A R T E - N E W S

News from the Normandale Art DepartmentA NASAD Accredited Art ProgramNormandale Community College, Bloomington, MNMay 2019

Editors: David Luke and Sandi QuiñonesPhotographer: Dale BrownContributors: Martha Wittstruck, Kris Holmgren, Yvonne Klocek, Lazare Rottach

Annual Student Art ExhibitionThe 2019 Student Annual Art Exhibition was held in the Fine Arts Gallery from April 4th to April 24th. The Reception and Awards Presentation was on Monday, April 15th. The juror, Rosemary Williams, presented the Student Awards and spoke about her selection process and the artworks chosen for awards.

Rosemary Williams works in film, video, installation and performance. Her work is exhibited and screened nationally and internationally. She received her MFA in Combined Media from Hunter College, City University of New York. She currently teaches and is the Chair of the Art Department at St. Cloud State University. Rose-mary’s work has been profiled in the New York Times Magazine and the Times of London. She has also been a guest on National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation and All Things Considered.

Rosemary explained that “My teaching rests on the investigation of the relationship of content and form, what-ever the medium. Students in my classes, whether intro or upper division, get a deep dive into how images create meaning through visual language.” Her award selection is based how she “responded to a world that was created in the image, that I was invited to enter into and engage with. Sometimes this is through the tactile qual-ity of the works, and sometimes it is through more filmic strategies that suggest a world with a story. But in each piece I chose, there is a fully realized world that I could become immersed in.”

She stated that “choosing the award winners was an extremely difficult task because there was so much strong work. If I had been given more awards to give out, I definitely had more artists who I would have liked to rec-ognize. I think all the students who participated in this year’s show should be incredibly proud of your accom-plishments. It is wonderful to see the engagement in all the excellent work submitted.”

Award winners are listed on page 2.

Elliot McDill Sawyer Bernu

The 13th Annual High School Art Day was held on Friday, February 15. Twelve high schools participated. Over 140 high school art students and their teachers participated in morning and afternoon hands-on work-shops. Normandale art instructors, art staff, guest artists, and art alumni presented 14 different workshops including China Painting, Portrait Photography, Glass Pendants, Glass Tiles, Water Color Painting, Light Painting, Sheet Metal Sculpture, Printmaking, Raku, Tape Sculpture and Handmade Books. The art teachers from Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, Jefferson, Prior Lake and Rosemont high schools participated in a special “Chair” workshop creating interpretations of an Adirondack Chair. During the lunch break, Martha Wittstruck asked that everyone participate in a one-of-a-kind group sculpture. Volunteers distributed 8,000 paperclips. Everyone created a string of paperclips and these were then assembled by Piia Huson and student helpers. The resulting hang-ing sculpture is on display in the Fine Arts building. The day was a great success!

High School Art Day 2019

Annual Student Art Exhibition Award WinnersPurchase Awards Elliot McDill Sawyer Bernu

Award of Excellence Karina Gonzalez Haley Wagner Anthony Torres Heidi Bakk Jael Johnson Nicole Mattson

Blick Arts Merit Award Tara O’Donnell Ed Benka Tina Anderson Meti Mekonen Noah Schultz Sahil Nandwani Brenna Shaffner SaraEmma Borre

Chris PorterApple Valley High School

Robyn TousignantBurnsville High School

Jeff Judge: Dean of HumanitiesIt was over a decade ago that Jeff Judge began his tenure as the Dean of the Humanities Division. Dur-ing that time, “We’ve laughed, cried, done trouble-shooting, ideated, celebrated, and sometimes had heated discussions. I wouldn’t change a thing about our interactions because they have made this one of the strongest Humanities division in the system. I’m proud that I’ve been able to hire so many amazing people and learn from so many people’s institution-al memory. Working at Normandale has afforded me so many opportunities to meet good people. Our division, college, and system are extraordinary.”

Dr. Judge feels that the Humanities are an inte-gral part of a education. “So much of our educa-tional system requires students to memorize and to think critically. There is nothing wrong with that, but where do students learn and practice how to feel? It’s in the Arts. I don’t want to live in a world where people don’t connect their thoughts to their hearts. That is the end goal, in my opinion.”

