“Look for deeper meanings in life and in art”: a report on artist Steve A. Prince’s visit to Dordt College, September 1-4, 2012

From a photo shoot of Steve A. Prince’s art exhibition at Dordt College. This photograph illustrates Steve standing next to Exodus: Bread from Heaven which is from the Old Testament series, 2012, 24 in. x 36 in., Linoleum Cut. Photos by Doug Burg.


Steve poses next to Job: Take me to the Water, also from the Old Testament series, Linoleum Cut. To the left is Lamentations: Send your Rain, 2012, Linoleum Cut.

Student recollections (in their words) of quotes from Steve’s presentations:

• Be a Living Epistle
• Keep the light on!
• Be the Ecclesia — “the called out ones”
• MINE your business; dig deeper than the surface
• Confront life’s nastiness
• There are gaping wounds that need to be healed
• Old soil [the past] is doomed to be repeated unless addressed
• Your past may be stained but your future is untouched

Starting Sunday evening (9.2.12) with his exhibition opening Steve Prince was kept very busy for three days and energetically gave of himself to Dordt in so many powerful and challenging ways. Steve is an artist and art educator based in Silver Spring, Maryland; he and his wife Valerie are co-founders of One Fish Studio.

Last Tuesday (9.4.12) Steve wrapped up his time at Dordt College as the First Mondays Speaker, visiting gallery artist, studio guest, and workshop leader. Steve has developed a reputation as an excellent and demanding teacher; he's continually producing artwork and commissions that have received international acclaim while managing a full schedule of gallery exhibitions, workshops, and lectures to audiences of all ages.

On Labor Day Steve spoke in the morning to a full house in the BJ Haan Auditorium and had his audience riveted. The afternoon was dedicated to a monoprint workshop with 18 participants. In the evening event Steve’s presentation was both powerful and profound. He went into more detail and deepened the themes of his morning lecture by showing a more complete body of his artwork. Steve is one of the finest storytellers I’ve ever heard and of great interest to me is the way in which he tells his narratives through visual art. Steve’s evening presentation was titled, “Second Line: The Art of Social Justice.” He began by showing a slide of one of his pieces in the Dordt exhibition titled, “Requiem for Brother John” and described the work which is based on the New Orleans funeral tradition of the dirge as a sad song for the one who has passed away. In Steve’s art the dirge is a metaphor for personal and communal sadness, corruption, and loss – the sad fact that things are not right in the world.

Then as a sure sign of hopefulness Steve followed his “Requiem” piece with the next piece called, “Second Line: Rebirth” in which he described the contrast as “cathartic”. In the New Orleans funeral tradition, after the mourning has taken place, the processional continues as a “Second Line” and becomes a celebration of the life of the one who has passed away. In the afterlife the person's life is made new and he/she is reborn. In Steve’s artwork, the “Second Line” is a metaphor for purification, liberation, and cleansing.

In several ways the themes of the “Dirge” and the “Second Line” are foundational metaphors in most of Steve’s work. His work is intense and challenging, symbolized by very strong black and white contrasts; every aspect of the compositions is full of meaning.

Steve has had a very positive impact on each community that he's been a part of and on those who view his work, as well. His artwork conveys the impact of the New Orleans storytelling tradition. Steve speaks sincerely from his heart and is genuinely interested in making the world a better place to live. Steve's abilities and talents are amazing and we were very fortunate to have him on campus.

Steve Prince’s visit to Dordt College was sponsored by the Andreas Center for Reformed Scholarship and Service.

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Young Ae Kim: visiting designer at Dordt College

above: portrait of Young Ae Kim
below: portfolio project for SangsangMadang — KT&G Imagination Seed Identity Program.
The SangsangMadang company’s website states:

KT&G Imagination Seed is where you grow your artistic imagination:

1. supports new imaginations
2. supports and advocates cultural variety and uniqueness.
3. communicates and shares with the world

The concept of KT&G Imagination Seed:

1. We aim open projects, such as external co-projects, which allow individuals and the public to realize projects that they can plan, exhibit and perform by themselves.
2. We pay attention to and seek out small but worthy art works.
3. We support young artists of design, photography, music bands, etc. with our practical artist support programs.

