2008 Studio - VCUarts - Virginia Commonwealth University

Studio
2008

In the fall of 2007, more than 100 VCUarts students submitted proposals for the 2008 Undergraduate Research grants. It was difficult selecting the most worthy, as so many of the
submissions were impressive. The awards, totaling $25,000, are based on interdisciplinary interaction, collaboration, creativity, and potential significance of the project.
Postmodern Narrative in Cinema
VCU/Public Recycling Enhancement
The Abaya as Inspiration for Fashion Design
The team researched aspects of postmodern works of literature
that have been used to a film’s benefit. The students also
examined previous attempts at adapting postmodern novels into
films. They applied this research to the creation of a multimedia art
installation the centerpiece of which was a short film that contains
elements of postmodern narrative and visual interpretations of the
literary techniques used in postmodern literature. The project’s
investigation and application of research points toward a way in
which postmodern novels could be better adapted into films.
Michael Bryant, Cinema; Stephen Farris, Cinema; Dominic
Butchello, Art Foundation Program (AFO); Cole Sullivan, AFO
Award: $3,700
Faculty Mentor: Rob Tregenza, Director of Cinema
Deconstruction-Reconstruction
VCU’s current recycling program only occurs within its buildings.
Research involved analysis of critical high-density pathways on
campus in order to accommodate the need for recycling activity
that occurs between buildings. VCU construction parameters,
sustainable material specification options, and examples of
successful institutional precedents were examined. Analysis of
this information was synthesized for the design and manufacturing
of a prototype recycling bin appropriate for utilitarian outdoor use.
Zachary Becker, Interior Design; Chase Cochran, Interior Design;
David Choe, Craft/Material Studies; Matthew Brett, Sculpture +
Extended Media; Carlton Morgan, Sculpture + Extended Media
and Craft/Material Studies
Award: $4,250
Faculty Mentor: Camden Whitehead, Interior Design
Terranet–Microsoft’s 2008 Imagine Cup
VCU Fashion Design juniors collaborated with six Fashion Design
seniors from VCU in Qatar on a project that used the abaya (robe
worn by Muslim women) as inspiration. The designs were critiqued
by the VCUQatar students and produced by tailors in Qatar. The
experience tested how well ideas are communicated and received.
The finished garments were included in both the VCU and VCUQatar
annual fashion shows spring 2008. This project was the first crosscampus
and cross-cultural collaboration between VCU and VCUQatar
fashion design departments.
Fashion Design students from Richmond: Natalie Hakim, Kelli
Green, Nicole Osborne, Ra-Yeon Jang, Audrey Leeon, Shanna Shin,
Shelby Day, Jessica Goodspeed, Corey Stewart, Lindsey French,
Amy Galles, Holly Sullivan, Kendra Palin, Cara Hodge, Kathleen Gary,
Darryl Schneider, Brittany Monteith
Award: $2,000
Faculty Mentors: Kim Guthrie, Department of Fashion Design &
Merch.; Sandra Wilkins, VCU Qatar Department of Fashion Design
Richmond Film Studio Feasibility
Garments and accessories were created using various
construction, fabric manipulation, surface design, and stitching
techniques in order to recycle and reuse the fabric scraps. Muslin
and scrap metal were used in the construction of accessories and
custom hardware for the pieces. One-of-a-kind garments and
accessories will be entered into multiple design competitions.
Casey Bianco, Fashion Design; Sarah Holden, Craft/Material
Studies; Brittany Felter, Craft/Material Studies; Jessica Lee,
Fashion Design; Soo Kim, Fashion Design; Josefina Stephens,
Fashion Design
Award: $3,600
Faculty Mentors: Kristin Caskey and Linda Lee, Department of
Fashion Design & Merchandising; Sonya Clark, Susie Ganch,
and Julia Pfaff, Department of Craft/Material Studies; Dr. Cindy
Kissel-Ito, School of World Studies
The team created a multi-player real time strategy game for the
2008 Imagine Cup competition theme “imagine a world where
technology enables a sustainable environment.” Players were
faced with the choice of using renewable energy sources or
fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources to create a
stable futuristic society. The goal–to make a digital experience
that is fun and visually compelling while still having a prominent
theme of environment conservation.
Cody Wright, Kinetic Imaging; Matt Taylor, Communication
Arts; Francis Yaconiello, Business/Information Systems; Chris
Bradford, Business/Information Systems
Award: $5,000
Faculty Mentors: Cody Wright, Kinetic Imaging and Francis
Yaconiello, Business/Information Systems
The students explored the feasibility and benefits that a film
studio may have in the Richmond, Virginia area. This team
examined the possibility, practicality, benefits and sustainability
of the creation of a film studio in the community from an
economic, technical and social perspective.
Ian Edwards, Cinema; Nathaniel Mollick, Cinema; John Charles
Schneider, Cinema; Zach Snowden, Cinema
Award: $1,450 (additional travel funding support from
Cinema Program)
Faculty Mentor: Rob Tregenza, Director of Cinema
All photos on this page: Grace Johnston, VCU Graphics Lab

