School of Art + Design news
Art and Interior Design Expo senior capstone show opens April 28, 2023 with reception and awards
Save the date for the opening reception and awards ceremony for Art and Interior Design Expo, held this Friday, April 28 from 5–7 pm in the Beasley Gallery on the second floor of the Performing and Fine Arts building. The Expo is the capstone exhibition for the School of Art + Design’s Spring Class of 2023. Stop to see wonderful work by our graduating seniors in ceramics, interior design, painting, printmaking, new media and sculpture. Enjoy refreshments and meet the artists and designers. Interior design awards will be held prior to the reception from 4–5 pm and 2023-24 art and design scholarships will be announced during the reception at 6 pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Visiting Lecture Series presentation by curator Raimundas Malašauskas
Join us Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 2:20–3:30 pm for a lecture by renowned writer and curator Raimundas Malašauskas. Learn about his questioning and often playful approach to exhibition, and hear first-hand stories about the impact of the war in Ukraine on art and curatorial practices in Russia and Eastern Europe. Everyone is welcome! Zoom ID 766 558 5656, passcode 111.
“Refinish Project” by ID Voice reception and silent auction opens March 29, 2023
The NAU Interior Design student group “ID Voice” presents the “Refinish Project”, a community-minded exhibition and silent auction on display in the Beasley Gallery March 29–April 1 2023. Featured are restored and redesigned furniture pieces, all representing the concept of “reduce – reuse – recycle”. The silent auction begins during the opening reception, Wednesday, March 29 from 5 to 7 pm, and continues during open gallery hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Proceeds from the auction benefit the NAU Interior Design program and local Flagstaff thrift shops.
“Reinventing the Canvas” on display in the Beasley Gallery March 10–24, 2023
“Reinventing the Canvas” is a unique exhibition that transforms the Beasley Gallery space with installations created by students taking the course “Exhibition—Making as an Artistic Medium.” Join us for an opening reception Friday, March 10 5–7 pm or stop by during regular gallery hours Wednesday through Friday, 10 am–4 pm through March 24.
“Made Here” student juried exhibition accepting entries through January 27, 2023
The Beasley Gallery is pleased to invite NAU student artists working in any visual media to submit entries for the Made Here Juried Student Exhibition. Works must be from courses taken in the School of Art (Studio Art, Interior Design or Art Education). Selected works will be on display in the Beasley Gallery from February 9–24, 2023. The original deadline was January 23, but it has been extended to January 27, 2023. Details and entry form are available by scanning the QR code or visiting the prospectus.
BFA Capstone exhibition on display November 16 to December 13, 2022
The BFA Capstone exhibition is now open in the Beasley Gallery on the second floor of the Performing and Fine Arts Building. Stop by Wednesday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm (or by appointment) to celebrate our graduating studio art majors and view their thesis work. The opening reception is Thursday, November 17 from 6–8 pm, and the show is open through December 13.
Free Saturday art workshops for kids October 29 to November 19, 2022
Free youth art workshops are back! Led by talented NAU student instructors in our Art Education program, these fun and free workshops are held at Coconino Center for the Arts every Saturday between October 29 and November 19, 2022. Each class is free, but space is limited, so register your child today.
Visiting Artist in Ceramics workshop and lecture October 20–21, 2022
On Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21, NAU School of Art will host Visiting Artist in Ceramics Peter Beasecker at the NAU Ceramics Complex at 1919 Lone Tree Road. Beasecker is known for his thrown porcelain pots as well as his recent series of “carriers”, dark stoneware vessels that hold numerous cups or bowls within their depths. Beasecker will lead a workshop from 10 am–4 pm both days. He will also give an artist lecture at 4 pm on the Thursday the 20th. Both the workshop and the lecture are free and open to the public.
2022 Women in STEAM event September 29, 2022
The 2022 Women in STEAM event will be held Thursday, September 29, 2022 from 5:30–7:30 pm at the Toasted Owl on Mike’s Pike. Part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science, this year’s Women in STEAM was co-organized by School of Art Professor Barbara Ryan Gartin and features Arts Panelist Janeece Henes, Lecturer in Art Education. Henes will share her story of “reaching the summit” of her 30+ year career in the arts, including her experience in art education and her keen focus on sustainability.
Things Not Seen exhibition in multiple Flagstaff venues fall semester 2022
Things Not Seen is a new art exhibition on suicide awareness and mental health that spans three cultural venues in Flagstaff. This community project was initiated by NAU Assistant Professor Debra Edgerton, who invited faculty and students from across disciplines to explore grief, loss and mental health through artistic expression.
