Fall 2021 Herron Highlights

During IUPUI's Inauguration Celebration, Niloofar Alibakhshi, a graduate student in visual arts, speaks with IU President Pamela Whitten about her work. Liz Kaye, Indiana University

Every three months, we publish a roundup of the most recent Herron community updates. Here's a look at what our students, alumni, and faculty were up to between October and December 2021, including exhibitions, publications, career moves, accomplishments, and accolades.

  • Anila Quayyum Agha, an associate professor of foundation studies and drawing and illustration, spoke about her work on Oct. 12 at the University of North Texas, on Oct. 22 at the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia, and on Oct. 25 at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts in Auburn, Alabama.
  • Many Herron students, alumni, faculty, and staff participated in "TINY," the Arts Council of Indianapolis' annual holiday exhibition, which was on display in Gallery 924 from Dec. 3, 2021, to Jan. 7, 2022: Amy Applegate (B.F.A. Painting '15), Emily Archer, Tasha Beckwith (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '06), Rachel Bleil, Serena Boehmer (B.F.A. Drawing & Illustration '19), Chris Bowman (B.F.A. Furniture Design '01), Rafael Caro (B.F.A. Drawing & Illustration '20), Cassy Coha (B.F.A. Integrative Studio Practice '20), Es Cole, Lauren Daugherty (M.A. Art Therapy '18), Andrew Perry Davis, William Denton Ray (B.F.A. General Fine Arts), Stephanie Doty, Kenzie Funk (B.F.A. Sculpture '18), Anita Giddings, Andrea Haydon (B.F.A. Visual Communication '11), Christina Hollering (B.F.A. Painting '12), Bruce Hurley (B.F.A. Printmaking '80), Duane King (B.F.A. Visual Communication '83), Margo Koontz (B.F.A. Painting '20), Katrina J. Murray (B.F.A. Painting '12), Erica Parker (B.F.A. Integrative Studio Practice '16), Christine Plantenga (B.F.A. Painting '10), Sherry Polley (B.F.A. Printmaking '11), Joe Rohrman (M.A.E. Art Education '80), John M. Ross (B.F.A. Painting '90), Vicky Shaffer White (B.F.A. Painting '84), Nathan Winship Smith (B.F.A. Ceramics '09), Shelley Spicuzza (M.F.A. Visual Art '18), Arlyne Springer (B.F.A. Printmaking '97), Brian Stovall (B.F.A. Photography '99), Courtney Thompson (M.A. Art Therapy '18), Robin Toulouse (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '80), Chris Tower (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '01), Priya Wittman (M.F.A. Visual Art '15), and Kassie Woodworth (B.F.A. Sculpture '19).
  • Karen Baldner, an adjunct printmaking instructor, had her work displayed in the North American Hand Papermakers' annual members' showcase, "Fluid Practices," which was made available online in October.
  • Tasha Beckwith (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '06) and Andrea Haydon (B.F.A. Visual Communication '11) collaborated on a mural at 317 Illinois St. in downtown Indianapolis as part of a Public Art for Neighborhoods (PAFN) Community Connection Grant in October.
  • Rachel Bleil, an adjunct ceramics instructor, and Andrew Perry Davis, Herron's ceramics technician, exhibited new clay works together in "Curious Phenomena" at the Fountain Square Clay Center in Indianapolis from Oct. 1 to 29.
  • David Bowen (B.F.A. Sculpture '99) debuted two large immersive installations in a solo show titled "The Journey," at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum on Oct. 9. The exhibition will be on display until Jan. 23, 2022.
  • Aaron S. Coleman (B.F.A. Printmaking '09) was awarded a 2022 Art As Activism grant in December from the Black Box Press Foundation to help him complete an ambitious project. He was also one of sixteen artists whose works were included in Paper Crown Press' "In Our Hands" portfolio of prints on environmentalism.
  • On Nov. 15, the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis opened an exhibition featuring the works of the late artist Terry Copen (B.F.A. Painting '85). "A Life in Art," which ended on Dec. 17, featured major works from the artist's nearly forty-year career.
