Spring Fever

Photo of the Week

Enjoying a little sunshine and conversation between classes on a gorgeous late-spring day are freshmen music students (l-r) Natanielle Mikalov, violin performance and musicology, and Erin Chiparo, violin performance. Summer is right around the corner!

Notable News

Earlier this month, high school students from the Arts & College Prep Academy in Columbus shared stories told through dance, music and readings for National Storytelling Day at the OSU Urban Arts Space. They performed during one of the free lunch-time programs at the downtown galleries. . . and ended the event with a happy bow to the audience (above).

OSU is airing the WOSU-produced TV program iMix on the Big Ten Network May 22 at 5:30 pm, May 26 at 5:30 pm and May 28 at 11:30 am. The episode features the OSU Urban Arts Space and the MFA exhibition, and talks with Karen Bell and students Sonya Lucas, Michael Ohgren, Ryan Ross and Megan Shevenock. The show also takes a look at a telescope observatory in Arizona and virtual surgery. Take a look at our piece here.

Students, faculty, alums -- going someplace interesting this summer? The OSU website is collecting O-H-I-O photos! Consider taking a digital photo and submit it to http://www.osu.edu/O-H-I-O/

The Ohio State University's Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD) and Department of Theatre present an evening of undergraduate and graduate student work at the Student Video and Animation Screening, Tuesday, May 27, 7 pm in the Wexner Center Film/ Video Theatre. The screening of narrative and experimental shorts will be followed by a brief Q&A session with the creators of the work. This free event is open to anyone interested in video and animation.

Twenty-one students from the College of the Arts participated in the 13th annual Denman Undergraduate Research Forum on May 14. They were part of the 415 students university-wide who showcased 374 research projects at the event. Congrats to all of the participants! And special congratulations to winners from the college in the Art/Architecture category -- 1st place winner Meagan Grund (Dance) for Columbus Cares: A Benefit Dance Performance; and 3rd place Sarah Lehman (Dance) for Taking Care of a Dancing Body.

The Box at the Wexner Center prsents First Person Video June 1-30, curated by Robert Ladislas Derr (Art) and Marcy Freedman. The video includes the work of 11 contemporary artists, who have placed themselves in front of the camera. Using the first person perspective, the artists (Derr, Freedman and Austrian artist Erwin Wurm among others) engage viewers while exploring political, psychological, philosophical, social and artistic issues.

Christine Ballangee Morris (Art Education) received the 2007-08 OSU American Indian Student Service Award for her support and mentoring of American Indian students, leadership in developing the American Indian Studies minor and community leadership. The award was presented by the Multicultiural Center earlier this month. Her class, Visual Culture and Indigenous People, was also mentioned on a WOSU radio show about indigenous issues, where one of her students Ashlea Hilliard was interviewed.

Graduate student Jenai Cutcher (Dance) has been awarded a University Presidential Fellowship, which recognnizes outstanding scholarship and research ability. It provides recipients with the opportunity to devote full time to their dissertation, in this case Cutcher's film Thinking on their Feet, a feature-length docmentary about the women who revolutionized the art of American percussive dance.

More good news in dance -- Vickie Blaine has been chosen to receive the 2009 Alma Hawkins Distinguished Leadership Award from the Council of Dance Administrators. The award is given to an individual who has made long-standing and significant contributions to the field of dance. She will be presened with the award in Minneapolis in September.

Twelve Art Education faculty members and 14 graduate students gave presentations at the recent 2008 National Art Education Association Convention in New Orleans. Their talks ranged from "interpreting art with eighth graders" to "holistic art education and visual culture." Also at the conference, Christine Ballangee-Morris received the 2008 Art Educator of the Year Award for the Western Region from the NAEA Higher Education Division, and Pat Stuhr received the 2008 June King McFee Award from the NAEA Women's Caucus, presented in honor of distinguished contributions to the profession of art education. Congrats!

Gallery talk: Jennifer Eisenhauer (Art Ed) will talk about her exhibition admission at the Fresh AIR Gallery, 131 N High St, at 5:30 pm Tues, May 27. Gallery phone number is 225-0980.