Department of Art and Design Archives - Page 2 of 13

Annual Foundations Exhibition on view Jan. 27-Feb. 14

January 31, 2025 by Reynolds College

The Department of Art and Design announces its Annual Foundations Exhibition is now on view at Brick City Gallery. The exhibit is available Jan. 27-Feb. 14 and during the First Friday Art Walk Feb. 7, 6-9 p.m.

Three dimensional artwork in brown tones — One of the student artworks on display at the Annual Foundations Exhibition.

The exhibit features the work of students enrolled in the department’s foundation courses. These courses, which include 2D Design, 3D Design, Drawing I and Introduction to New Media, are mandatory for all art, design (studio) and art education majors and minors.

Selections reflect variety of assignments

The annual exhibition highlights student projects that were curated by their art and design instructors. The instructors choose works that best represent the variety and scope of assignments in their classes.

Art and Design Foundations Coordinator Megan Frauenhoffer explained that the artworks “focus on formal studies of the elements and principles of art and design while also giving students a wide variety of media to learn.”

These pieces reflect the students’ progress in mastering fundamental art concepts while exploring different techniques and materials, she said.

Department of Art and Design offers special topics ceramics class

January 6, 2025 by Reynolds College

During the Fall 2024 semester, Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design offered a specialized course in Kiln Building through its ART 314: Special Topics in Ceramics course.

Led by Associate Professor Kevin Hughes, the course is designed for students interested in ceramics, providing a hands-on, immersive experience in kiln construction. It provides students with practical skills and a deeper appreciation for kiln building and firing techniques.

“This isn’t just about using kilns,” Hughes explained. “It’s about understanding and building them from scratch, which is a rare skill that opens creative and practical avenues for emerging artists.”

Course uses variety of materials to teach multiple skills

During the course, students worked with a variety of materials, including kiln bricks, recycled parts from decommissioned kilns and bricks made specifically for high heat. Working in the Brick City outdoor kiln yard, the class constructed their own mini-gama kilns — small, personal kilns made of a specific clay body — then fired them at 1800°F to stabilize them for future use.

Beyond these personal kilns, students also worked in teams to build four unique, experimental kilns: above ground pit kilns, a double cross-draft kiln, a “rocket kiln” and a gas kiln repurposed from an old electric model.

Each type has its own characteristics and construction techniques, Hughes explained. They use fuel sources like wood or gas that can reach varied temperature thresholds, all tailored to different firing needs.

Students working with small ceramic kilns. — Ceramics students fire their newly constructed mini-gama kilns.

Spring 2025 Visiting Artists speakers announced

December 30, 2024 by Reynolds College

Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design announces the Spring 2025 Visiting Artist Series, featuring artists Steve Snell and Sage Dawson.

Snell and Dawson will visit the MSU campus to share their expertise and engage with students through public lectures and studio visits.

Both public lectures are free and open to the public. They will be held in the Jay Wasson Idea Loft, located in the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center, 405 N. Jefferson Avenue, Springfield, Missouri 65897. For more information, contact the Department of Art and Design at 417-837-2330.

Artists to meet with students during visits

During his two-day visit, Snell will visit graduate and upper-level BFA studios to share insights with students regarding his approach to storytelling and community engagement.

Dawson earned her BFA from MSU and has an MFA from University of New Mexico. During her stay, she will conduct studio visits with graduate and upper-level BFA students. She will also select awards for the Annual Juried Student Exhibition and attend the First Friday Art Walk on the evening of March 7.

MSU’s Dr. Andrew Wasserman publishes book on public art

December 18, 2024 by Reynolds College

Public art serves as a powerful medium for expressing cultural identity, fostering community connections and engaging with our environments.

That’s according to Dr. Andrew Wasserman, assistant professor in Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design.

In his new book, “The World Atlas of Public Art,” Wasserman embarks on a global survey that highlights the diverse practices of public art over the past six decades.

The landscape of public art has become increasingly complex, Wasserman said. The book was thus inspired by a desire to document how artworks interact with public spaces, as well as the meanings public artworks hold within different contexts.

As a result, the book goes beyond documenting the visual appearance of works to explore what public art signifies for various communities.

Published by Yale University Press, “The World Atlas of Public Art” was recently mentioned in The New York Times.

MSU-led exhibition wins prestigious international award

December 10, 2024 by Damilola R. Oyedeji

A group of Missouri State University professors, students and international scholars curated an international museum exhibition that won the 2024 Miguel Covarrubias Award at the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) Awards in Mexico Sept. 3.

Titled “Ídolos, Persistencias y Resistencias” (Idols, Persistences and Resistences), the exhibit received recognition in the “Museums, Museography and Research in the Museum Design and Exhibition” category. It was hosted and designed in collaboration with the Regional Museum of the National Institute for Anthropology and History’s Palacio Cantón in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.

The Miguel Covarrubias Award from INAH honors achievements in museum studies and cultural research. It recognizes top research, thesis projects and cultural exhibitions in Mexico for their role in preserving historical narratives and promoting museum scholarship.

The exhibition first debuted in February 2023 at the Regional Museum of Anthropology of Yucatán, Palacio Cantón. It received international acclaim, establishing it as a standout exhibit among over 70 other museum projects.

“This award will cement MSU’s reputation as a leader in international museum curation and interdisciplinary scholarship,” said Dr. John Chuchiak, distinguished professor of history at MSU and chief curator and designer of the exhibit.

Man explaining an exhibit to a group — Dr. John Chuchiak gives a guided tour of the exhibit.

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