Art faculty members participating in this year’s exhibition are Sarah Davis, Brian Fencl, James Haizlett, Martyna Matusiak, Moon Jung Kang, Rebecca Kiger, Lee Ann Thill, Nancy Tirone, Lambros Tsuhlares and Robert Villamagna. In addition, Dr. Matthew D. Harder, interim dean, College of Arts and Communication, will present a sound installation based on the exhibition theme.

“Each year the Art Faculty Exhibition features a theme and this year the art faculty selected the theme of “6 X 6 X 6,” said Gallery Director Robert Villamagna. “Artworks in the exhibition may be of any media and on any subject, however, each work must be no larger than six inches in any direction.”

“Having a new theme for the exhibition each year does a number of things,” he noted, “It brings a freshness to the annual exhibition, it challenges the members of the art faculty, and it shows students how a diverse group of artists each approach a single problem or idea each in their own unique way and in a variety of media. This year the “theme” is based on size.”

Here are just a few examples of what visitors to the exhibition will see:

Associate Professor of Creative Arts Therapy Lee Ann Thill explores the physical properties of paint as a metaphor for disease processes, combining it with collage imagery to illuminate the underlying mechanisms of the exploitation of The Other. Her work represents a visual commentary on interconnected social diseases that plague our culture.

Instructor of Graphic Design Sarah Davis created “Nest: The DNA of Making,” a composite of photographs of hand-made paper nests that explore our natural desire to mate and how animals (including humans) can develop and inherit ways of making that become coded within our DNA.

A sketchbook is normally a pad of blank pages for sketching. In Professor Villamagna’s “Sketchbook” the pages are individual 6”x6” pieces of wood, and each page contains images in a variety of media. Like a traditional sketchbook, Villamagna’s pages will be a documentation of the world around him, while other pages explore his creative process.

All exhibitions at the Nutting Gallery are free and open to the public and the gallery is open 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays; with evenings and weekends by arrangement. For additional information contact Villamagna at 304-336-8370 or at rvillama@westliberty.edu

JANUARY 16, 2015 BY MAUREEN ZAMBITO
Poster design by Sara Davis

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Professors Moon Kang, Sarah Davis, and James Haizlett brought WLU design students to the Pittsburgh AIGA letterpress lecture.

Design students and faculty braved the cold weather and terrible traffic to attend “Behind the Platen,” a Pittsburgh AIGA sponsored lecture and exhibition. Letterpress has seen a resurgence in recent years, and we were able to see examples of its use in contemporary design. Brandon Boan of Tip Type Design Studio was the principle lecturer. He purchased an old shop and is now experimenting with different forms of image making using antique tools and processes. Here are some examples of letterpress equipment and products.

Letterpress often imprints the design of letterforms and shapes into the paper, creating a texture that can’t be achieved through computer print processes.

Tip Type owns two linotype machines that cast molten lead letters into strings of words that are locked together, inked, and pressed into paper.

Examples of letterpress can be found everywhere these days. The process is favored by artists and enthusiasts who want an authentic hand made product.

Letterpress print shops have sprung up all over the US in recent years. Ten or fifteen years ago you couldn’t give away the equipment, because it was heavy, outdated, and nobody wanted it.

Join the hand made revolution! Find an old piece of equipment and experiment with it to produce interesting new forms of art!

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The art they created is varied and interesting, offering everything from a comic strip like artwork to interactive graphic design images with audio, video and sculpture. “This is one of the best senior shows we’ve had in a while. The students worked hard and I congratulate them on the result,” said Assistant Professor of Art Robert Villamagna, who is the director of the Nutting Gallery. All students created a formal artist statement to go with their artwork.

“The world is a very chaotic place. We are constantly in motion, at times eager to catch our breath. Sometimes it is easy to overlook the beauty of the world and to take for granted the wonder of life. I believe my job, as an artist, is to capture a moment, a memory, even a thought so that it can stand still and be appreciated without limits,” said Natalie Rees. Rees believes all art is a gift and allows her to create memories that will not fade. She is donating all money made from the sale of her art in the exhibition to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).

Artist Lindsey Fair created work that explores the theme of body image on social and personal levels. “It is truly unfortunate that our society’s standards of beauty is heavily directed and pressured by impossible beauty ideals… My artwork takes a critical view of the social views by which women’s body image is influenced,” Fair said. Using a variety of materials and processes in each piece of art, she creates a consistent message.

Student artist Miranda Pellicano created images that reveal personal values or ideals, created in mixed media pieces. “The collage of concepts, techniques and materials acts as an effective medium to showcase the growth I’ve experienced not only with this show, but also as a designer and artist,” Pellicano said.

