Professor Ron Bechet’s Piece…
Department of Art Newsletter
Early Register for Spring Semester
November 2—6
Inside this Issue:
Congratulations!
XUArt Alumni Artists | Outstanding Achievements
Welcome Back! | Homecoming 2015...
Xavier University Library Gallery Features Alumni Artist:
“Hot Commodity” A Photo Exhibition by Von Reeves ‘13
2015 40 Under 40 Young Alumni Award Recipients
1
XUArt Congratulates XUArt Graduates
“2015 40 Under 40 Young Alumni” Award Recipients
2
Congratulations! Kara Crowley, Student Artist
John Mitchell Center— ‘November Resident Artist’
2
XUArt Departmental Meeting | October 27, 2015
Guest Presenter | Kim Vaz-Deville, Associate Dean
“Building Your Personal Brand through Social Media”
Presenter | Dr. Sarah A. Clunis, Director of African
American and Diaspora Studies | “Business of Artist”
Shayna Blum, Presenter |Assistant Professor Graphic
3
Presenter | Dr. Sarah A. Clunis, Director of African
American and Diaspora Studies | “Business of Artist”
Shayna Blum, Presenter |Assistant Professor Graphic
3
Shayna Blum, Associate Professor of Graphic Design
Presents…“a research paper Deconstructing
Visual Propaganda as Art/Design: Operation Protective
Edge Social Media War The 29th Annual National
Conference on Liberal Arts and the Education of Artists
3
MaPo Kinnord, Associate Professor of Art
—Ceramics Class | Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Special Thank You ! Art 1070 & 1050 Participants...
“Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel” | Gentilly Fest 2015
Professor Ron Bechet hosts Graduate School Introduction
School of Architecture Woodbury
Guest Speaker | Angela Robinson-Wheaton
Graduate Admissions Counselor
Shayna Blum, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design hosts
“Stop Motion” Workshop presented by LSU’s
Richard Doubleday, Professor of Visual Communications
MaPo Kinnord and Ashe’ Cultural Arts Center Co-Hosts
“Day of Bones” Art Exhibit November 1—20, 2015
XUArt Ceramics Studio
Holidays | November 25—27, 2015
The
Gestalt
ISSUE
01
November
2015
Xavier University Library Gallery Features an Alumni Art Exhibit...thru November 13th
“Hot Commodity” A Photo Exhibition by Von Reeves ‘13
Photo by MaPo Kinnord
Gallery Photography and Exhibit Ad by Von Reeves ‘13
“The images in Hot Commodity are photos chosen from an extensive
4 catalog of work that I acquired over the past eight years. Because of the
artistic value of photography, the methods used are in the deduction
processes of color, movement, emotions, feelings, and setting.
The school of thought that best categorizes this portfolio stems from
4
realism. While I developed some images with the intent to showcase
a vibrancy of color in a compositionally pleasing manner, other photos
focused solely on the desire manifested in the content portrayed.
4
As artist, I seek elegance, as seen in the motion that transpires in each
print. The challenges I struggle with when working with a medium such
as photography would be how to make my images unique in nature.
4 I see the world as a marvelous place, even in its most dilapidated state.
This has been a trait I adopted since childhood. This trait is a belief that
things have a reason as to why they happen. The driving force captured
Photos by Joan Ulmer
in these photos make these movements a factual reality. Moreover,
the possibilities of their connecting with something other than a poised controlled setting is intriguing
to me. I would rather my subject matters to fall into place, like a three point shot, or as an effortlessly
executed “hole in one.”
The Art Village
3520 Pine Street
Business Mailing Address
Xavier University of Louisiana
1 Drexel Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125
Phone: 504-520-7556
Fax: 504-520-7949
Stay connected: www.xula.edu/art
Facebook:
@Fine Arts at Xavier University of Louisiana
Twitter:
@ Fine Arts at Xavier
Hot Commodity portrays a sense of need achieved in and through either the subjects in the pictures or
the settings or by way of dialogue between the audience and the photos. The purpose of this project is
to produce work appealing enough to attract discourse on the collegiate level. Hot Commodity means
something one needs. Like salt to steak, or sugar to a cake, I need the arts in my life.”
Artist Statement | Von Paul Osborne-Reeves B.A. ‘13
T h e G es t a lt
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XUArt Congratulates! Xavier’s 2015 40 Under 40 Young Alumni Award Recipients…
Varion Laurent ‘01 | Visual Artist “In 1995 he graduated from St. Augustine High School and was headed off to further
his educational background. On a whim, Varion’s parents encouraged him to submit his portfolio to Xavier University’s Art Department. He agreed to do so and was
offered a scholarship into Xavier’s Art Program.
It was here at Xavier where Laurent was first formally trained as an artist. He studied under
renowned artist John T. Scott and learned to sharpen his greatest tool, his mind. He began
painting under tutelage Ron Bechet.
