2015 Summer Workshops with Professor James Thurman

Glass Blowing & Metalworking

May 26 – June 4, 2015
The Glass Furnace
Istanbul, Turkey
https://www.camocagi.org/en
No prior experience required!

Creative Connections

(jewelry-making)
August 2 – 14, 2015
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
Deer Isle, Maine
http://www.haystack-mtn.org

Scholarships and possible Special Problems credit available. Contact James Thurman as soon as possible to discuss the possibilities: James.Thurman@unt.edu

UNT MEtals Club Jewelry Sale April 23 - 25

Guest Artist Gary Griffin, April 24-26

Gary Griffin will be on campus next week! He will be giving a one-hour lecture on his work on Wednesday April 24 at 1pm in Sage Hall 116 as part of the CORE lecture series. He will also be doing a workshop on Friday, April 26th from 10am to 2pm in ART 115 on "Sectioning" as a means of generating new forms and ideas. The lecture and workshop are free and open to students of all levels and disciplines.

Gary Gary Griffin has been a practicing metalsmith for over 30 years and recently moved to El Rito, NM, after spending 22 years as an artist in residence at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI. He is the recipient of the Society of North American Goldsmith’s 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award for significant contributions to the field. His work has been acquired by the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, The Detroit Zoo, University of Detroit, and by numerous private collectors. Griffin has exhibited extensively in the United States, Mexico, South America, Japan and Europe. Additionally, Griffin authors catalog essays, critical reviews and articles. He has written for Metalsmith and American Craft magazines, as well as for numerous exhibition catalogs. He has also been a resident artist of the Kohler Co. Arts and Industry series, the subject of an Archives of American art oral history interview, and Master Metalsmith of the National Ornamental Metal Museum. Griffin has received numerous awards and fellowships including two National Endowment of Arts grants. In 2005, he was elected to the American Craft Council College of Fellows for his contributions and achievements in the field of Metalsmithing.

Cora Stafford Gallery: FREE PUPPIES (adverbial form implied)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The UNT Cora Stafford Gallery
is proud to announce the group exhibition, FREE PUPPIES (adverbial form implied)

Exhibition Dates:
Tuesday, April 16th through Friday, April 19th

Closing Reception:
Thursday, April 18th from 5 p.m to 7p.m with refreshments provided

FREE ADMISSION

Location:
UNT Cora Stafford Gallery
1120 West Oak Street
Denton, TX 76201

View Larger Map

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday through Friday 10a.m. - 2p.m.

FREE PUPPIES (adverbial form implied) is a group show presenting the diverse work of MFA candidates in Studio Art at the University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design. Free from imposed limitations on media, the exhibition features sculpture, installation, watercolor, photography, new media, ceramics, metals and jewelry, and printmaking. The exhibiting artists have honed their individual talents over the course of their graduate work and have come together under one woof for a limited time

Exhibiting Artists: Jessie Back, Martin Back, Zan Barnes, Bill Bridges, Chance Dunlap, Hetty Estes, Michael Furrh, David Lee, Marseille Moon, Adam Neese, Cassie Phan, Derek Rankins, Linda Santana, Liana Tomchesson, Christopher Wallace, and Caleb Zouhary

For More Info:
Please contact Cassie Phan by email at cassiephan21 @ gmail . com.

Thank you,

Adam Neese
Public Information Committee co-chair

Yuma Symposium 2013

Yuma Art Symposium is referred to as “comfort food for hungry artist,” a back yard BBQ that got out of hand.

Taken from the web site:

The Yuma Symposium is a series of demonstrations, lectures and slide presentations given by both internationally recognized and emerging artists who have demonstrated unusual talent.

Activities include an exhibit of work by presenters and a student show, the National Saw, File, & Solder Sprints, Show Your Stuff night, the annual pin auction, shopping and eating in Algodones, Mexico, and a fiesta and dance on Saturday night. 

This year was the 34th Yuma Symposium. In attendance representing UNT CVAD:

CVAD Faculty: James Thurman and Harlan Butt

Graduate Students in Studio Art: Hetty Estes, Tamar Navama, Joy Ude, Chesley Williams, William Bridges, Fari Rahimi, and Liana Tomchesson

Undergraduate in Studio Art: Dani Manning

In this year’s National Saw, File and Solder Sprints the UNT team (Hetty Estes, Tamar Navama, and Liana Tomchesson) won the “Style Award” trophies.

Extending an invitation to all of CVAD, we will be hosting “Spirit of Yuma,” an event on April 25 to promote next year’s symposium.