Dr. Judge says the art department contributes to this goal by offering an inclusive and rigorous curriculum: “There is something for all levels of interest and all levels of ability. A student can be assured of an instructor who will both encour-age and stretch students so, they can leave our school with a broader perspective and, hopefully, a better understanding of what Art can play in their lives.”

Dr. Judge received his BA in Music Education and Spanish with a minor in French from Augsburg College and his MA in Spanish from Middlebury College Language Schools, Middlebury, Vermont. Most recently, he received his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State, Mankato.

Before coming to Normandale, Dr. Judge taught French and Spanish for 12 years at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. He was also an adjunct professor at Augsburg, Anoka Ramsey, and St. Thomas. His experience as an adjunct teacher helped him under-stand how tenuous the career can be for part-time people. In 2001, he left Benilde-St. Margaret’s to take a full-time posi-tion at Normandale in the World Languages department. Normandale professor Heidi Kreutzer and Dr. Judge have known each other since they both attended Augsburg College and through graduate school at Middlebury College. “She is the one who let me know there was an opening. I’ve never regretted it for a minute. I spent 7 years as a faculty member and 4 of those were as chair of the department.”

Dr. Judge’s family is also connected to Normandale. “One of our sons is currently pursuing Exercise Science as a degree here. All 3 of our kids attended the daycare here when they were little. They are now 18, 19, and 20.”

It is fortunate that the Fine Arts Gallery is next to Dr. Judge’s Office. “It is a learning space for me. I am privy to artists’ talks, classroom lectures, and in-depth explanations about the art we display. Second, it’s a haven of beauty that I get to enjoy every time I step out of my office. I couldn’t ask for a better location to feed my soul.”

As part of Normandale’s efforts to internationalize the curriculum, he traveled to Peru last year. “In a matter of weeks, I’ll be co-leading a student trip back there. It is an incredible place that everyone should experience.” Another travel experi-ence in France led to him being questioned by the French police: “I was once detained by the French police because I closely resembled a man who was writing bad checks throughout the area. It’s a story I have told over and over as I un-derscore the importance of being able to communicate in another language and culture. Yes, I made it out of the interview unscathed.”

He believes Normandale is a very special place. “College CAN be for everyone. Not everyone wants a four-year degree, and that’s OK. Normandale is a place where you can explore your interests, complete a degree, or take classes that will widely transfer. It is an exceptional school at an affordable price. I hope our students remember us as they leave our halls. We change lives.”

Jeff Judge

AFA in Art student Sarah Monfils was selected by the Art faculty to receive the $1,000 Felicity Abby Jane Mathieu Art Scholarship for Fall 2019. Upon receiving the scholarship award Sarah stated: “I would like to thank the art faculty for awarding me this scholarship, as well as for sharing their expertise with all of us art students and supporting us on our paths. I would also like to thank my fellow art student friends for their support and encouragement.”

Sarah was homeschooled for all of high school and took a few classes as a Post-Secondary Options (PSEO) student at Normandale, then returned in the Fall of 2018 to pursue a degree. She plans to graduate in the Spring of 2020. For a period of time, after graduating from high school, Sarah felt very stuck and was unsure of which direction to go next. “Eventually, I decided to return to Normandale with the thought of working towards an associate degree, but with a higher focus on studying subjects I simply thought I would enjoy. I guess it was the right place at the right time because I found a new joy and motivation for my life that I had not felt for a while and I ended up deciding to pursue an AFA in Art degree.”

Sarah is interested in learning as much as she can about different media. “Right now, I’m really focusing on experimenting in different kinds of media rather than focusing on a specific one. I have found that I have felt particularly inspired with handbuilding in ceramics as well as painting.”

Although Sarah currently has no specific plans after she receives her AFA in Art degree. She has “pondered a few possibilities, such as art conservation, book illustration, or interior decorating, but I have not looked seriously into any of them yet.”

