Ceramics alumni, students, faculty present "Multiple Landscapes" at NCECA conference
Several exhibition expenses were funded by generous donor support
A group of more than a dozen MFA and BFA alumni, students, and faculty from the Ceramics program came together to present their dynamic group exhibition, "Multiple Landscapes," at the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference in Richmond, Virginia in March 2024.
"Multiple Landscapes" included the work of Ceramics faculty—Associate Professor Bryan Czibesz, Lecturer Lilly Zuckerman, and Professor Emerita Anat Shiftan—as well as 14 current and former Ceramics MFA students: Philip Adams, Geoff Booras, Laura Dortmans, Sarah Heitmeyer, Emilie Kim, Anna Kruse, Brianna McQuade, Bri Murphy, Kayla Noble, Paige O’Toole, Chrystal O’Boyle, Emily Parker, Lauren Sandler, and Yage Wang.
Newly Formed Department of Design Completes First Year
The 2023-24 academic year saw the ushering of the newly formed Department of Design, which consists of the undergraduate Graphic Design program and the graduate Digital Design and Fabrication program. Previously, Graphic Design was a program within the Department of Art, while Digital Design and Fabrication was an interdisciplinary project between the schools of Fine and Performing Arts and Science and Engineering.
Design faculty reported a busy first year as a department, filled with collective pride and energy from our students—including a jam-packed Design Week and an exciting and inspiring year-end Design Show at Wooster Hall.
"Coming together in a new department gives our students a community of practice centered around our combined strengths," said Associate Professor Aaron Nelson, director of the Digital Design and Fabrication graduate program. "The cross pollination of ideas helps to facilitate deeper conversations and more complexity in thinking about ways to harness the transformative capability of design."
New MAT in Visual Arts Education Approved
F&PA will soon have a new offering for graduate students: a Master of Arts in Teaching program in Visual Arts Education. The program received approval from SUNY in May, and will begin recruiting students for the first cohort in the 2024-25 school year.
The new MAT in Visual Arts Education program will be geared toward artistic professionals who are looking to transition into a teaching career, and do not hold any previous teaching certifications. The degree will lead to an initial teaching certification.
Meanwhile, the School will continue to offer its existing Master of Science in Visual Arts Education program, which caters to students who have already achieved their initial teaching certification through an undergraduate program.
From nasad.arts-accredit.org
NASAD Accreditation Visit
The Departments of Art, Art History and Design had a successful accreditation visit with the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) in March. Accreditors met with several student and faculty groups, and got the chance to check out several exhibitions of student work across campus, including in the Smiley Arts Building, Fine Arts Building, College Theatre, Sojourner Truth Library, and Old Library.
F&PA Associate Dean Thomas Albrecht reported NASAD visitors as saying their New Paltz visit "was overwhelmingly positive, with the reviewers stating that they were truly impressed with our programs, faculty, and observed student learning outcomes. They were particularly complimentary of our exhibited student work and noted that they felt there was high morale among the faculty, who they pointed out as 'committed and empathetic.'"
Sophie Landres / From sites.newpaltz.edu/news
New Staff Members at the Dorsky
The Dorsky Museum appointed Sophie Landres as its new curator and exhibitions manager in September 2023. According to the Office of Communication and Marketing, "Landres is a curator, art historian, educator and arts writer who comes to New Paltz following recent roles as Director and Curator at River Valley Arts Collective in the Hudson Valley and as a Guest Curator at multiple art spaces in New York." Landres holds a Ph.D. in art history and criticism from Stony Brook University; an MFA in Art Criticism and Writing from The School of Visual Arts; and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa. Learn more about Landres and her appointment on the SUNY New Paltz news website.
In December 2023, the Dorsky also welcomed Brian Willmont as its new communications manager. Prior to his arrival at New Paltz, Willmont worked as an artist and curator in Brooklyn, and has exhibited works throughout New York State and nationwide. Learn more about Willmont and see his work at his website.
Aki Goto, “Roomie Shots,” 2022, pen ink and colored pencil on paper / Courtesy Europa Gallery
Dorsky announces 2024 Hudson Valley Artists Purchase Award
The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art announced in April that Aki Goto, a Catskill-area artist, is the recipient of the 2024 Hudson Valley Artists Purchase Award.
The Dorsky will acquire Goto’s pen ink and colored pencil drawing on paper, “Roomie Shots” (2022), which was exhibited in the “Hudson Valley Artists 2024: Bibliography” exhibition that ran from February through April 2024.
Read the full SUNY New Paltz news story on the 2024 Hudson Valley Artists Purchase Award.
Dahn Gim, Erin (From the series “Names I Had You Call Me”), 2018, Leather covered muffler / Courtesy the artist
“Mis/Communication: Language and Power in Contemporary Art” opens June 15 at The Dorsky
The Dorsky Museum presents “Mis/Communication: Language and Power in Contemporary Art,” a new exhibition of work by 16 artists exploring language and its varying roles and functions in social, political and global exchange.
“Mis/Communication” will open June 15 and remain on view through Nov. 3. The exhibition is guest curated by Amy Kahng.
Read the full press release about "Mis/Communication" on the SUNY New Paltz news website.