VCUarts is once again ranked the #1 public university school of arts and design
in the country by U.S. News & World Report (2009).
Specialty rankings from that report honored the following eight VCUarts graduate programs:
Sculpture #1 overall
Graphic Design #4 overall – #1 among public universities
Painting #8 overall – #3 among public universities
Fiber Arts #4 overall – #1 among public universities (Dept. of Craft/Material Studies)
Glass #5 overall – #1 among public universities (Dept. of Craft/Material Studies)
Multimedia/Visual Communications #9 overall – #3 among public universities
(likely a combination of our departments of Communication Arts, Graphic Design,
Photography and Film, and Kinetic Imaging)
Ceramics #12 overall – #6 among public universities (Dept. of Craft/Material Studies)
Printmaking #17 overall – #10 among public universities (Dept. of Painting & Printmaking)
In short, VCUarts has the highest ranking ever achieved by a public university
school of arts and design and is the only public university to consistently rise
in the rankings.
www.vcu.edu/arts/overview/national_rankings
Photo credit: Teresa Engle
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In 1996, a worldwide search began for universities regarded as the
top schools in their fields, so an educational center could be created
in the Middle Eastern state of Qatar. In 1997, VCU School of the
Arts was contacted to determine its interest in offering some of
the same programs as on its Richmond campus. Consequently, the
Shaqab College of Design Arts operated by VCU opened its doors
in fall of 1998 to a class of 33 female students. The school in Doha,
Qatar began to offer sophomore level courses in Graphic Design,
Interior Design and Fashion Design in 1999. The branch campus,
VCUQatar, replaced the Shaqab College of Design Arts in 2002.
Offices within the Pollak Building have changed dramatically over the summer.
In addition to the new Qatar Support Office, VCUarts Admissions now has its
own space. As part of that group, we welcome two new faces.
Erin Neff, VCUarts Admissions Counselor
Erin answers questions about VCUarts majors,
the admissions process and VCU in general.
She graduated in 2007 with dual VCUarts degrees
– Craft/Material Studies and Art Education.
Dr. Eugene Trani, VCU President; Dr. Abdullah Al-Thani,
Qatar Foundation Vice President of Education; and Thomas
Rosenthal, Rector VCU Board for the of Visitors Virginia Rector, Board of at Visitors the VCUQatar
the
VCUQatar ground breaking ground ceremony breaking ceremony
Today, as VCUQatar celebrates its 10th anniversary, it boasts 197
students, 35 faculty members and more than 180 alumni, and a
co-ed student body. VCUQatar has made significant contributions
to the state of Qatar and the region by providing outstanding design
education, developing innovative research, and advancing the
design profession.
In June 2008, on the eve of the ten year anniversary, VCUQatar
held a ground breaking ceremony to commemorate the expansion
of its building. A proposal and planning are in the works to offer
a masters degree in design and to build a large library and more
facilities to support the growing needs of the student population.
www.qatar.vcu.edu
Jessica Sumpter, Admissions Liaison
Jess is the first face you’ll see when visiting the
Dean’s Office and she is the helpful voice on the
line of 804-VCU-ARTS. Jess earned her BA degree
in Sociology from William & Mary in May of 2008.