Metals Faculty chosen to represent Metalworking in America

Harlan Butt

Professors Ana M. Lopez, Harlan Butt, and James Thurman were three of five nationally known metalsmiths who were invited to make a commissioned work based on a piece of our choosing in the collection of the Dumbarton Historic House Museum in Washington DC. The pieces have been on exhibit for several months and are to be auctioned off on April 4th.

Professor Ana Lopez' Article Published

A technical article that Metals & Jewelry professor wrote was just published in SNAGNews online. The research was largely accomplished with aid from a UNT Small Grant and seed money from the College of Visual Arts & Design.

"This article is about how a non-enamelist came to design and build (and fail and build and fail and build and then build again) a large, torch-fired enameling kiln..."

NOTE: You must me a SNAG member to read the full article.

Professor James Thurman's creation featured in Dallas Observer

The Dallas Observer blog had an article about Professor James Thurman's trademarked invention Thurmanite just after the UNT homepage story was featured.

Be sure to watch the videos of Professor Thurman creating Thurmanite (formerly called Mokume-Kami).

2013 Texas Biennial Announces 5th Roundup of Texas Artists: Submit Now!

The organizers of the 2013 Texas Biennial invite all artists living and working in Texas to submit their stuff from now until February 28 for possible inclusion in the latest edition of the sprawling, multi-city showcase. The Texas Biennial will take place September 5 – November 9, with exhibitions in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Marfa. The central open-call survey show will be presented at Blue Star Contemporary Art Center in San Antonio, with selected performances during the run of the exhibition at CentralTrak in Dallas.

Additionally, a specially commissioned Biennial artist project will be presented by Ballroom Marfa, Lawndale Art Center in Houston, and Big Medium in Austin will also host exhibitions of current work by selected past Biennial artists from August 23 – September 28.

DMA Offers New Art Ball Prize For Grad Students

The Dallas Museum of Art has announced the inaugural DMA Art Ball Graduate Student Prize, sponsored by the Dallas Art Fair. Maxwell L. Anderson (Director, DMA), Frances Colpitt (Chair of Art History, TCU), Annette Lawrence (Professor, UNT), Gabriel Ritter (Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, DMA), and Jeremy Strick (Director, Nasher Sculpture Center) will select from five to seven grad students from visual arts programs in Texas for cash awards of $1,500. Prize-winning works will be on view at the Art Ball Patron Preview Party, April 3, 2013, and at the opening night of the Dallas Art Fair, April 11, 2013.

The deadline for applications is January 7. DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 18, 2013 Details below, entry form here.

1. Artists must be graduate students (MA, MFA, PhD) of any age enrolled in visual arts programs throughout the state of Texas.
2. Artists must not be formally represented by a commercial gallery or dealer.
3. Eligible mediums include painting, sculpture, works on paper, and photo-based media.
4. Immediate family members of DMA staff or trustees are not eligible to apply.

Application for the DMA Graduate Student Art Ball Prize
Applicants meeting the residency and representation specifications for the prize should submit the following (do NOT staple materials or insert them in binders):

1. Complete application form and image list (use attached form) 
2. Submit in CD format no more than six (6) examples of recent work in the form of digital images (in JPEG format, each JPEG not to exceed 2MB). Of these images, note which piece will be donated to the Art Ball auction if you are selected as a prize recipient. 
3. Works submitted for display must not exceed the following dimensions or weight:
   a. Weight limit: 300 lbs.
   b. Dimensions: no larger than 5 x 5 x 5 ft. 
4. An up-to-date curriculum vitae 
5. Proof of current enrollment in graduate-level (MA, MFA, PhD) visual arts program in the state of Texas. (Copy of valid student ID or other proof of enrollment required.) 
6. All materials must be postmarked by January 7, 2013. 
7. Provide self-addressed envelope with adequate postage if you would like your materials returned. 
8. The DMA will make delivery arrangements for art that is selected outside of the North Texas region. 

Award and Recognition 

1. Five to seven artists will be selected. 
2. Prize recipients will receive a cash award of $1,500. 
3. Prize recipients will donate the artwork selected from their submission to the Art Ball 2013 silent auction. 
4. Prior to Art Ball, these works will also be on view at the Art Ball Patron Preview Party and the opening night of the Dallas Art Fair. 