Edgerton explains, “The foundation of the project began in 2020 with student artistic interpretations of the topic following in fall 2021 and spring 2022. The pandemic led to a rise in mental health issues on campus and across the globe. However, the stigma attached to struggles with mental health keeps most students silent from acknowledging their issues or seeking assistance. Things Not Seen provides a space for students to express and engage with grief, loss, hope, and the struggle for self-acceptance through the creative arts.”
Edgerton partnered with Clara M Lovett Art Museum Senior Curator Ty Miller to select student works for inclusion in each venue. Faculty mentors display their artwork alongside their students at the Museum.
Things Not Seen is open to the public and can be viewed at the following venues:
Beasley Gallery
NAU Fine and Performing Arts building, 2nd floor
September 8–October 31, 2022
Wednesday–Friday 10 am to 4 pm
Opening reception: Thursday, October 6, 6–8 pm
Admission: free
Clara M Lovett Art Museum
NAU Old Main building, 2nd floor
September 15–November 22, 2022
Tuesday–Saturday 12–5 pm; visit the website to schedule a visit
Admission: free or suggested donation of $2
Murdoch Community Center
203 East Brannen Avenue, Flagstaff
September 8–October 31, 2022
Monday–Friday 10 am–4 pm; call (928) 226-7566 to confirm visit
Opening reception: Friday, October 7, 5:30–7:30 pm
Admission: free
Spring 2022 BFA Thesis Exhibition May 3–6
The Spring 2022 BFA Thesis Exhibition will be on display from May 3–6, 2022 in Beasley Gallery on the second floor of the Performing and Fine Arts building. The gallery is free and open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm daily, and there is a closing reception on Friday, May 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Join us in congratulating our graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts class and to wishing them well in their future endeavors!
Applications for 2022-23 NAU School of Art scholarships due April 1, 2022
The School of Art is offering scholarships for the 2022–23 school year. Full time NAU students can visit nau.edu/art/resources/scholarships for information and forms. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 1 at 5 pm.
NAU Sculpture hosts a mold making and casting demonstration on Thursday, March 24, 2022
On Thursday, March 24 from 2:20 to 4:25 pm, Niki Williams from Reynolds Advanced Materials, Phoenix will demonstrate cutting edge mold making and casting materials and techniques at the NAU Sculpture Studio on South Campus. This event is free and open to everyone!
NAU School of Art professors co-host “Contemporary Media Art from Korea” symposium March 7-10, 2022
NAU School of Art professors Jaewook Lee and Kyungmee Byun are co-hosting “Exploring History and Identities: Contemporary Media Art from Korea” from March 7–10, 2022. This virtual symposium brings together prominent media artists, a designer, curators and scholars to discuss how contemporary Korean media art addresses issues of history, the future, diaspora and identity in the era of rapid digital transformation and globalization.
Visiting artist Kyle Johns to give lecture February 24, 2022
The NAU School of Art Ceramics department welcomes visiting artist Kyle Johns. Johns will lead a workshop with students on Thursday, February 24 and Friday, February 25. He will also give a lecture on his colorful sculptures on Thursday at 4 pm in the Ceramics Complex. The lecture is free and open to the public.
School of Art Faculty Exhibition on display at the Clara M. Lovett Museum February 8 to April 23, 2022
The 2022 School of Art Faculty Exhibition will open to the public February 8 through April 23, 2022 in the Clara M. Lovett Museum in the Old Main building on NAU’s North Campus. This exhibition features works by faculty members in a variety of media and styles. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 12:00–5:00 pm. Occupancy is currently limited, so individuals and small groups (10 or less) should make an appointment using Waitwhile application, which can be found on the Museum’s Plan Your Visit page under the dropdown “Schedule your visit and hours of operation.”
Fall semester BFA Thesis Exhibition closing reception December 10, 2021
The School of Art is proud to host the Fall 2021 BFA Thesis Exhibition, featuring capstone work by six graduating Studio Art majors. Join us for a closing reception on Friday, December 10 from 5:30 to 8 pm in the Beasley Gallery on the second floor of the Performing and Fine Arts building. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public, so please drop by to celebrate the hard work of our graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts class and to wish them well in their future endeavors!
Annual Holiday NAU Ceramics Sale December 3–5, 2021
The Annual Holiday NAU Ceramics Sale will take place Friday, December 3 from 3 to 8 PM, Saturday, December 4 from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday, December 5 from 10 AM to 3 PM. Stop by the Ceramics Complex—Building 80 on South Campus—to shop a variety of artwork handmade by NAU students and faculty. It’s a wonderful opportunity to find a unique gift or a new piece for your collection. Sales benefit the artists. In addition, a portion of proceeds funds student scholarships for travel to conferences.