The Dordt College Department of Art and Design is pleased to announce Young Ae Kim will be on campus Tuesday 11 October as a visiting designer. During the day she will be visiting several classes as well giving an afternoon presentation highlighting her various projects. Young Ae Kim who teaches graphic design at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion is an energetic teacher and versatile designer and artist. Each year she runs the acclaimed week-long graphic design workshop called “Design Habit” which is open to all students who would like to participate.

Here’s the schedule:

Young Ae Kim: Visiting Designer
Tuesday 11 October (All events held in the Art Gallery Lobby)

Dordt College Department of Art and Design

• 9:30 a.m. Senior Seminar (the M.F.A. in Graphic Design)
• 11:00 a.m. Graphic Design 3 (“Imperfect Beauty”)
• Lunch with students and faculty
• 1:30 a.m. AIGA Presentation Young Ae Kim will discuss her personal work.

Young Ae Kim’s USD webpage mentions that:

[She] has a B.F.A. in Industrial Design from Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul Korea and she holds an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah, Georgia. She writes, “I am happy with a design when it makes people smile. There are many ways an object can make someone smile: familiarity, surprise, beauty, satisfaction, pride, simplicity, humor or wonder. If an object stimulates this reaction whilst performing the function for which it was created, then it is well designed.…”

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AIGA Nebraska: “Me, Myself and Design 2011”

Portfolio reviews starting top left clockwise: Senior, Mark Veldkamp with reviewer Craig Hughes, Ervin & Smith; Senior, Addie Krosschell and Justin Kemerling, The Match Factory; Junior, Ellie Dykstra with Erikheath Thomas, Pen-Link, Ltd.; Junior, Annemarie Osinga with Julie Lingbloom, David Day & Associates. Top left photograph courtesy of Paul Berkbigler, Paul Berkbigler Design and Illustration.

Annually, the education arm of AIGA Nebraska organizes an invaluable event called Me, Myself and Design. This year MMD took place on Saturday, 9 April 2011, with a very good turnout in Omaha hosted by Metropolitan Community College—Elkhorn Valley Campus (faculty Jim Wolf and Luann Matthies). This fine event invites graphic design students from various college programs in the region to attend meetings with design professionals. This year the event introduced the theme, “The Future You” to students. Obviously, the focus is on what students needs to know about finding a job and the schedule for the daylong event begins with Q and A breakout sessions with students meeting the professionals. The event culminates, perhaps the highlight, with student portfolio reviews by guest professionals later in the afternoon.

Here are a few notes from the morning panel session that I attended:
“Client’s need design thinkers [problem solvers].” —Anne Maguire, Mutual of Omaha; Justin Schafer, Mutual of Omaha; Stephanie Jarrett, Ervin & Smith; Ben Swift, NoNoArt. All of these designers serve on the AIGA Nebraska board of directors.
Résumé advice for students:
Should have good typographic structure and layout and be easily readable.
Internship advice for students:
As an intern try to develop a role to play while on the job by taking the initiative and asking for work. Don’t be afraid of politely asking for help.

In the afternoon I went to the panel of designers affiliated with so-called independent design firms. This panel featured: Aaron Jarzynka, Local Hero Design; Donovan Beery, Eleven19; John Gawley, Omaha Publications; Clint Runge, Archrival; Adam Torpin, Oxide Design Co. One of points of discussion was about showing passion for design, which reminded me of correspondence I had several years ago with Mary Darby, president of Pulluin Software. I tell students her comments about portfolios and interviews, which are as follows:

Speaking from an employer’s perspective,

I have some definite criteria I use when looking at a candidate for a team position. There are specific elements I feel are helpful in a portfolio—and it is not just a final product, far from it in fact. Over the past few years, I have really learned to look at the process a person follows, their ability to make decisions independently, their proactive approach, teamwork capabilities, critical thinking, communication skills, ability to self-direct, passion, commitment, etc. If the final product is great but I can't see any evidence of the other elements I mentioned, I am not interested in that person as a team member. If the final product is just pretty good but I can see evidence of the things I listed above—I will choose the “pretty good” product over the “great” product every time and I think most employers would agree with me. There are ways to demonstrate these things in a portfolio.

