, State University of New York, Cortland, and New Mexico State University. His degrees are from the Juillard School, Columbia University, and the University of Illinois, where he received a DMA degree in choral conducting.

At Missouri State Webb conducts the choirs, teaches choral-related courses such as conducting and choral literature, and is faculty advisor for the active ACDA Student Chapter on campus. He also continues to be an active member of the American Choral Directors Association.

MMEA has been inducting music educators into the Hall of Fame since 1985. Jerry Hoover, director of bands, was also inducted into the MMEA Hall of Fame in 2003.

With a membership of more than 3,000 music educators, MMEA encourages everyone to join together as advocates for music education in schools. MMEA aims to give every student in Missouri access and exposure to a well-balanced comprehensive, sequential and high quality program of music instruction that is taught by fully certified music teachers.

To learn more about Dr. Webb’s choral tour activities and Concert Chorale’s schedule, including a Choral Alumni Celebration planned for March, visit online at concertchorale.com.

Art and Design faculty artists have provided a diverse collection of their professional artwork for the Sky Gallery exhibit located at the Springfield-Branson National Airport. Faculty members include Duat Vu, Judith Fowler, Jimmie Allen, Gwen Walstrand, Bruce West, Sharon Harper, Steve Willis, Iwona Duszek, Roman Duszek, Eric Pervukhin, Kevin W. Hughes, Sean Lyman, and Keith Ekstam. This artistic showcase runs until April 19 at the airport terminal which is open 24 hours and visitors can park free for 30 minutes in the short term lot.

Learn more about Sky Gallery, including a map of display areas, visit online at www.sgf-branson-airport.com/art.htm.  

Dr. Charlene Berquist

Participants will be referred by the Greene County Juvenile Office, which worked with the CDR to develop “Network for Girls.” The program utilizes two processes: Family Group Conferencing (FGC) and the Girls Circle model. FGC brings the offender, family, victims and other community members together to engage in a facilitated discussion about the offense, and create a plan to prevent future problems. The Girls Circle model supports the development of program youth by increasing self efficacy, body image and social support while reducing risk factors.

For more information, contact Berquist at (417) 836-8831.

Thanks to a Missouri State creative research grant, Diana Botsford, screenwriting professor and novelist, rang in the New Year on a 10-day expedition through Antarctica on the ship M/V Polar Star.

“I needed to learn as much as possible about Antarctica for a novel I’m currently writing (“The Drift”),” Botsford said. “There are, after all, just so many times you can use the word ‘cold’ without being redundant.”

“The Drift” is a media tie-in novel that is set to accompany Botsford’s first novel “Stargate SG-1: Four Dragons.” The plot for “The Drift” is set in the Stargate SG-1 universe and features several characters as they trek across Antarctica. This is what spurred her desire to truly discover Antarctica with her own eyes, rather than through the writings of others.

The expedition through Antarctica took Botsford through the Drake Passage to the Arctowski Station followed by Aitcho and Deception Island, Vernadsky, Yalours, Pleneau, Port Lockroy, Paradise Harbor, Cierva Cove, and on to Antarctica’s Peninsula.

Botsford’s trip wasn’t without any hurdles. Before she even got on the ship, she dealt with flight delays and changes that caused her to arrive in Ushuaia, the gate city to Antarctica, 45 minutes before the ship was to depart. To add to the delays, the airline lost her luggage so she spent her time in Ushuaia purchasing the essentials that she would need. Botsford visited a half a dozen shops to replace her luggage with two sets of fleece pants, long johns, fleece pullovers, a fleece jacket, hat, cowl, scarf, mittens, sock liners and socks, basic toiletries, and a tube of serious sunblock.

“The idea that you can just hop on a few planes to get down to Ushuaia, or that you can easily replace high-tech polar gear at the last second is astounding when compared to the efforts made by the early polar explorers,” Botsford explained.

Along with visiting the stations, Botsford also attended lectures given by scientists and other explorers on the ship which helped give her other insights into the mysteries of the Antarctic.

Botsford also encountered many Antarctic animal sightings including whales, seals and, of course, penguins.

“Seeing the iconic black and white birds is more an afterthought to my reasons for coming, but I’m more than willing to enjoy the penguins—considered by superstitious seamen to be the lost souls of former sailors,” Botsford said. “Don’t get me wrong, they’re cute, but as my kid recently pointed out, the penguin is the pigeon of the Antarctic.”

Even more than the animal sightings, Botsford was excited to see the ice bergs and glaciers. Botsford remembers seeing streaks of a vibrant blue “reminiscent of the blue gel stripe in toothpaste” along the icebergs and in the ice around the Shetland Islands.