School of Art and the Beasley Gallery sponsor wall mural art contest
The School of Art is hosting a wall mural art contest open to all NAU students. Enter your idea to redesign the 21.5′ x 8′ entry wall to the Beasley Gallery by November 30, 2021. The winning student will receive a $100 gift card and publication of their work. Additional details and submission requirements are in the poster.
School of Art Visiting Lecture Series features artist and FELT founder Kathryn Walter on November 9, 2021
The NAU School of Art’s 2021–22 Visiting Lecture Series welcomes artist and FELT founder Kathryn Walter on Tuesday, November 9 from 12:10 to 1:15 pm MST. Join us on Zoom ID 766 558 5656, passcode 111. Everyone is welcome!
Over the last 30 years, Walter has worked at the intersections of visual art and design. In 2000, she founded FELT, her studio and label dedicated to the material and culture of modern manufactured felt. Her practice has focused on feature walls and interior installations created in collaboration with architects and interior designers across North America. FELT is also a product line of limited edition accessories. Walter’s work has been exhibited at the Gardiner Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, Textile Museum of Canada and Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. In 2019, she received the Allied Arts Medal awarded for craft and collaboration by the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada.
Students in “Art of the Anthropocene” course launch a new VR show
Students in Professor Jaewook Lee’s “Art in the Anthropocene” course have launched a new virtual reality exhibition. With the goal of raising awareness about environmental issues, they gathered recycled materials and turned them into functional objects. Visit this link to join the show and share in what they have created!
ID Expo virtual event on April 23, 2021
On Friday, April 23, the NAU School of Art presents ID Expo, a virtual event celebrating the work of graduating seniors in the Interior Design program. This year’s theme is “Post COVID 19- Coexistence and Symbiosis”. Capstone critiques will be held from 1–3 pm mountain standard time, and awards will be presented from 3–5 pm. The public is invited to attend via Zoom ID 622 802 7265. Join us to celebrate the creativity of our students and wish them well in their future design careers!
Spring 2021 BFA Show opens virtually and in-person
The NAU School of Art’s Spring 2021 BFA Show featuring capstone work by graduating Studio Art majors will be on display on our website beginning Friday, April 16, 2021 at 5 pm mountain standard time. For those who prefer to visit the Spring 2021 BFA Show in person, a selection of works is installed in the Beasley Gallery on the second floor of the Fine and Performing Arts Building (#37) on the Flagstaff Mountain Campus. Viewing is by appointment only and goes through April 30. Contact gallery coordinator Chris Taylor at ChristopherTaylor@nau.edu for more information.
School of Art Visiting Lecture Series features illustrator Jim McNeill April 7, 2021 from 5–6:30 pm
The NAU School of Art continues its 2020–21 Visiting Lecture Series on Wednesday, at 5:00 pm MST (PDT) via Zoom (ID 766 558 5656; passcode 111) with presenter Jim McNeill. Everyone is welcome!
McNeill is an illustrator and animator currently living in Arizona. His clients have included Popular Science, Macy’s, Metro Creative Graphics, the British-American Chamber of Commerce, Philips Lighting and the Gerson Institute. McNeill’s artwork has been exhibited internationally in the Feria Internacional del Mueble de Valencia exposition in Valencia, Spain and in the Society of Illustrators 48th Annual Exhibition in New York City. McNeill is also the animator/ illustrator for Crystal Productions’ award -winning Dropping In On... video/book series. Besides the Dropping In On… series, Jim has created a variety of other art resources for teachers, including the award–winning how–to video, Tessellations: How to Create Them and the book Tessellations: The History and Making of Symmetrical Designs. His most recent digital 3D work has been featured in BlenderNation’s Best of Blender Artists. McNeill is a frequent speaker and workshop presenter in schools and at state and national art education conferences.
Fall 2020 BFA Show opens virtually November 21, 2020
The NAU School of Art’s Fall 2020 BFA Show, which features capstone work by senior Studio Art majors, will be on display virtually beginning Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 5 pm MST. The online gallery will remain on display indefinitely. Work by exhibiting students will also be featured on official @nauschoolofart Instagram and Facebook between November 22 and 25. Join us on any of the platforms to congratulate our graduating seniors and wish them well in their future artistic endeavors!
“Art at Home for Kids & Teens” begins October 9, 2020.
SoA Visiting Lecture Series begins September 24, 2020 with Jon Rubin
The NAU School of Art kicks off its new Visiting Lecture Series on Thursday, September 24 at 5:30 pm via Zoom (ID 766 558 5656; passcode 111) with presenter Jon Rubin. Everyone is welcome!
Rubin is an interdisciplinary artist who creates interventions into public life that re-imagine individual, group and institutional behavior. He has exhibited widely and has received awards from the Art Matters Foundation, the Creative Work Fund, Americans for the Arts, the Creative Capital Award and was a finalist for the International Award for Participatory Art. He is currently an Associate Professor and Graduate Director in the School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University.