[For instance] passion comes from love for the work itself (the task, process the person takes, the research they do, the torture and angst they go through to reach an end result, etc.) and it also comes from a desire to be part of “something” great.

In regard to measuring passion for the work,

When reviewing a portfolio and when interviewing, I want to see evidence of an acknowledgement of the needs of the project or the client, the process, the angst, the struggle, the identified foundation or solution they came to (why this style—why that color—) and why they chose that solution—some collaboration with others if appropriate, then their thoughts about the end-product and how they feel it meets the needs identified in the beginning of the whole process. Someone who is passionate will go through all of this—and be happy to articulate it or show it in a portfolio. If it is not in the portfolio but on interview they can explain it and I can see facial expressions and body language that would indicate how engaged they are. Passion does not mean a person is overly dramatic, or loud or anything like that—it means you can see the excitement they have for their work. … [1]

1. Darby, Mary. “Portfolio Development.” Message to the author. 2005. e-mail.

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Andy Warhol and the parodic model

The Dordt College 2011 Annual Junior Art Show poster was designed by Ellie Dykstra and others with photography by Annemarie Osinga.

This year’s Junior Art Show poster is an imaginative parody of the parody by referencing Pop artist Andy Warhol’s reproduction of media stars. It may seem obvious, but the art show poster is based on the parody of multiples in Warhol’s Hollywood imago pieces of the 60s and 70s, which he serigraphed photos taken from glossy magazines. The junior students are using pseudo serigraphy from Adobe Photoshop, but I enjoy the colors and density of typed information in the poster layout. In addition, what I appreciate about the Dordt Student’s poster is expressed by the tongue-in-cheek attitude and bright toothy smiles that critique and mimic Warhol’s work but without the mockery, which seems to characterize much of postmodern art parody. The poster is filled with signs of life, energy, and enthusiasm without the inanimate vacuity sometimes associated with Warhol’s Pop art. [1]

This poster, besides being fun, is also about the relationship of images and their originals.

1. Kearney, Richard. The Wake of Imagination. London: Century Hutchinson Ltd. and Routledge, 1988. 254-397. Print.

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“Bulles de Paris Tout P’tits” public awareness poster

This street poster, from March 2010, was located in Paris on the “Champs Elysées” and was a public awareness promotional piece for an association called Paris Tout P’tits. The poster appropriately and effectively uses the “Teddy Bear” identity. Photograph is by versluis © 2010.

The following copy describes the Association and it’s poster promoting a fund-raising event. The copy is from the Paris “Tout P’tits” website (Google translated, modifications are mine):

Paris Tout P’tits (Paris Tots) is an association to distribute food aid and hygiene for babies from disadvantaged families.

Paris Tots is a nonprofit association, founded in 1992 by two people: Monique-Helene Le Menestrel and Sylvain Gilbert, and intended to provide material support to poor families with children in infancy. The aid, which is offered as a package of formula, baby food, and diapers, corresponds to basic needs and personal care for a child.

The association relies on a team comprised solely of volunteers. It offers two reception areas for families and relies on public and private funding for its operation. All of its resources is devoted to the purchase of products for babies.

March 2010 auction at Christie’s of “Bubbles in Paris Tots”

Paris Tots commissioned a hundred cartoonists to draw their pieces on an art board. The theme of the designs were left to the choice of the artist’s imagination and humor.

The drawings and printed catalogs have been exhibited at Christie’s auction house in a sale orchestrated by François Curiel held on Wednesday, March 24.

The sale, which took place in a friendly atmosphere of connoisseurs, friends and supporters of Paris Tots, raised a substantial sum.

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An AIGA visitor: Paul Berkbigler

Copyright for artwork and poster belongs to P.Berkbigler Design & Illustration © 2011.

The amazing Paul Berkbigler will be visiting Dordt College. As Paul says, “to talk about his life on the lamb as an escaped designer and illustrator working independently in the Midwest on projects across America. This event will offer you insights about the brave new world of working virtually from somewhere awfully close to your own living room.”

Join us in the Department of Art and Design Lobby from 4–5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 12 for an open Q&A session. This will be a chance to hear about how AIGA can directly help you.