Another student created a compelling and funny video about his student experience on the Hilltop. “Mine was a video self-portrait that looked at my time on campus. I tried to bring in student experiences and show my journey. Hopefully it’s entertaining and enjoyable,” said Fauble, who stars in the video that is just over nine minutes long. The only male artist in the show, Fauble graduates on Dec. 13 with a degree in graphic design. 

The exhibition remains on display through Friday, Dec. 12. The Nutting Gallery is located in the Media Arts Center building and is dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through art exhibitions of the highest quality and to promoting the visual arts within the WLU community. The Gallery fulfills this mission through eight exhibitions during the academic year. The annual exhibition schedule includes five exhibitions by visiting artists, two Senior Exhibitions, and the Annual Art Faculty Exhibition.

The exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact rvillama@westliberty.edu or call 304-336-8370.

DECEMBER 8, 2014 BY MAUREEN ZAMBITO

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Maria Mangano is an artist whose work focuses on the intersection of nature, museums, and science to address issues of wildness, conservation, memory, and humanness. A native of Syracuse, NY, Mangano moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University. More of her work can be found on her website

Randy Yoho of Kanawha County, WV is an award of excellence winner from the West Virginia Division of Culture and adjunct lecturer in art around the Charleston area. His oversized woodcut prints focus on line reminiscent of topographical maps and are impressive for their scale and amount of labor involved.

Mission
The Nutting Gallery is dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through art exhibitions of the highest quality and to promoting the visual arts within our community. The Gallery fulfills this mission through eight exhibitions during the academic year. This exhibition schedule includes five exhibitions by visiting artists, two Senior Exhibitions, and the Annual Art Faculty Exhibition. The Nutting Gallery is also dedicated to supporting the educational and cultural mission of West Liberty University. These offerings are supported by the Department of Art and Communications, and guided by the Gallery Director.

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Every fall, West Liberty University College of Arts and Communication graphic design seniors have a chance to experience the challenge of presenting their work to a discriminating audience.

The design presentation took place in the Boyle Conference Room from noon until 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17.

From left, Sydney Bennett, Jessica Wilson, Kylie Woyat, Chloe Woods, Alexis Irvin, Lucas Fauble, Miranda Pelicano, Elizabeth Pabst and Carly Jochumsen pose after the competition.

During the competition, student teams present their own team corporate identities as they prepare to do “business” with campus and community organizations. The teams provide examples of their past work and compete in packaging themselves as the strongest design team to the audience.

Student team names and members include:

Ebb and Flow Ink – Alexis Irvin, Miranda Pelicano and Chloe Woods.
Ethøs – Sydney Bennett, Jessica Wilson and Kylie Woyat.
We Must Design – Lucas Fauble, Carly Jochumsen and Elizabeth Pabst.

“This is a great chance for students to practice their communications skills and hone their message in front of a professional audience comprised of campus faculty, administration, and community leaders. It’s their first milestone on the way to working with real clients on community projects throughout the semester,” said Associate Professor James Haizlett.

Audience members were given scorecards to grade the students on their presentations and are given the opportunity to provide valuable critique. Haizlett then tallied up the votes to select the winning student team.

Audience members were given scorecards to grade the students on their presentations and are given the opportunity to provide valuable critique. Haizlett then tallied up the votes to select the winning student team, which was Ethøs. Team members from the winning group of students were from the towns of: Sydney Bennett, Follansbee, W.Va., Jessica Wilson, Mount Hope, W.Va. and Kylie Woyat, Norton, Ohio.

WLU graphic design program is a member of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), the professional association for design. Established in 1988, AIGA Pittsburgh has more than 450 members.

For more information on the West Liberty University graphic design program, please visit: westliberty.edu/art or contact Haizlett at 304-336-8077.

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The Nutting Gallery is located in the Hall of Fine Arts on the campus of West Liberty University in West Liberty, WV. All exhibitions at the Nutting Gallery are free and open to the public. The gallery is open 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM weekdays; evenings and weekends by arrangement. For additional information contact Robert Villamagna at 304-336-8370 or at rvillama@westliberty.edu

Mission
The Nutting Gallery is dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through art exhibitions of the highest quality and to promoting the visual arts within our community. The Gallery fulfills this mission through eight exhibitions during the academic year. This exhibition schedule includes five exhibitions by visiting artists, two Senior Exhibitions, and the Annual Art Faculty Exhibition. The Nutting Gallery is also dedicated to supporting the educational and cultural mission of West Liberty University. These offerings are supported by the Department of Art and Communications, and guided by the Gallery Director.