Art Education alumna named a Legendary Teacher
2009 Art Education graduate Myralyn McCabe (pictured above) has been named a Legendary Teacher by the governing board of Flagstaff Unified School District. Recipients of this award are honored for building relationships, engaging deeply with students and creating high expectations. McCabe has been the art teacher at Killip Elementary in Flagstaff since 2010.
School of Art launches crowdfunding campaign to support new 2020–2021 Visiting Lecture Series
The School of Art is hosting a crowdfunding campaign as part of our development of a new Visiting Lecture Series. The goal is to raise $5000 by August 1 so we can bring acclaimed and diverse artists, writers and critics from around the world both in-person and virtually to NAU. Throughout the 2020-21 academic year, these artists will interact with students and the community via studio visits, workshops, conversations and presentations.
Mentorship from successful professionals is instrumental to nurturing students’ artistic growth and helping prepare them for the next steps in their careers. If you would like to be a part of building this exciting program, please visit our crowdfunding page for more information or to donate.
Interior Design faculty featured in the May 2020 issue of “COLORED PENCIL”
Assistant Professor of Interior Design J.R. MacKenzie has a drawing featured in this month’s issue of COLORED PENCIL magazine. Called “Tipping the Scales”, it is a lush portrait of a pangolin done entirely in colored pencils. A preview of the page featuring MacKenzie is pictured below (MacKenzie’s artwork top right).
“Art from Home” NAU School of Art’s first social media-based exhibition on display
The School of Art is hosting its first social media-based art contest and exhibition! In late March, students were invited to submit a piece of artwork made since classes transitioned online due to the coronavirus outbreak. Many excellent entries were received, showcasing the incredible creativity of our students. Ten finalists were unveiled in an online show opening on NAU School of Art Instagram and Facebook on Saturday, April 18. The work will be on virtual display indefinitely.
NAU Salon Show on display through March 6, 2020
The NAU Salon Show is now on display in the Beasley Gallery through March 6, 2020. The Salon Show is the first exhibition that showcases all NAU students, regardless of field of study. In addition to regular gallery hours Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 am to 5pm, join us for an opening reception, Friday, February 21 from 5–7 pm. Come celebrate the amazing creativity of our campus community!
Public presentations by finalists for Director of the School of Art
Between January 31 and February 13, 2020, three finalists for Director of the Northern Arizona University School of Art will visit the Flagstaff Mountain campus. NAU students, staff and faculty as well as members of the greater Flagstaff community are invited to attend public presentations on the candidates’ scholarly and creative work. There will be an opportunity for attendees to interact with the finalists and provide feedback on each to the School of Art.
Professor Ed Pogue, Bethany College, will present a lecture on “Totems, Science and Material.”
10:30-11:30 in room 215 in PFA (building #37).
Professor Larry Thompson, Samford University, will present a lecture on “Collaboration and Cheez-its: An Intentional Disruption to One’s Artistic Practice.”
10:30-11:30 in room 215 in PFA (building #37).
Professor Vaughan Judge, Montana State University, will present a lecture on “A Relationship to Making.”
10:30-11:30 in room 207 in PFA (building #37).
Questions about the finalist presentations can be directed to Interim Director of the School of Art Astrid Klocke.
“An Unexpected Journey” by NAU Interior Design professor opens in Riles gallery
“An Unexpected Journey”—new exhibition of artwork by Assistant Professor of Interior Design J.R. MacKenzie—will be on display in the gallery on the second floor of the Riles Building from January 27 to March 13, 2020. Stop by weekdays from 9–5 pm to see MacKenzie’s detailed colored pencil drawings of wildlife and also her abstract acrylic paintings. An opening reception for “An Unexpected Journey” will be held Monday, March 13 from 3–5 pm.
New exhibitions open in the Beasley Gallery; receptions on January 24, 2020
The Beasley Gallery is proud to present its first exhibitions of 2020. On display from January 21–31 are “A Glimpse” and “Junior Show”.
“A Glimpse” is an exhibition by Du Yuanyuan, a recent visiting scholar to NAU and now a teacher at Longdong University in China. Yuanyuan writes about her work: “As numerous entities are experiencing this world. I want to capture every touching moment and let the meaning of life last forever.”
“Junior Show” shows off work by BFA students in their junior year. It’s your chance to see up and coming talent in the School of Art!
An opening reception for “A Glimpse” and “Junior Show” will be held Friday, January 24, 2020 from 5–7 pm in the Beasley Gallery, located on the second floor of the Performing and Fine Arts building on NAU’s Flagstaff campus. Regular gallery hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 am to 5 pm.
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