Timeline for the DMA Graduate Student Art Ball Prize 

1. Application deadline: postmarked by January 7, 2013 - DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 18, 2013
2. Prize recipients selected: January 2013 
3. Prize recipients notified: late January 2013 
4. Selected art on view at Art Ball Patron Preview Party: April 3, 2013 
5. Selected art on view at Dallas Art Fair: April 11, 2013 
6. Selected art auctioned at DMA Art Ball: April 13, 2013 
7. Cash award distributed: April 15, 2013

Preparing for an Academic Job Interview in the Arts, Design and the Humanities

Subtitle: How NOT to Blow Your Art, Design, or Humanities Academic Job Interview

Friday, October 19
3:00 pm–4:15 pm
Curry Hall, room 315

This free lecture by UNT CVAD Department of Design Professor Michael Gibson has been designed to help recent, soon-to-be recent, and eventual recipients of MFAs and PhDs in the following disciplines effectively prepare to do well during the academic job interview process.

Studio Arts
Design
Art Education
Art History
Literature
English
Anthropology
Sociology
Psychology
Merchandising & Hospitality Management
History
Performing Arts
Communication Studies
Political Science
Cultural Studies

Hey, hey, It is Faculty Appreciation Week!

Opening Reception for Metamo'rphosis show featuring Ana Lopez

Ana Lopez featured in the Dumbarton House Exhibition

Professor of metals & jewelry Ana M. Lopez is one of a handful of metalsmiths and jewelers who were commissioned to create pieces based on the collections of The Dumbarton House museum in Washington, DC. The resultant pieces will be on display with their inspirational sources in the exhibition Metamo'rphosis I from September 27 until April 5th when they will be auctioned off to support the museum. The opening reception will be September 27th from 6-8pm.

Other participating artists include Harlan Butt, Charleen Weidel, Cappy Counard, James Thurman, and Curtis Arima.

NICK CAVE: HERD - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

***CALLING ALL STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS ***

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WORK ON COSTUMES FOR THE NICK CAVE EVENT HAPPENING ON CAMPUS ON MARCH 12 & 13. NO ARTISTIC TALENT IS NEEDED. BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND JUST HAVE SOME FUN! WE WILL PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION NEEDED FOR VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS. FEEL FREE TO STOP BY ANY TIME DURING THE TIMES LISTED BELOW. YOU CAN STAY 30 MINUTES OR 5 HOURS.

IF YOU ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL ELYCE FRANKS – 940-565-4003. THANKS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.


NICK CAVE: HERD
Studio Instruction Schedule
Art Room 231

Please come to a training session first for 15-20 minutes to learn what you will be doing and then feel free to come any time listed below to work.


Week of FEBRUARY 6 – Art building room 231

Training Sessions:
Tues 10:30a & 1:30p
Wed 12:15 or any time between 5p-8p
Thurs 1:30
Sat any time between 12-5
Sun any time between 12-5

Work Sessions:
Tuesday, February 7 from 2p-5p
Wednesday, February 8 from 10a-noon
Wednesday, February 8 from 5p-8p
Thursday, February 9 from 8a-11a
Thursday, February 9 from 2p-5p
Friday, February 10 from 10a-noon
Friday, February 10 from 1p-2p
Saturday, February 11 from noon-5pm
Sunday, February 12 from noon-5pm

Week of FEBRUARY 13– Art building room 231

Training Sessions:
Mon 12:15p
Tues 10:30a
Wed any time between 5p-8p
Sat any time between 12-5
Sun any time between 12-5

Work Sessions:
Tuesday, February 14 from 2p-5p
Wednesday, February 15 from 10a-noon
Wednesday, February 15 from 5p-8p
Thursday, February 16 from 8a-11a
Thursday, February 16 from 2p-5p
Friday, February 17 from 10a-noon
Friday, February 17 from 1p-2p
Saturday, February 11 from noon-5pm
Sunday, February 12 from noon-5pm

Week of FEBRUARY 20– Art building room 231

Training Sessions:
Wed any time between 5p-8p
Sat any time between 12-5
Sun any time between 12-5

Work Sessions:
Monday, February 20 from 11a-2p and 1p-5p
Tuesday, February 21 from 8a-11a
Wednesday, February 15 from 11a-2p and 5p-8p
Thursday, February 16 from 8a-11a
Saturday, February 11 from noon-5pm
Sunday, February 12 from noon-5pm


The Nick Cave Studio is open M-F 7:30 am – 11 pm, Sat/Sun noon – 10 pm.
Please attend one of the training sessions. Then, you can check in at the computer lab desk to volunteer at your convenience!
The studio will operate through March 4.


Elyce Franks
Assistant to the Dean
College of Visual Arts and Design
University of North Texas
1155 Union Circle #305100
Denton, TX 76203-5017
940-565-4003
940-565-4717 fax
Elyce.franks@unt.edu

If you would like to subscribe to CVAD’s monthly on-line
newsletter, please follow this link to subscribe.