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Jamey Biggs grew up in Summersville, West Virginia. Biggs holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and a Bachelor of Science in Art education. He completed an MFA in Ceramics at Indiana State University in 2003. Biggs is an Associate Professor of Art at Concord University where he has instructed Ceramics and Sculpture for 10 years. Jamey’s work is primarily ceramic, addressing both sculptural and utilitarian purposes.

“I first saw Jamey’s work in a Facebook post that Lambros Tsuhlares shared with me a while back, “ said Robert Villamagna, Director of the Nutting Gallery. “The post was a photo of a Tonka-like truck made of clay. That ceramic truck took me back to the 1950s and 60s when I spent hours playing with the metal construction toys made by Buddy L and Tonka. I love the way Jamey exaggerates the components of these vehicles, and makes them even chunkier and heartier than the originals,” says Villamagna.

“I began making the trucks in 2012 for an exhibition curated by Robert Moore and Christine Humphrey in Beckley WV,’ states Biggs. “I was interested in creating work that would be light hearted in its expression and allow me to be light hearted during its creation. I was hoping to create work that was not explicitly related to my own experience and did not require a great deal of explanation for a viewer to find interest. I hoped that the idea of a toy truck was something that would elicit a response in most people with out consideration for age or background.”
Biggs says he felt it was also time for a change in his firing process. “I was looking for a relief from the wood firing that I had been doing,” states Biggs. “The wood fire process requires huge amounts of labor on the firing and is inherently very risky and slow. The earthenware fired in oxidation using an electric kiln could not be more opposite of firing in a wood kiln. The trucks do not reject the craft and utility aspects of ceramics but they do poke a bit of fun. The trucks are after all, functioning planters.”
Biggs says that he hopes the first thing the viewers take away from his work is a smile. “First and foremost the work is playful, says Biggs,. “I hope the piles of materials can evoke connections to hospitality, abundance, and humor. I consider the concept of abundance to be a good thing and it is connected to positive emotions, responses and behaviors. The idea of abundance is also connected to notions of scarcity and waste. I am curious to see if viewers find that this is evoked by the work or not.”
Jamey Biggs will also be presenting a four-hour workshop on Thursday, September 25, from 4 to 8 PM. A limited number of spaces for participants are available. Contact Robert Villamagna for more information.
All exhibitions at the Nutting Gallery are free and open to the public. The Nutting Gallery is open 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM weekdays; evenings and weekends by arrangement. For additional information contact Robert Villamagna at 304-336-8370 or at rvillama@westliberty.edu

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Visual Art Freshmen Scholarship Competition 

2013-14 Art Scholarship Competition

West Liberty University’s Division of Art announces the availability of a four-year scholarship for a graduating high school senior who wishes to major in art at West Liberty University. The competition is open to all graduating seniors, and is not limited to residents of West Virginia. Applicants must have submitted an application for admittance to WLU.
Students must submit a portfolio of at least six pieces of original work. The winner, as determined by the art faculty, will receive a four-year renewable art scholarship and a Housing Grant to study art at West Liberty University. Housing grants cover at least 80% of the total room cost only, and pay nothing toward board. Second and third place awards of Housing Grants may be granted if available and appropriate.
SCHEDULE

• Portfolios will be accepted in the Fine Arts Office, room 207, Hall of Fine Arts, December 2nd and 3rd, 2013 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m..
• Judging will take place on December 4th.
• Finalists will be notified by the end of the workday December 4th and must be available for a personal, on‐campus interview between the dates of December 5th and 9th.
• The decision of the judges will be announced by December 10th 2013. Those not selected as finalists must pick up their portfolios no later than December 9th in room 207, Hall of Fine Arts between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m..

Please direct any questions to Professor Brian Fencl, Chair, Department of Journalism, Communication Studies and Visual Art, West Liberty University, (304) 336-8433, Email bfencl@westliberty.edu

SCHOLARSHIP
A WLU four-year scholarship equals approximately $1290 per year for an in-state student or $3360 per year for an out-of-state student. The value of a WLU Housing Grant is approximately worth $2520 per year.

PORTFOLIOS
Presentation of the portfolio is very important, consider this just like a personal interview.

• All works submitted must be clearly labeled with the artist’s name, telephone number and email address.
• Digital and video work can be submitted on a CD/DVD. Digital portfolios should be presented as slide presentations in PowerPoint or Keynote. Slides should be simple and clean with needed information about the work only. Next to each image list artists name, image title, medium and size.