The comedic opera The Mikado, a British political satire in 19th century Japan,
graced the stage of VCU’s W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts in
April. VCU Music and Opera Theatre VCU joined forces to bring Gilbert and
Sullivan’s much loved opera to life. The production was directed by Ralph
MacPhail, Jr. MacPhail teamed up with Melanie Kohn Day, vocal instructor,
and Daniel Myssyk, director of the VCU Symphonic Orchestra. MacPhail said,
“It’s a pleasure to be working with such talented young people and people
who love opera and good music… and with such a large orchestra… it doesn’t
happen very often.”
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Meggs: Making Graphic Design History, a book that acts
as both a retrospective and a tribute, edited by VCUarts
Graphic Design faculty members Rob Carter and Sandra
Wheeler, as well as Libby Meggs, was released in fall
2007 and unanimously selected as Book of the Year by a
consortium of design organizations.
Graphic designer, professor, historian, and author Philip
Baxter Meggs (1942–2002) was born in 1942. He began
teaching in VCU’s Department of Communication Arts
and Design, chairing the department from 1974 to 1987.
In 1983, he published his History of Graphic Design — the
book that not only put graphic design in its historical
context; but put graphic design on the cultural map.
The annual Wearable Art event, which used to be a fundraiser for 1708 gallery,
is now headed up by VCUarts Sculpture + Extended Media student Grace
Johnston (right). She took top honor in last year’s show with her impressive
peacock dress. The 2008 event was held during InLight Richmond on
September 5, and Fashion Design student Kevin Blow took first prize.
Meggs: Making Graphic Design History is a deserved
tribute to his lasting influence on the graphic arts, and a
loving memoriam written by family, friends, and colleagues
who were lucky enough to have known him.

It’s been a banner year for Sterling Hundley, assistant professor in the
Department of Communication Arts and VCUarts alumnus. He has been
honored by The Society of Illustrators with two gold medals in its annual
competition - the highest annual honor for American illustrators. The March/
April 2008 issue of Communication Arts Magazine features 15 of Hundley’s
illustrations.
And, as if all this weren’t enough, Sterling Hundley's work Shakespeare in the
Park, commissioned by the Los Angeles Times, has been selected to appear in
the Society of Illustrator's 50 Year Compendium. This is the first compendium
of illustrators that the Society has ever published. It includes work from the
best 200 illustrators selected from the past 50 years.
Watch a short video about Sterling Hundley at www.youtube.com/vcuarts
www.sterlinghundley.com
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The Schools of the Arts, Business and Engineering
have collaborated on the da Vinci Center to engage
the creative, technical and commercial elements
necessary for successful product development.
Corporate partners pose product development
challenges to student teams, which make
proposals and act on approved ideas.
The da Vinci Center for Innovation in Product
Design and Development is nestled in Pauley
Pavilion, an octagonal tower anchoring the
new East Hall of the School of Engineering.
The dynamic academic/industry ventures the
students will undertake will provide them with
truly interdisciplinary education, preparing them
for careers in product development and
management roles in the global, technologydriven
workplace of the 21st century.
www.davinci.vcu.edu
Each year since 2004, VCUQatar has hosted the Tasmeem International
Design Conference. But this year, things change. February 28–March 5,
2009, designers, scholars and students from around the world will descend
upon VCUQatar for ICOGRADA (International Council of Graphic Design
Associations) Design Week. The theme: collaboration, with the goal of raising
awareness of the importance and promise of collaboration and creating bonds
necessary to achieve the full potential of design in the Arabian Gulf.
www.mousharaka.com

The assignment for VCUarts fashion students in Richmond: design an abaya,
an enveloping cloak worn by Muslim women, that is stylish yet acceptable in
Arab countries. The assignment for their counterparts in VCUQatar: create a
swimsuit that covers and supports, and is of course, fashionable.
The project is among a growing number of collaborations between students
and faculty at VCU Richmond and VCUQatar.
“We were trying to make a feeling of youth — but still be true to their culture,”
said Kendra Palin, a fashion design major who partnered with classmate Shelby
Day to design an abaya with looped buttonholes, princess seams and a high
waist. “Everything else had to be black, but the embellishment could be any
color, and we used silver and blue.”
The 10 abayas were shown at VCU's annual spring student fashion show and
were shipped to Doha for a fashion show at VCUQatar. Selected swimsuits
traveled from Doha to Richmond for inclusion in the spring show.
The project was part of Kim Guthrie's “Give Me Shelter” class, during which
her students discussed the idea of clothing as shelter and how different
cultures address the concept of clothing.
Photos: Jay Paul
Murry DePillars, who spent nearly 25 years
at VCU School of the Arts–19 of those years
as dean, shaping the school significantly–
passed away May 31.
A native of Chicago, Dr. DePillars joined the
faculty at VCU in 1971. After taking a leave
to complete his Ph.D. in art education at
Pennsylvania State University, DePillars
was named dean of the School of the Arts
in 1977.
During his tenure, Dr. DePillars helped the
art program at VCU grow on the national
level. He was an artist, jazz lover and
teacher, as well as a supporter and promoter
of various forms of art.
VCUarts Department of Painting & Printmaking and the Center for Digital
Print Media hosted CommandPrint (the keystroke shortcut to print), the
2008 Southern Graphics Council Conference March 26 through March 29.
More than one thousand guests descended upon the VCU campus and
surrounding area for the conference that encouraged critical discourse on
such issues as digital media and expanded notions of print media and
print theory. The conference included demonstrations, artist talks, panel
discussions, and an enormous vendor fair. Shelly Bancroft and Peter
Nesbett, co-directors of Triple Candie and co-publishers of Art on Paper
magazine gave the keynote address.
When he retired in June 1995, the VCU
School of the Arts was one of the largest in
the country.
SGC Conference photos provided by Peter Baldes.
The Southern Graphics Council is a nonprofit membership organization
that advances the professional standing of artists who make original prints,
drawings, books, and hand-made paper.