Paul is a full-time, independent owner, proprietor and general honcho at P.Berkbigler Design & Illustration, which is based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Berkbigler also serves as Director of Education for AIGA Nebraska. His prior lives include: working at Studio X, a small design and illustration firm in St. Louis, Missouri, earning an MFA in graphic and interactive design at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and serving as a full-time professor of design & illustration at Concordia University, Nebraska.

His professional specialties include layout & design, interactive media conceptualization, planning and implementation, motion graphic planning and creation, copy writing, play writing, editing, critical analysis, visual communication research, digital and hands-on illustration, printmaking and print process familiarity.

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Dordt/Northwestern juried student art exhibit: a very friendly rivalry

Poster designed by Ellie Dykstra, Dordt College

The annual Dordt/Northwestern Student Art Exhibit will be hosted by Dordt College this year, in the Campus Center Art Gallery from Dec. 8 through Jan. 9. This student-selected and juried exhibit features current work by art students from both colleges in a wide variety of media and styles.

The public opening reception for the show will be Wednesday, Dec. 8, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery in Sioux Center.

Student jurors will discuss their selections and compare works from both institutions in a dialogue and exchange about what constitutes “good art.”

“The Dordt/Northwestern show is one of the best student shows of the year because of the variety and because it is open to any student from both colleges,” said Rachel Minto, a Dordt senior majoring in philosophy and art with an emphasis in fine art studio. Rachel is one of the jurors. “The entries from Northwestern students had different strengths than those of Dordt students, and they complement each other nicely.”

The joint exhibit by Dordt and Northwestern art students has been an annual tradition since 1999, when Susan Van Geest, a Northwestern graduate and at that time an art professor at Dordt, initiated the shared showcase of student work. The colleges alternate hosting the exhibit, with Dordt students selecting the Northwestern art that will be shown, and Northwestern students selecting the Dordt art that will be shown.

This student selection process produces an exhibit of 40 to 50 pieces and always yields a wide variety of images, styles, mediums, and surprises. Works expected for this exhibit include painting, drawings, mixed media, printmaking, photography, sculpture, and ceramic works of all kinds.

Article taken from the the Dordt College News.

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Joe Sparano: Visiting Graphic Designer Notes

The following notes are from Joe Sparano’s visit to Dordt College last month and were submitted by Matt Van Rys, adjunct instructor in web design at Dordt. We certainly want to thank Matt for providing excellent minutes. —blog editor

Meeting Notes by Matt Van Rys:

Before getting into Joe’s presentation, it is important to note two interesting facts that came out at the very end of the Question and Answer section:

Superman Versus Batman? — Batman

DC Versus Marvel? — DC

The Black Knight Pinball Machine at the offices of Oxide Design Co.

Joe’s Employer:
Oxide Design Co., Omaha, Nebraska
Professional graphic designer for 7 years, graduated 2004 from University of Nebraska Omaha.

• 3 Person Staff: (identified as right to left above) Drew (founding member – 9 years), Joe and Adam (newest member – 3 years)
• Building: Old Hardware store with vintage Neon Sign, Wall with giant logo mark, Lego village with radio operated train in front window with OXIDE letters on train cars and The Black Knight Pinball Machine.
• Workspace: Everybody has own workspace, but open to each other. Group space for meeting and concepting designs.
• Open workspace allows for perpetual communication and free form design work. Ownership of individual work spaces, like shelves of toys, lego cup and other personal markers.
• Workplace Dogs: Glady and Rosie!

Joe, Oxide and Problem Solving:
The ability to solve visual problems with unique solutions is the key to Graphic Design.

Sample Projects:

• “Ready Collective” — A company based in helping other companies and groups rethink or think differently. Challenge: Designing an identity to capture the idea of non-traditional thinking with clarity of the finished thought. Solution: Camel “R” and Croissant “C” etc. Using colors to relate R & C illustrations to the Ready Collective logo. Using unique marks to link off-the-wall ideas with a polished workable finished concept.
• “The Biatomic Point” — (A feeling shared by two people). Challenge: How do we illustrate a shared experience while combining the idea of science and rocking out. Solution: A simple mark that solves an arguably complicated problem. B + P with the lightning bolt rocking out.
• “BIG OMAHA” — Conference for technical inventors to meet with small business entrepreneurs. Challenge: How do we represent Connecting/challenge, Midwest and something big (the big new idea). Solution: Cow with various illustrations. What do people do with the Cow? Or, how do people react to new ideas? It’s about interpretation, response and problem solving.