• Do not include torn or poorly cared for work.
• Include your best and most recent work. Ask for the opinions of teachers, parents and friends. The jurors are looking at the quality of the work and not the quantity of work submitted. Unfinished work that shows the potential of the idea is acceptable.
• Inclusion of a sketchbook is helpful for the jurors to see artistic potential.

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Tactile Light: Michael Smithhammer
and FuyOctober 30-November 21, 2013
Opening reception Wednesday,
October 30, 5:30-7:00 PM

All exhibitions at the Nutting Gallery are free and open to the public. The Nutting Gallery is open 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., weekdays, with evenings and weekends available by arrangement. For more information contact Villamagna at 304-336-8370 or at rvillama@westliberty.edu.

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He will be missed and the faculty in the College of Arts and Communication are blessed to have worked with him. The following blog post from WLU alumna Melissa Marshall elegantly reflects on his impact and energy. Additional writings from Melissa, on a variety of topics can be found at .

Are You Down with RPP?

My heart is heavy tonight as I remember the one-and-only, the wonderful and the great, Robert Paul Padgett.

It’s easy to say that I would not be the designer I am today without having Padgett as one of my design professors during my studies at West Liberty. He had radiated passion for graphic design, typography and art. He was happy to share many stories of his life and experiences with others, and his energy was contagious.

He encouraged me to be myself and challenged me to bring my personality into my work. He pushed me to be bold and to be aggressive (former classmates might remember a little Hitler-themed stream of work from me— you can all thank Padgett for that!). He instilled in me an appreciation for diligence and craftsmanship. He taught me to be informed, educated and knowledgable in the reasoning and purpose behind design that I produce.

I feel happy to have been able to jam on my banjo along with Padgett and his gee-tar on several occasions. I will forever think of him when I listen to Bob Dylan and also whenever I hear and sing along with “Rainbow Connection and “Here Comes the Sun.”

“The Padge” had a quite-nice design book collection. When borrowing one of his books once, he shared with me his system of knowing what books were his. Students throughout the years would decide to “lose” the books they borrowed from him. He developed a system of writing his initials on page 55 of his books, so if he ever came across them, he would know he had found his copy! I thought this was brilliant and decided to integrate his system into my own collection. Where he wrote “PP”, in my design books I write “MM.”

He would share with us both hilarious and interesting stories from his life. One fall semester during one of our ‘What did you do during summer vacation?’ conversations, he shared with us that he got a jaywalking ticket while visiting his son. It must have been the charisma he expressed while telling his story that led me to add “acquire a jaywalking ticket” to my Things-to-Do-in-Life-List. I know. No normal person would do this. But his stories were always so amusing and intriguing. I want to live a life at least half as exciting as Padgett’s.

Never dull, never boring; I will never forget our design trips to New York City. Those who attended these 5-day trips know exactly what I mean.

A few stories from those art and design trips stick out in my mind. Without going in to detail, these memories involve:

A concussion. A fire escape. Paul Padgett. An eye injury. A 2nd concussion.
School van. Roof of school van. Paul Padgett. Low clearance parking garage entryway.
I am proud of the education that I had at West Liberty University (then West Liberty State College) and am honored to have had Professor Paul Padgett as one of my educators and mentors.

I stepped in this past spring semester to teach Paul’s Advanced Typography class which turned out to be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences so far in my professional career in graphic design. I had no training in teaching, I only knew what I had learned during my schooling and what I had experienced through work. What really fueled me through this experience was channeling the pure passionate excitement that “Padge” delivered to us in class when I was his student. As I mentioned earlier, it was contagious. So I did my best to bring his energy for typography into my teachings. As a class we would make common references to Padgett— “If you can’t make it good, make it big. If you can’t make it big, make it red.” And then the well-known Padgett response that everyone loved, yet dreaded, was often expressed— I can hear and feel it now, that suspenseful ”Oooh… ” which was always of course paired with his trademark skip/stumble-step-move and that enthusiastic hand motion thing he would do. All of that, all at once. Classic Padge.

I used to joke with him, as we all did. Sometimes I would pop my head into Padgett’s office and sing (rap?) to him, “You Down with RPP?!” (his initials…). The typical response would be his inviting laugh with a following entertainingly apprehensive ”Yeah, you know me!”

I am sad for his passing, but he was loved and respected by many and I feel fortunate to have been one of those people.

Melissa Marsall

POSTED BY ADMIN / 2013, DEDICATION, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

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