The Department of Dance and Choreography participated in the
Mid-Atlantic Region American College Dance Festival March
12-16 at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Nine students
performed and took classes while faculty members Melanie
Richards and Adam Chamberlin and Dance chair James Frazier
taught. The Department presented two works, Into Being,
choreographed by senior Rachel Warren, and etches of herskin,
choreographed by senior Ami Dowden-Fant, for adjudication
during the festival.
Both works presented by VCU Dance were chosen for inclusion
in the festival’s culminating gala performance. Junior Danielle
Currica was nominated for "best performer" at the National
level for her performance in Dowden-Fant's work, which she
danced with freshman Kimberly Palmer.
Photo credit: Sarah Ferguson
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The VCUarts Departments of Fashion, Interior, and Graphic Design have
established a design center to engage the valuable skill-sets of these
programs at VCU and to create unique opportunities in which students and
faculty will be able to work on real-world, large-scale, design projects and
problems. Known as FIG (Fashion+Interior+Graphic) this center, at 1509
W. Main Street, was founded on the spirit of collaboration among the three
VCUarts design disciplines.
And, most importantly, FIG
promotes design as a problemsolving
process: once trained,
designers are equipped to solve a
wide range of problems that result
in products and systems that can
benefit society.
The FIG building (left) is located at
1509 W Main St in Richmond.
Every other year, VCU and VCUQatar host the Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium
on Islamic Art. In 2007, the event was held in Doha on the campus of VCU
Qatar where the theme was water in Islamic lands.
The Third Biennial Symposium will be held November 2 – 4, 2009 in Cordoba,
Spain. International speakers will explore the theme of color in Islamic lands.
Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom, co-chairs of the Hamad bin Khalifa
Endowed Chair of Islamic Art at VCU and the Norma Jean Calderwood
University Chair of Islamic and Asian Art at Boston College, will convene the
conference and edit the proceedings.
www.islamicartdoha.org
Carole Hillenbrand delivers keynote address at the 2007
Symposium in Doha, Qatar. Photo credit: Andrew Ilnicki.