Inspiration for Joe:
Darwyn Cooke (Illustrator)

• Superb action of comics captured in relatively simple renderings.
• Simplicity, don’t over complicate.
• Mad Man (Television Drama) Writing for TV (Showing the Old Pitch) — Season 1 Finale, trying to concept a name for the Kodak slide projector. “Carousel” – captures the magic and fun of photo memories.
• Jim Henson (Puppeteer – Extraordinaire) — Super Creative. Turning a small felt puppet into a character with personality. Solving a problem, with a simple Muppet solution and creating a lasting, memorable metaphor.
• Clint Mansell (Film Score Composer) — Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain… Evoking emotion and experience from raw music.
• The Spork (Plastic Utensil) — Solves a problem – perhaps one of the best solutions ever. Spoon + fork + plastic = giveaway solution to a complex restaurant problem.
• The Oxide Blog: Hey Students Series – Sharing knowledge before it’s too late to learn it or use it effectively.
  
  

The Question and Answers (And some sweet Oxide Swag)
Q. Did you remodel the hardware store space at Oxide?
A. Actually an architect remodeled the hardware store prior to Oxide’s existence. We kept the huge bookshelf storage and removed the walls between desks to create a more open and collaborative work environment.

Q. Can you describe the collaboration?
A. Working together, specifically in the conception stage. Sometimes divide, but always conquering together.

Q. What’s the balance of Technology versus hands on?
A. The Oxide group starts by sketching together on paper. It creates an easy place to quickly create and also eliminate less than stellar ideas early on before bringing the computer into the picture.

Q. Internships @ Oxide?
A. In Joe’s case, he came to portfolio review night and he was called later for internship. A good way to start with any business is to simply ask for feedback on your portfolio. Also, represent yourself as a student, a work in progress. Most people will respect your honesty.

Q. General Typographic Work…Regular Design, Forms?
A. Oxide participated in the AIGA National Initiative for ballet standards. This project was a true genesis of Information Design, sort of extreme problem solving for an important but possibly confusing form that a wide variety of people would use.

Q. Does Oxide work in web design?
A. Oxide prefers print design, however, designing the look of something (a website, flash site, standalone app, mobile app) is fine, but other developers, programmers and designers can be more skilled and produce a finer finished product. We feel that it is sometimes best to hire a professional for certain tasks.

Q. What applications do you use primarily?
A. We use the Adobe Suite…not much for alternatives, but it is an imperfect solution. We use Illustrator for hard edge artwork and then move into Photoshop.

Q. How do you stay fresh?
A. Try to find design inspiration everywhere; always be on the look out for good problem solving. One example is www.logopond.com great logos and problem solving.

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The Art of Hatch Show Print Posters

If you get a chance to catch the The Marty Stuart Show, which airs Saturdays at 7 p.m. CT on RFD-TV you’ll get to see some classic Hatch Show Print letterpress posters as part of the set design. The Marty Stuart Show is produced in Nashville, Tennessee.

As the show opens, announcer Eddie Stubbs stands in front of a WSM Grand Ole Opry poster. The montage of photographs shown above is from the TV show and from a YouTube video that shows Jim Sherradan printing a color variation of the same poster that’s used as the background for Mr. Stubbs.

Many people seem to appreciate the look and feel of letterpress printing — especially the letters, images, and throwback appearance of music and art posters produced by Hatch Show Print of Nashville. Letterpress is old-style printing with press pressure that impresses type and images into the paper. In the last several years Jim Sherradan and his team at Hatch Show Print have received acclaim through AIGA presentations along with a traveling exhibition showcasing their work. Sherradan interestingly refers to the work of Hatch Show Print as “preservation through production.”

“Advertising without posters is like fishing without worms.”
— The Hatch Brothers

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Promising Land / Project by René Clement

René Clement is a good friend and has been a guest presenter for the AIGA Dordt College Student Group. Thus, we're giving him and his book project a “shout-out”. The photographs — all of which are shot on location in Sioux County, Iowa are make-ready and now all that’s needed is funding. You may check on his project, which is a combination of fondness, curiosity, and parody at Kickstarter.