Sarah believes that studying art is important for a lot of reasons. “First, there is a huge satisfaction in being able to take your personal experiences and trans-form them into something concrete that is meaningful to you and hopefully meaningful to others too. It is often easiest for me to work out my thoughts and feelings, positive or negative, in a visual way. Other times, art is just a way to consciously choose to spend more time with a subject I value, whether a mystery of my faith or a simple flower. Perhaps most of all, I love partaking in the creation of beauty in my own small way. When I am devoting myself to the creation or appreciation of art, I am often better able to see the beauty and meaning in my life and the world around me – it really becomes a sort of expression of gratitude to God and my loved ones for what I have been given.”

Sarah recommends Normandale “because it is an affordable place not only for you to get a good academic foundation, but also for you to explore your inter-ests. The school is committed to helping its students achieve their goals—make use of the services, and support that is offered.”

When asked if she has any advice for students considering studying art she re-sponded: “Don’t underestimate the value of spending some time to just explore and appreciate art without worrying about whether you think you could/want to continue with it seriously or whether you should be doing something else. Oddly enough, I needed that time to freely delve into art with no goal in mind in order to make my decision to continue further with it. Also, don’t be afraid to admit it if you don’t understand or are unsure about something. Ask ques-tions. Getting to know your professors and fellow artistically inclined students can be a huge help.”

Felicity Abby Jane Mathieu Scholarship Recipient: Sarah Monfils

Sarah Monfils

Chuck Burton Glass Bead WorkshopChuck Burton presented a glass bead making workshop to students in Glass Fusing 2. Chuck is a glass artist working in both hard and soft glass as well as vitreous enamels on copper and silver. For the past several years, flameworking and jewelry making have been his primary occupation. He also took Glass Fusing classes at Nor-mandale.

Chuck Burton Amber Sweeney-High, Abdi Warsame

The Artist is Inspired and Informed by NatureOn April 15, 2019, Art 1121-14, Drawing I, visited the Biology Labs in The Jodsaas Science Center. Subjects being drawn ranged from birds and rabbits to rats being prepared for dissection.

Deb Warwick Wire WrappingDeb Warwick conducted a wire wrapping work-shop for Fused Glass 2 students. Deb has conduct-ed several workshops in China Painting and Wire Wrapping at Normandale for High School Art Day.

Madeline Willcox recently graduated from Normandale with an AA Emphasis in Photography degree. In the summer of 2018, an email sent to Normandale Art faculty from the University of Minnesota Surgery Depart-ment detailed a job announcement for a photography student. Madeline, a student in the summer section of Exploring Photography, applied and was selected for the position.

Madeline explains:“I worked with University of Minnesota Surgery Department to bring to life a booklet of images of all of the surgeons and residents in the department doing their everyday work. The booklet is for the future residents who will be looking for Surgeons to work with in this next coming year. They have information about each surgeon located under the photos I took to help give them an idea of the work they are doing and a little about who they are as a person. It will be a great reference tool for years to come when these new students are choosing their next chapter in their career. I now continue to work with the department to help with photo coverage on their events.”

A thank you goes out to Madeline for her willingness to share this experience and some of the images produced for the project.

Madeline Wilcox

The Normandale Fine Arts Gallery hosted a ceramics exhibition in conjunction with the 2019 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts in March. The premise of this exhibition is to show the unique role that a group of professional potters play in connecting the pubic to the ceramic arts through the vehicle of an annual open studio tour. The Western Wisconsin Pottery Tour was established 15 years ago to provide an opportunity for the public to access working pottery studios while also serving as a venue for the public to purchase hand made pots. Building on the regional history of making pots eas-ily accessible to everyone, the tour acts as connective tissue linking students and institutions to potters, members of the public to teaching institutions, and potters to other ceramic artists, thus fostering interest and idea exchange in fine hand made ceramic art. This exhibition is designed to highlight these connections through works by the tour host potters, written text, and a map showing the geographical connection to the rich regional pot-tery heritage.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Wayne Branum, Willem Gebben, Randy Johnston, Jan McKeachie-Johnston, Mark Pharis, S.C. Rolf

Western Wisconsin Pottery Tour

The AFA in Art Student Exhibition was presented in the Fine Arts Gallery from April 29th to May 10th.This exhibit is the culminating requirement for AFA in Art students. This year five students have reached this milestone: Johnny Leighton, Vick Erickson, Kailey Bau, Angela Barrera and Gabriel Cevallos. Under the direc-tion of Gallery Director Kris Holmgren the students were responsible for all aspects of the exhibit including selection, display and installation of the work.

