Congratulations to Gary Backaus‚ BFA 1986‚ AVA‚ for his recent election as Chairman of the Memphis College of Art Board of Trustees.
Gary is the first alum in our history to serve in this capacity.
Newly elected Chairman Backaus joined our Board in 2004 and in 2007 was elected to the position of Vice Chair. Over the past year and a half‚ Gary has headed up the ad hoc committee responsible for conducting all facets of research related to ongoing MCA brand planning.
Originally from Kennesaw‚ Georgia‚ Gary earned a BFA from Memphis College of Art in 1986. He grew up in the advertising business as a designer and art director and now enjoys applying that right–brain thinking to strategy as well. Part of a senior management group that bought archer>malmo in 2001‚ Gary heads a creative group of more than 30 within the 95–person agency. Outside of work‚ Gary and his wife Margot enjoy traveling‚ cooking and being walked by their dogs.
Tootsie Bell‚ BFA 1988‚ Metal Arts‚ was recently commissioned to design and install non–traditional bike racks in front of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Tootsie’s goal was to create a bike rack that was both functional and beautiful‚ and she has succeeded on both counts. Black poles that extend 15 feet into the air‚ ultimately blossoming “into tree branches and foliage made of thin black sheet metal” make them artistically beautiful‚ and the half circles attached to either side of the pole makes them functional. Each bike rack can accommodate two bikes‚ and a total of three “trees” will be installed. For you sports enthusiasts‚ “Bell’s design meets 11 of 12 criteria in the Retailer’s Guide to Implementing Effective Bicycle Parking.”
Model images.
Stay tuned for images of actual installation.
From the Year 2007 . . .
Ashley Leem‚ BFA 2007‚ Drawing‚ is now being represented by DCI Gallery located at 772 Brookhaven Circle East in Memphis.
Nikkita Carson‚ BFA 2007‚ Printmaking‚ is getting married! On July 5‚ 2008‚ Miss Carson will become Mrs. Ian Cohoon. More to follow.
“Is it springtime yet?”
That is the question pondered by Mia Kaplan‚ BFA 2005‚ Drawing. This spring bouquet was created using the drawings of Mia’s three–year old daughter‚ Ava. Safe to say spring has definitely arrived in New Orleans.
Alex Harrison‚ BFA 2006‚ Illustration‚ is working with other local area artists‚ including MCA students Judith Stevens‚ Ben Bauermeister and Kelly Seagraves and MCA alums Meredyth Kime and Jake Hendrix‚ on a large mural at the Hi–Tone.
Work in Progress: 2–1/2 weeks and counting . . .
We continue to seek nominations for Alumni Association officers! Please forward your nominations to alumni@mca.edu. All nominations are welcome!
Student News . . .
Alex Paulus‚ MFA Candidate‚ and David Nester‚ BFA 1977‚ Photography‚ were two of the artists on exhibit at the grand opening of Splash Creative on April 10‚ 2008. Splash Creative is located at 2574 Sam Cooper Boulevard‚ Memphis‚ TN.
Alex Paulus
Red Seated
Beauty Terrorist in 3–D‚ an installation by Dwayne Butcher‚ MFA Candidate‚ will be on view in ArtLab at the University of Memphis Art Museum. This installation will be up from April 18 to May 10‚ 2008.
Congratulations to Jeremy Hodge and Kenneth Coker who have been selected for Sensory Sweep internships for a 12–week period this summer from June to August. According to alum Greg Davis‚ BFA 1994‚ Photo/Computer‚ Sensory Sweep Art Director‚ more applications than ever before were received for the few internship opportunities offered. Also‚ as an added benefit‚ Sensory Sweep will provide housing for our two interns for the entire duration of their internships. What a fantastic opportunity!
Faculty & Staff Corner . . .
Associate Professor Susan Maakestad is one of four featured artists in the current exhibit at the new Rymer Gallery located at 219 Sixth Avenue North‚ Nashville‚ TN 37219. Evoke will continue through April 26‚ 2008.
Parking Lot #2
Oil on canvas
14 x 17"
Susan is also a visiting artist at the Mississippi Art Colony‚ http://www.msartcolony.org‚ later this month‚ and has been selected to jury the Student Summer Art Exhibition at Ole Miss in May.
Mary Molinary‚ liberal arts instructor and member of our academic affairs team‚ is a current finalist for the “Poets Out Loud” prize‚ an annual competition sponsored by Fordham University Press. Mary was a finalist last year for the prestigious National Poetry Series prize.