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Joe Sparano, graphic designer for Oxide Design Co., will be at Dordt Wednesday October 27

Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent. —Joe Sparano

The AIGA Dordt College student group is proud to present Joe Sparano a graphic designer for Oxide Design Co. of Omaha, Nebraska. Sparano, an active member of AIGA Nebraska, will be here Wednesday October 27 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Ribbens Academic Complex room CL1223. All are invited to join us.

Joe doesn’t exactly enjoy writing about himself. Truth be told, he’s kind of embarrassed about it — because it implies that he's done something especially important with his life.

Until that happens (and he’s confident that it will), Joe is proud to have had his work recognized by Communication Arts, AIGA 365, and One Show.

Joe believes in the power of design to make the world a less convoluted, more breathable place. In fact, New York State’s voter registration form (which was designed by Joe and the rest of the Oxide team) has been printed 2.5 million times. Joe hopes (sincerely) that his work has simplified the lives of as many people.

Joe is also the inventor of The Sparano System™, an uncomplicated method for evaluating everything. You can read all about it at sparanosystem.com. (In case you were wondering, he’d give the quality of writing in this bio a “Not Great”.)

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collage and assemblage invitational exhibition at Dordt 5

Daniel Weiss
Visitation Nighthawk, c.2001
Assemblage
photograph of the artwork by Doug Burg © 2010

In the past week we’ve been featuring artists who are participating in the Dordt Collage and Assemblage Invitational Exhibition (see previous four posts). The show opens today October 13 in the Campus Center Art Gallery and will be on display until November 30, 2010. In this last installment we feature Daniel Weiss of Des Moines, Iowa. Daniel’s work, in the show, is on loan from the Roy Behrens and Mary Synder Behrens collection.

Daniel Weiss contributes his work in exhibitions throughout the United States, most recently in an installation of objects and assemblages at the Des Moines Art Center. His assembled paintings have been included in the publication New American Paintings. Years of drawings, collage, cutouts and now the restoring and renovating of houses have led him to the assembled paintings displayed in the exhibition. “I am a student of a form’s surface and of the psychological natures of its layers and configurations.” Weiss has an AA degree from North Iowa Area Community College, a BA in Art Education from Iowa State University in Ames, and has recently completed an MFA in Visual Arts from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. He is a sculptor, a consultant and mentor at Innovative Learning Professionals in Des Moines, and teaches visual studies at Johnston Senior High School and Des Moines Area Community College in Des Moines.

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collage and assemblage invitational exhibition at Dordt 4

David Kamm
Stick Series
6 inches width x 25 inches height
Collage and Assemblage
photograph of the artwork by Doug Burg © 2010

We’re featuring artists who are participating in the Dordt Collage and Assemblage Invitational Exhibition (see previous three posts). The show is scheduled to open on October 13 in the Campus Center Art Gallery. In this installment we recognize David Robert Kamm from Decorah, Iowa.

David Kamm is trained as a printmaker and his work reflects aesthetic concerns such as image transfer, serial imagery, and multiple image manipulations that leave a visual record of the creative process. His “stick assemblages” are intimate pieces made from his own prints, cut into pieces, and recombined with wooden sticks to make a new artwork. Also being displayed will be selected works from a series of text-based collages entitled, Transformations. Kamm earned his MA and MFA in printmaking from the University of Iowa, and he is currently an Assistant Professor of Art and the Gallery Coordinator at Luther College. His work is included in collections such as The International Museum of Collage, Assemblage and Construction in Cuernavaca; the Vatican Collection of Modern Art; the Print Consortium of Kansas City, and the Popular Culture Library at Bowling Green State University.

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collage and assemblage invitational exhibition at Dordt 3

John Washington
Smallfinds (Number Five)
Digital Collage 2009
photograph of the artwork by Doug Burg © 2010

We’re featuring artists who are participating in the Dordt Collage and Assemblage Invitational Exhibition (see previous two posts). The show is scheduled to open on October 13 in the Campus Center Art Gallery. In this installment we recognize John Washington from the UK. A nice piece about John’s print series Smallfinds was published by Professor Roy Behrens in The Poetry of Sight, December 2009.