  • In mid-December, several Herron faculty members and alumni participated in "STOVE PARTY," a two-night celebration of fire, light, and sound artwork at Junclaus-Campbell Co., Inc., in Indianapolis: James Darr (B.F.A. Sculpture '03), Kenzie Funk (B.F.A. Sculpture '18), Danielle Joy Graves (B.F.A. Drawing & Illustration '16), Greg Hull, Brent Lehker (B.F.A. Furniture Design '10), John Collins McCormick (M.F.A. Visual Art '14), Aaron Leif Nicholson (B.F.A. Sculpture '03), Eric Nordgulen, Brose Partington (B.F.A. Sculpture '04), Jamie Pawlus (B.F.A. Photography '96), Tillman Reyes (B.F.A. Painting '18), Jared Smith (B.F.A. Furniture Design '11), Liz Wierzbicki (M.F.A. Visual Art '14), and Nick Witten (B.F.A. Sculpture '15).
  • Canon U.S.A., Inc. highlighted Bruce Dorn's (B.F.A. Visual Communication '73) mentorship experience with a young photographer, Sara Honanie, through the company's mentorship program in a short touching video.
  • Jackie Espinosa, a printmaking student, and Jennifer Delgadillo (B.F.A. Painting '10) exhibited works in "Identidad, Dreams y Marchas!" from Sept. 15 to Nov. 19 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden.
  • Elias Garza Garcia (B.A. Art History '21), a curatorial assistant at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, invited three IUPUI students, including Kayla McLean, a Herron student studying art history, to collaborate on the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship programming for "Shifting Boundaries." Garcia and the team organized and moderated a virtual panel discussion on Nov. 12.
  • Eric M. Gray (B.F.A. Visual Communication Design '12) joined Willow Marketing, an Indianapolis-based marketing agency, as creative director.
  • Colleen Gross' sculpture proposal was chosen for installation in the IUPUI University Library's 45-foot atrium. Their sculpture, "Fundamental Entities," which represents string theory, will be installed in the spring and will be on display for a year.
  • Candice Hartsough (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '05) was signed by Scott Hull Associates, an artist agency, in October. Her whimsical illustrations adorned the Indiana State Museum's new Snowfall Express train ride for the "Celebration Crossing" holiday experience, which ran from Thanksgiving to New Year's. Learn about her behind-the-scenes contributions. Learn about her behind-the-scenes contributions.
  • Claire Hegge (B.F.A. Photography '21) joined Adidas Indy as a digital imaging specialist and photographer in October.
  • Dawn Holder, an associate professor of ceramics, spoke about her "Fallen Monuments" project during a juried lecture and presentation session at the Indianapolis Art Center in October as part of the 2021 Indiana Clay Conference.
  • Students from Associate Professor and Public Scholar of Curatorial Practices and Visual Art Laura Holzman's special topics course "Public Art + Power" contributed curatorial content for the exhibition "Monumental Changes: History and Power in Public Art." The exhibition, which ran from Nov. 5 to 17 as part of IUPUI's Spirit and Place Festival, won the runner-up Award of Awesomeness.
  • During IU's Inauguration Celebration for Pamela Whitten on Nov. 4, several Herron faculty, staff, and students participated in live art-making and demonstrations in the IUPUI Campus Center's Cultural Arts Gallery to share a glimpse into the many ways the school contributes to the university's creativity, innovation, and vitality. View a photo gallery from the event.
  • Julian Jamaal Jones (B.F.A. Photography '20) gave an artist's talk to Herron photography students as well as virtually to the public on Oct. 19.
  • Foundation studies and drawing and illustration faculty members Sarah Jones (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '94) and William Potter had works on display in "Throughlines: A Contemporary Drawing Exhibit" at the Indianapolis Art Center from Nov. 4 to Dec. 17. Professor Emeritus Craig McDaniel's paintings were also on display at the same time. View a virtual tour of both exhibitions.
  • R. Patrick Kinsman, a senior lecturer in art history, was recognized for his work on the thesis committee for IU School of Liberal Arts graduate Jill Weiss Simins' paper, "'A Little Deviltry': Gilded Age Celebrity and William Merritt Chase's Tenth Street Studio as Advertisement," which received a 2021 University Graduate School Distinguished Master's Thesis Award. Weiss Simins took a Herron art history course early in her studies, according to Kinsman, and "the Gilded Age material was a key part of the thesis, built from past Herron coursework."
  • Mac Blackout's (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '99) Herbie Hancock mural was featured in a Chicago Sun Times article about a stretch of murals honoring the city's iconic figures.