“[Seeing the glaciers was] humbling yet inspirational; all wrapped up into an unforgettable view of untamed wilderness,” Botsford said.

“The captain diverted the ship to rendezvous with a glorious iceberg surrounded by the most sterling blue water I’ve ever seen,” Botsford said. “A blue that put the Caribbean waters to shame.”

Getting to see the great expanse of snow and ice that is Antarctica, Botsford remembers that she had entirely forgotten about Facebook and wouldn’t have checked her e-mail if it wasn’t for her family back home.

Bringing her experience back to Missouri State, Botsford wants to impress upon students the importance of taking the time to relax and look at the world around them. In her screenwriting class, she plans to use photos from her Antarctica experience to help the students learn to explain what they see.

“From this experience, I learned that you need to pull your head out from all the distractions and pay attention to the real world. Shut off your phone, close Facebook and look at what’s around and see the beauty that’s around us,” Botsford said. “You can hear yourself think. You’ll be surprised what you can find that’s already in you.”

For a day-to-day breakdown of Botsford’s Antarctica trip as well as more photos and videos, visit her blog at dianabotsford.com. The following are some videos from Botsford’s blog and YouTube channel.

The first video of a whale sighting Botsford encountered.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9EMRrgmcZY

The second video is of Lockrey penguins.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRT4XY-_AVs

The third video features a penguin swimming next to an ice berg where
you can see the deep blue that Botsford talks about.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywCVxl8CSXg

With assistance from a summer faculty fellowship through Missouri State, Ekstam received funds for travel expenses to and from China as well as housing and studio space to complete his residency.

Ekstam’s studio was located at the residency organization called The Pottery Workshop at The Sculpture Factory in Jingdezhen.

“The Pottery Workshop opened seven years ago in an old factory area that was used to make Chinese propaganda sculptures,” Ekstam explains. “When you walk into a kiln, you might still see dozens of Chairman Mao sculptures.”

Ekstam worked mostly with porcelain while visiting China, and he learned the Chinese techniques associated with porcelain artistry. The techniques developed by the Chinese have been used for so long that the Chinese artists have perfected them. Porcelain, a challenging substance to manipulate, is the main medium for pottery in China.

“Over 1000 years ago [the Chinese] invented porcelain in Jingdezhen,” Ekstam states. “They still hand paint and carve pottery the old fashioned way.”

The ceramics of the region encompass Ekstam’s most memorable experience while working in Jingdezhen.

“The way they use porcelain is so unique,” Ekstam says. “After thousands of years they have it figured out. It is very different from what we do here; it’s stunning.”

According to Ekstam, the Chinese treat porcelain differently than artists from the west. Western artists tend to treat the substance cautiously if they attempt to use it at all. The Chinese are more aggressive when working with porcelain, because they are more technically advanced.

Ekstam also experienced the typical street scenes in Jindezhen and the setting of a very busy, yet normal, city.

“The everyday occurrence of being in the energy of the city was very memorable,” Ekstam recalls.

Part of the typical street scene includes an overwhelming emphasis on ceramics. Everywhere in Jingdezhen there is porcelain. Ekstam remembers walking down an alley and seeing many varieties of pots and sculptures. A fairly common sight in Jingdezhen is a neighborhood with blocks and blocks of stacked plates that have been there for years from an abandoned plate factory.

“There were thousands of ceramic surprises everywhere,” Ekstam says. “It is stunning to someone in my field.”

Due to the vast number of ceramic pieces in the city, there are people in Jingdezhen who transport the pots any possible way they can.

“People would roll pots, load them into trucks or put them on motorcycles just to get the large number of pots transported,” Ekstam explains.

The reason, according to Ekstam, there are so many ceramic pieces in the city is because a large percentage of the region is tied to the porcelain and ceramics trade. There are many skilled artists and studios in the city that are inexpensive to employ. Ekstam was able to utilize the talents of these artists and studios while creating his own work. Ekstam would create one small sculpture then a local artist would make a mold of the small sculpture, pour slip into the mold, then fire and paint the piece.

Most of the work Ekstam created as a resident artist he is shipping back to the states for exhibition, for other professional development opportunities, and for instructional purposes.

“[Professional development] is an ongoing process of trying to learn new things in my field,” Ekstam says. “There was a lot of information to take in during that month about porcelain and the traditional technique.”

All of the information Ekstam learned during his residency he plans to pass on to his students. He will display images of the traditional porcelain making and demonstrate the traditional techniques he witnessed.

While in China, Ekstam also traveled to the Han tomb and the famed Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an as well as several sites in Beijing.