He graduated from Xavier with a Fine Arts degree and began working in the field
of broadcast television production. Working in the field of communications allowed Laurent
to continue to explore his creative side.
In 2010, Laurent was selected by French Quarter Festivals Inc. as the artist to produce the
poster for the 10th Anniversary Satchmo Summer Festival. More recently, Laurent was commissioned as the official poster artist for the 2013 Old Algiers River Festival.
Laurent finds the aesthetic appeal in the cultural fabric of the city. From Second Lines to
Mardi Gras to all of the city’s wonderful festivals or just a backyard crawfish boil with family
and friends, he sees the charm in all of it. “
Farai Caldwell ‘11, JD | Author & Visual Artist
Artwork by Visual Artist Varion Laurent ‘01
Artist Statement: http://www.varionlaurent.com
“Farai Caldwell is an author and visual artist from Atlanta Georgia. He is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana and Loyola University New Orleans
College of Law. His work is largely influenced by his upbringing in Atlanta, Georgia, and his university time spent in New Orleans, Louisiana. Farai's artistry can be
characterized by its inclusion of various social and cultural themes from around the world.
I started writing essays and poems when I was fourteen. I did not get into writing shorts until about 2011. I wrote my first short story in a creative writing class. The story
was a fictitious account of the life of Julian Assange; I made him immortal. I enjoyed writing the story so much that I haven’t stopped writing short stories since that
creative writing class.”
“Farai Art is a company that I started during my last year
of law school. I use it as a platform or creative-space for
my work. Whether it be writing, painting, or designing
clothes, all of my work can be found under Farai Art.”
“I am so happy to be nominated for a 2015, Xavier University of Louisiana, Top 40 Under 40
award. No matter how it turns out…I
love my alma mater!”
Artist Statement:
www.faraiart.com/#!
Artwork & Books by Author & Visual Artist Farai Caldwell ‘11, JD
Congratulations!
Kara Crowley, XUArt Student Artist
‘Joan Mitchell Center
‘November’s Resident Artist’
Xavier University of Louisiana Department of Art
www.xula.edu/art
T h e G es t a lt
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Departmental Meeting |Tuesday | October 27, 2015
Special Guest Speaker | Kim Vaz-Deville, Associate Dean
Topic: “Building Your Personal Brand through Social Media”
XUArt Students| Faculty | Staff | Group Photo by Artist Von Paul Reeves ’13
Dr. Sarah A. Clunis, Director of African American and Diaspora Studies
Topic: “Business of Artists”
Shayna Blum, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Topic: “Branding” XUArt
Photos by Joan Ulmer, Administrative Assistant
left | back & gold
Shayna Blum, Associate Professor of Graphic Design Presents...
“a
research
paper
Deconstructing
Visual
Propaganda
as
Art/Design:
Operation Protective Edge Social Media War at The 29th Annual National Conference
on Liberal Arts and the Education of Artists organized by the Humanities and Sciences
Department of the School of Visual Arts in New York, NY.
Deconstructing Visual Propaganda as Art/Design:
Operation Protective Edge Social Media War Abstract (Excerpts):
Visual propaganda is a form of art and design used to persuade and influence an audience into following a set of concepts
and beliefs. Historically, visual propaganda has been utilized through campaigns in advertising, education, politics and
national agendas.
This paper explores the use of art and design as propaganda and persuasion by deconstructing the conceptual, technical,
and aesthetic approach of visual content exhibited within the global sphere of social media during Operation Protective Edge.
Keywords: art, design, visual communication, social media, visual propaganda / persuasion”
Narrative & Graphic provided by Shayna Blum
Xavier University of Louisiana Department of Art
www.xula.edu/art
T h e G es t a lt
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MaPo Kinnord, Associate Professor of Art
—Ceramics Class | Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Elizabeth Louis, Gabrielle Walker,
and Sean Woodfork
Special Thank You !
Art 1070 & 1050
Participants...
Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel
Marloes Booker, Anastasia LaBeaud
Sean Woodfork, Oliva Vega, Gabrielle Walker, Misha Mullen,
TramAnh-Monique Vu, Mariette Pena, Laquel Brown, Elizabeth Louis,
and Kayla Smothers
Professor Ron Bechet hosts Graduate School Introduction…
School of Architecture Woodbury
Guest Speaker | Angela Robinson-Wheaton
Graduate Admissions Counselor
—XUArt Lecture Room
Photo by Joan Ulmer
Photos by MaPo Kinnord, Associate Professor of Art
Richard Doubleday
Professor of Visual Communication, LSU
Conducted “Stop Motion Workshop”
Hosted by Shayna Blum
—XUArt Graphic Design Studio
Photo by MaPo Kinnord, Associate Professor of Art
Career Opportunity
for Graduating
Seniors.
Contact:
Lynn Lalka
Recruitment Associate
teachNOLA
1 (844) 884-9711 |
lynn.lalka@tntp.org
Xavier University of Louisiana Department of Art
www.xula.edu/art