James Thurman in Istanbul

Professor James Thurman just completed a tremendously productive and successful trip to Istanbul. His solo exhibition at Ayse Gallery was well-received, even resulting in an interview on CNN Turk, which was broadcast January 8, 2012.

The interview is available online but is dubbed in Turkish. In addition to the solo exhibition, James presented lectures and workshops at Mimar Sinan University, Kadir Has University, and Istanbul Technical University.

He will be returning in May to teach a workshop at The Glass Furnace and, if the Fulbright Specialist proposal is accepted, work with faculty at Kadir Has University on the evolution of the 3D design curriculum.

James Thurman awarded 2012 Learning Enhancement Grant

Professor James Thurman has been awarded a Learning Enhancement Grant for his project entitled New Online Digital Fabrication Course. Funding for the Learning Enhancement Grant Program is provided by UNT’s Office of the Provost.

Professor Butt's National Parks Project exhibition opens Nov. 1

About eight years ago, University of North Texas Regents Professor Harlan W. Butt began a trek through some of the national parks of the United States, gathering inspiration for the intricate enamel vessels and metal works that he creates in his Denton and Colorado studios.

His pieces from the National Parks Project will be on display in a free exhibition from Nov. 1 (Tuesday) to Nov. 22 (Tuesday) at UNT on the Square, 109 N. Elm St. on Denton’s historic courthouse square. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call UNT on the Square at 940-369-8257 or visit untonthesquare.unt.edu.

My work has reflected elements from nature for a long time, but it wasn’t until 2003 that I started to specifically focus on national parks,” he said. “The parks are preserved areas in terms of minimum encroachment by people, so they are as close to the natural environment and as unaltered as possible.

WHAT: National Parks Project: Exhibition of vessels and other works by metalsmith Harlan Butt
WHEN: Nov. 1 (Tuesday) – Nov. 22 (Tuesday). Reception and Book Signing 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 4 (Friday); Gallery Hours: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
WHERE: UNT on the Square, 109 N. Elm St., on Denton’s historic courthouse square
COST: Free

UNT at the TACEF Texas Arts & Crafts Fair 2011

As he has done for many years, department chair Jerry Austin purchased four exhibition spaces at this year's Texas Arts and Crafts Fair, sponsored by the Texas Arts & Crafts Educational Foundation, and held in Kerville, Texas.

Ten UNT students volunteered to attend and compete at the fair over the Memorial Day weekend. This year we only had Ceramics students; in previous years we have had students from Fibers, Metals & Jewelry, and Sculpture attend as well. Jason Hyde (MFA) won runner-up to the top Emerging Artist award, an received $2,500. Weesun Song (MFA) and Geryn Roche (MFA) each won $1,000 Emerging Artist Scholarships. The top Emerging Artist this year was one of our undergrads, Jessica Battes (BFA), who is now in the graduate ceramics program at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

The official announcement from the TACEF will be published soon on their website. At the 2010 Texas Arts & Crafts Fair, Marty Kruk (MFA) won Best in Sculpture and Chris Melia (MFA) won Best in Ceramics and an undergrad in Fibers won Best in Fibers. UNT consistently sends students of every level and our students have won prizes and scholarships every year. Congratulations to our students!

SNAG Update from Professor Ana Lopez

From Professor Ana Lopez:
In addition to the on-site exhibition referenced in a previous post, two of our students were also featured in a separate, live juried student slide show at the conference. The total number of applicants to the slide show was 285, from 50 colleges and universities, the number of images submitted was 1170. The presentation video was shown at the SNAG conference on Sunday June 29th at 12:30p and is now online at the SNAG website

The two students who got in were Loring Taoka and Parker Brown, recent graduates of our MFA program. Information on them and their works follows:

Loring Taoka (Hometown: Campton, NH)
Description: This piece is from a body of what that questions perception and readability through the use of ambiguous objects. Continually occupying a grey area, the work aims to create aesthetic arrest through interstitial/hybridized forms, asking the viewer to reconcile the form, function, and overall understanding of object-ness.

untitled - from Whiteout
7.5" x 4" x 2.5"
Brass and spray paint

Parker Brown (Home town: Denton, TX)
Being a native Texan and an amateur historian, I have been keenly aware of the historical implications behind current tensions along the United States/Mexico border. The region of my birth has, at one time or another, been inhabited from a wide range of ethnic and cultural groups. This piece, based upon a style of 16th century helmet used by Spanish conquistadors, seeks to point out the inherent fallacy of applying ethnic and cultural absolutes in defense of the exclusionist and violent behavior being exhibited by both sides of the United States’ southern border.

This Land Is My Land. This Land Is Your Land (2010)
steel, brass, leather, wood, fabric, sinew
17.25” x 13.75” x 14”