John Washington finds digital collage is a medium that lends itself to the creation of highly personal artistic outcomes. His series, Smallfinds, is about remembrance, memory and mortality, and was completed following the death of his father. He is a senior lecturer in graphic design at the University of Bolton, UK, where he also teaches digital media and e-learning strategies. He has a Master’s Degree in Digital Image and Media.

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collage and assemblage invitational exhibition at Dordt 2

Mary Snyder Behrens
Judges 3
Collage 2009
photograph of the artwork by Doug Burg © 2010

We’re featuring artists who are participating in the Dordt Collage and Assemblage Invitational Exhibition (see previous post). The show is scheduled to open on October 13 in the Campus Center Art Gallery. In this installment we recognize Mary Snyder Behrens of Dysart, Iowa. Mary’s series titled Judges relies on her keen sensitivity with layered materials for impact.

Mary says her work offers many visual emblems that are metaphors of memory, both wonderful and horrible. “They are inextricably tangled up with the experiences of my waking life and become for me, the larger universal paradigm within which we all struggle to coexist.” She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and studied at Mount Mary College (Milwaukee), and at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

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collage and assemblage invitational exhibition at Dordt

Roy R. Behrens
Nautilus Bridge
Digital Collage 2004
photograph of the artwork by Doug Burg © 2010

SIOUX CENTER, IA — Some art commentators have pointed to collage as the most significant development in the visual arts between the camera (nineteenth century) and the computer (twentieth century). That is the basis for a Collage and Assemblage Invitational Exhibition, to be presented at the Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery October 13 through December 1.

The blend and cohabitation of traditional and new media techniques will be demonstrated in the work of five artists: John Washington, Preston, Lancashire, UK; Mary Snyder Behrens and Roy R. Behrens, Dysart, Iowa; David Kamm, Decorah, Iowa; and Daniel Weiss, Des Moines, Iowa.

We plan to do installment posts for each artist — today we feature Roy R. Behrens.

Roy R. Behrens has taught at art schools and universities for over 35 years, and says, “As a person who delights in teaching, I purposely make no distinction between my classroom teaching and my studio work.” In Behrens’ case, that work is an amalgamation of research, writing, exhibiting and designing. “I learn from students every day, and then use what I gain from them to inform and strengthen whatever I do.” He teaches graphic design, illustration and design history at the University of Northern Iowa, and was nominated for a National Design Award sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution. He is the author of Camoupedia: A Compendium of Research on Art, Architecture and Camouflage; False Colors: Art, Design and Modern Camouflage; and Cookbook: Gertrude Stein, William Cook and Le Corbusier.

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Erik Rodne of HenkinSchultz—visiting designer at Dordt—will be here this Wednesday

Pomp and circumstance(s)

The AIGA Dordt College Student Group is very pleased to announce that our first visiting designer this year is Erik Rodne. Erik is currently a graphic designer (print + web) for HenkinSchultz Communication Arts in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He has won several awards for his design work.

Erik will be visiting this Wednesday September 22, 2010.

His evening presentation is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. in CL1223 and he’ll focus on the AIGA South Dakota and about his design practice. All those interested are invited to attend. In addition, Erik will a visiting designer/guest critic for the graphic design I class that afternoon. Those interested can stop by anytime between 12 noon to 1:50 p.m. in CL1310.

Erik describes himself as an honest, hard-working designer who effectively crafts visual solutions for print and web projects. He’s a strong proponent of developing a project brief to help further define the target, primary message and success of each project.

Rodne says, “More than type and image the spirit of graphic design is carried through this century in the craftsmanship of ideas. And as I craft my future I envision daily creative challenges met with outstanding visual solutions. I am interested in the skillful, the masterly, the articulate designs; I seek further insight into the essence of creative virtuosity and to further develop my own pneuma. Most all areas of this trade excite me especially typography and the creation of typefaces. Through a myriad of expressive possibilities coupled with precise attention to detail and craftsmanship I enjoy discovering that altogether higher level in the art of communication and public service.”

Erik is a 2008 alumnus of South Dakota State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design and a minor in Computer Science.

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Dordt College art gallery features “The Prodigal Son”

The Prodigal Son in Modern Life: typographic front piece – The Parable of the Prodigal Son
James Jacques Joseph Tissot
Etching with Drypoint, 14" x 18"
1881



The parable of the Prodigal Son, presented in a variety of artistic styles and interpretations, is now on exhibit at the Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery.