  • In October, Healthcare Initiatives, Inc., awarded Herron's Master of Arts in art therapy degree program a $50,000 grant for a pilot program titled "Art Therapy: A Creative Approach to Serving Indiana's Veterans and Their Families." Herron also provided art therapy services to Afghan refugees at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, Indiana, and Eileen Misluk, an assistant professor of art therapy, spoke with Network Indiana about the initiative in November.
  • Asli Narin, an adjunct photography instructor, had her work displayed in "Past Present Istanbul," a group show at the Sakip Sabanci Museum in Istanbul, Turkey, from Sept. 3 to Nov. 28.
  • On Veterans Day, a screening of Ron Osgood's documentary film "Just Like Me: The Vietnam War/The American War," featuring Professor Emeritus Richard Emery Nickolson, a member of the United States Army Vietnam Combat Artist Program (1969-1971), was held at the Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie in Indianapolis.
  • Stefan Petranek, an associate professor of foundation studies and photography, had a solo show titled "ANTHRO-OBSCENE: What We Choose Not to See," from Oct. 29 to Dec. 8 at Northwestern University's Dittmar Memorial Gallery in Evanston, Illinois. His work was also featured in two group exhibitions: "The Magic Sulver Show" at the Murray State University Galleries from Sept. 8 to Oct. 18, and the Lishui Art Museum's 2021 Photography Festival in China from Nov. 5 to 9. "Sea Level Rise is Real," a 20-inch by 30-inch archival inkjet print by Petranek, was awarded second place in "The Magic Silver Show."
  • Associate Professor Danielle Riede, the Randolph H. Deer Professor in Painting, had three exhibitions this fall: "Body Electric II," a solo show at Takt's Armadillo Gallery in Berlin, Germany, from Sept. 5 to 30; "Mining Light," a solo show at Susan Eley Fine Art in New York, N.Y., from Oct. 25 to Nov. 15; and "Homo Ludens," a two-person show at Kunstraum Reuter in Berlin, Germany, from Dec. 1 to 31.
  • Eleyes Reeves (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '82), the pink bike lady of Indianapolis' Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, who owned an art gallery on 30th Street for many years, was profiled in the Indianapolis Star.
  • From September to December, Joshua Ross (B.F.A. Photography '15) took part in an Artist Laboratory Residency at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA).
  • Carolyn Roth (B.F.A. Painting '67) had works on display in "Peaceable Kingdom" at St. Meinrad Archabbey Library Gallery in Saint Meinrad, Indiana, from Nov. 2 to Dec. 8.
  • Emma Schwartz, a drawing and illustration student, was chosen to have her artwork displayed in downtown Indianapolis as part of the #IndyKeepsCreating Series, a program powered by the City of Indianapolis to support the local arts community and welcome residents back to cultural activities in Marion County. Her work was installed in the South Capital Avenue tunnel near Lucas Oil Stadium in December, between West Louisiana and South Streets.
  • Francisco Souto (B.F.A. Printmaking '00) had a solo show called "Diaspora II," at Kiechel Fine Art Gallery in Lincoln, Nebraska, from Oct. 22 to Dec. 3.
  • Carolyn Springer, an adjunct instructor in elective arts, exhibited "The Forgiving Sea Project," an interactive show that encouraged community involvement, at the Harrison Center in Indianapolis from Nov. 5 to 30.
  • Alexander Toms, a photography student, won first place in the 101st Annual IUPUI Speech Night Competition this fall for his speech on campus sexual violence. Watch a YouTube video of his speech.
  • Herron's annual Wearable Art Show returned in fall 2021, showcasing a plethora of creatively infused fashion. Michelle Pemberton (B.F.A. Photography '03), a Herron alumna and multimedia journalist, photographed the students' creations for an Indianapolis Star story.
  • Jennifer Zollman Wickes (B.F.A. Painting '02) exhibited her work in "Rhythms & Blues: An Artistic Confluence of Abstraction and Musical Objects" at the District Theatre in Indianapolis from Nov. 4 to Dec. 20.

Want to be featured in the next Herron highlights roundup? Submit your news via our online form or email herrext@iupui.edu.

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