AFA in Art Student Exhibition

Angela Barrera

Kailey Bau

Gabriel Cevallos

My drawings and paintings are a way to connect with people without using words. My inspirations are everyday objects and things that I see around me, things that aren’t usually viewed in an artistic manner. Transforming them to be viewed differ-ently, rather than just the object that it is, I use colors to enhance certain features of what I want to portray. I am fascinated with how changing the color of certain things can change the whole mood of a piece. I am a Mexican-American that was raised in South Minneapolis. Growing up I saw how vibrant colors were used in my culture in my everyday life such as in clothes, decorations, and parties, and this is something that always resonated with me. Food was also a big part of my culture, I look forward to eating and enjoying delicious meals with my family and friends, sitting together and digging in. Growing up I was surrounded by diverse cultures, the people and the foods were great but what I love the most is the con-nection of sitting down, having conversations with people all while indulging in a great meal. That continues to influence my art today.

I express myself using contrast and/or color to create a bold statement in my artwork. I love using contrast to bring out the color black against white because I love to use a lot of dark to light in my artwork. I love to use color because it’s one of my most favorite el-ements to work with. I like to see how bright and bold I can make the colors; same goes with some of my makeup ideas and how I dress to reflect that.

I have a variety of interests that shows through my artwork, ranging from gothic portraits, to colorful, abstract paintings. Big, dark makeup also plays a big part in my artwork as I express myself in my self-portraits. I am a gothic artist and I love to be as bold and visual

I utilize vibrant colors, such as shades of red, blue, and green, to help grab the viewers’ attention. The use of subject matter conveys the messages which color alone cannot portray. Color in this instance becomes an aid to my subjects/subject matter in what it is I’m wanting to communicate. Giving areas more emphasis by where colors are placed, while also communicating emotions through those color. Features of lines and placement of subject/use of space within a piece help to fur-ther create an emphasis. Lines work to achieve simplistic aesthetic qualities, while also serving purpose in guiding one’s eyes to further see the subject and smaller details in conjunction with both color and use of space.

Vicky Erickson

Johnny Leighton

From fantasy to mythical creatures, my artwork develops pattern and passion that I have with this subject. I developed my passion for fantasy and mythical crea-tures by exploring the Renaissance Festival, and with purchasing my first dragon sculpture. I enjoy the detail, the pattern and the feeling of having a different world, through that piece, and I want to do the same for others.

I work both sculptural and drawing artwork. I love learning about each medium and how I can use it to my advantage. I really adore having my own style and not having to make it look like the way I see it, but that way I want it to look. When I do draw something or make something that you can physical see, it all has its own unique style. By working with different media I am able to connect with the process of each piece and how it creates its own life and meaning. Each piece has its own story which makes the work much more meaningful.

My work predominantly focuses on either observed or imagined life, from nature and wildlife to the human form. I depict my subject as realistically as possible while pre-serving a looseness to my marks. The line quality is organic while still capturing real-istic tones. My drawings are often part of a series of drawings. Either having the same subject matter, and different media, or the same media and different subject matter. I’ll frequently find myself interested in a particular subject and spend time making pieces revolving around it.

AFA in Art Student Exhibition (continued)

David Luke at the Bell Museum David Luke’s photographs from his body of work “Invasive” were on view at the Bell Musuem during February and March. His work was shown along-side research on climate change done by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Forest Ecology.

Dale Brown North Shore Photography

Grand Portage

Split Rock

Tettegouche

Split RockGrand Marais