“The Father and His Two Sons: images of the Prodigal Son from the Larry and Mary Gerbens Collection” can be seen daily until October 1. A gallery reception will be held Wednesday Sept. 8, from 6-7:30 p.m.

Each piece in the exhibition visually interprets the parable of the Prodigal Son. Themes such as greed, regret, repentance, forgiveness, jealousy, reconciliation and self-righteousness are featured in the work.

Rembrandt, Sebald-Beham, Tissot, and Thomas Hart Benton are noted artists in the collection, and there are also commissioned pieces by regional artists such as Joel Tanis, Edgar Boeve, and Jon McDonald.

The collection began as a response to the book, “The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming,” by Henri Nouwen. Inspired by Nouwen’s personal and introspective style, Larry and Mary Gerbens, Grand Rapids, began acquiring art with the Prodigal Son theme. They donated the work to Calvin College in 2008, and the collection is now made available for exhibitions across the U.S. The show at Dordt College is the first time the collection has been made available in Iowa.

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Liturgical Art and Design

Sacrament Banners: Communion, © David Versluis 2000

On display in the Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery, for part of the summer, is a retrospective exhibition of liturgical banners designed by Dordt professor David Versluis. The show will open on Wednesday, May 19 and will run until Wednesday, July 14. The banners are on loan from Westview Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan.


Sacrament Banners: Presence of the Holy Spirit, Baptism; © David Versluis 2000

Just prior coming to Dordt, in 2001, Versluis was commissioned by Westview CRC’s Worship Committee to develop a new series of worship banners. Featured in the show are banners that highlight and celebrate the sacraments of baptism, The Lord’s Supper and “The Word” (pulpit paraments) as reminders of the “means of grace”. Marilyn Vanden Heuvel of Cutlerville, Michigan fabricated each of these appliquéd banners. In addition, a baptismal banner specially commissioned by Robert and Mary Molewyk Doornbos, of Grand Rapids, celebrating the birth of their son is included in the show. The Doornbos banner is now a piece that is brought out and used for every congregational baptismal occasion at Westview. Joan Dykstra of Grand Rapids fabricated the banner.

The last piece in the show is the “Firstfruits” banner, which was commissioned by the Westview CRC diaconate for the annual congregational stewardship, giving and budgeting process. Versluis’s design is somewhat based on the biblical Old Testament “Feast of Firstfruits” known as Yom HaBikkurim.

During the 1980’s and 90’s Versluis developed numerous worship banners for Faith CRC, Tinley Park, Illinois and Westview CRC. Versluis credits his teacher, artist, Chris Stoffel Overvoorde for his interest in liturgical art.

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“Persuader” Images on the Champs-Élysés in Paris

“What makes some brands inspirational while others struggle?” This is the question posed by ad executive Kevin Roberts in the website Lovemarks. Mr. Roberts is Chief Executive Officer Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi.

Awhile back, Roberts was featured in FRONTLINE’s report, The Persuaders. During the interview he responded to the question, “What is a Lovemark?” Although his response mentions Adidas, the same perhaps could be said about Nike or some other compelling brand. Roberts answers this way:

A Lovemark is a brand that has created loyalty beyond reason; it’s infused with mystery, sensuality and intimacy, and that you recognize immediately as having some kind of iconic place in your heart. And I’ll give you two personal stories of mine. Maybe eight weeks ago now, I was in Seattle talking to 3,000 college professors — not a very stimulating kind of way to spend the day. And I went to the Adidas concept store in Seattle. I didn't need anything, nothing. $880 later and four bags later, I staggered out of the Adidas store, and I felt great, because I love Adidas and I always have. There’s no reason for it. It's beyond reason. I didn't need anything in these bags. I bought stuff for my wife, for my kids, for me. I had no guilt, and I had no sense of “You stupid whatever, you just dropped 880 bucks.” I didn’t care; I felt great. I have loyalty beyond reason to Adidas, largely because of their heritage, their authenticity. If I try to rationalize how I’ve developed this — as I was growing up playing rugby, Adidas were the best rugby boots — but there's no reason really. I don’t know why. They commune with me.

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