Tell me a little bit about your position with VCU.
My title is Associate Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Trumpet.
I teach private lessons in classical trumpet and jazz improvisation for trumpeters; a
weekly masterclass for trumpeters; and I coach a couple of chamber brass groups.
My role in the department, probably like for most faculty, goes beyond the
description of the title. I suppose I’m in a bit of a unique position in the music
department, and maybe in the School of the Arts, because of the amount of
time and energy I spend performing on the national and international scene.
This means, on the one hand, that my schedule is pretty chaotic; on the other
hand, I find that I’m connecting in a very direct way with the music world
outside of the academic setting. I do everything I can to bring the value of
these connections home to VCU through my own performances, hosting guest
artists, and sharing what I’ve learned with my students.
Tell me more about your professional career as an international
trumpet soloist.
I have been to many places – all across North America, the Middle
East, East and Central Asia, Europe, and Australia – playing venues ranging from huge
outdoor festivals to massive concert halls to tiny, intimate jazz clubs or recital halls.
As to the types of engagements – this varies greatly. I’ve been playing with a six-piece chamber group called Rhythm &
Brass for about thirteen years now. I used to play with late jazz saxophone great Joe Henderson before he became too sick
to tour. We played concert halls and festivals in the U.S. and Canada and the Blue Note clubs in Japan. From about 1994 to
1997, I was the jazz trumpet soloist with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble.
Now, I really focus on my work as a soloist in classical, jazz and crossover settings, work as part of jazz combos and my
work as composer – usually writing for myself. I’m playing as a soloist at jazz and brass festivals, and with orchestras,
concert bands, brass bands, jazz ensembles, whatever, around the world – often premiering new works written for me by
new composers. I’m really excited about this – it’s an honor to have someone write for me, and working with them puts
me right at the center of the creative process. The greatest piece written for me is by my VCU colleague and close friend,
Doug Richards – a massive concerto for trumpet and jazz orchestra, which we premiered in Australia in 2006.
What are some of the more interesting performances you’ve lined up
One of the weirdest was playing as a soloist with the Szechuan Philharmonic Orchestra in Chengdu,
China for their New Year’s Eve gala concert. It was a live national television broadcast. The “studio audience” – this was
being done at a brand new, massive TV station - was comprised entirely of impassive Communist party officials who didn’t
seem to know when to applaud. I felt like I didn’t really know what was going on, and I was on live national TV and in a haze
of lost-in-translation chaos. Everything went fine, but it remains one of the oddest experiences of my life.
Playing Doug Richards’s piece in Melbourne definitely ranks as a career highlight for me. I cannot recall ever being so
completely lost in the music, so un-selfconscious while playing a difficult, virtuoso work – and I came off the stage feeling

like I’d experienced something truly transcendent. The audience responded the
same way – people were ecstatic, and couldn’t believe the work was over thirty
minutes long – it was as if no time had passed.
Where are your favorite places to tour, and why
This is not an easy question to answer, really, because I
love to travel and I find every place intriguing in one way or another. Touring
overseas is always most fascinating. I find that connecting with people through
music, whether we can speak to each other or have anything else in common,
is a profound thing. I feel tremendously blessed to say that I have close friends
in England, Greece, Turkey, China, Australia – the list goes on. And music is the
one denominator. It’s pretty amazing.
What is your relationship with Yamaha
I have been a Yamaha Performing Artist for about thirteen
years now, since joining Rhythm & Brass. In the last five years or so I’ve become
much busier as a soloist, so my relationship with them – which involves playing
their instruments, working with them on educational initiatives, and receiving
support from them for just about any educationally-oriented project I have – has
been moving more in that direction. It’s been a great association for me. They’re
a great company, always trying to improve their products and very supportive of
education. I love playing their trumpets, and I think their support has really helped
to raise my profile as a performer and clinician.
Tell me about your podcast with Yamaha.
In September of 2007, I was invited to record a podcast
for Yamaha. They decided to do an interview of me and to throw in some
performance footage from various places, and from a Rhythm & Brass demo
video. So we recorded the interview in New York last winter, gathered the
performance footage, and let the editor do his thing. I’m really happy with
how it turned out. They did a wonderful job with it. You can see it at
www.yamaha.com/thehub.
Because you so frequently travel, how do you manage your
teaching schedule
Well, as I implied earlier, it’s not always easy! Thankfully,
because my activities as a performer are pretty well integrated into my role
at VCU, the structure of my teaching load is designed to accommodate these
challenges. The trumpet studio has done well with this arrangement. Partially
this is because I have such great colleagues in the trumpet and brass areas.
It takes an entire faculty to shape a successful musician, really. And this is
partially because my students recognize the value of studying with someone
who is out there on the international stage, doing the very things they hope to
master themselves as performers.
How has the VCU School of the Arts been a beneficial aspect of
your career
the importance of our placing the growth and future of our students above all
things. I couldn’t be happier as a teacher and as an artist, and there’s no doubt
that the VCU School of the Arts is hugely responsible for setting up this context
in which I feel like I’ve thrived.
What do you envision for your future with VCU
This is a great question – I think it’s natural that anyone in
my position – that is, anyone who sticks around long enough – will grow into a
role of greater leadership in the music department. However, I think my own
leadership is less important than my finding a way to contribute to the general
trend, which is one of great growth, both in terms of the quality of our work and
our impact on the community.
This is a very exciting time to be a part of VCU Music, whether you are a
student or a teacher. We’re witnessing a period of tremendous change,
brought on by several factors: exciting new faculty hires; a renewed sense of
enthusiasm among those of us who’ve been here longer; higher quality work
being done by our students; increased support from the School of the Arts and
the community; and the buzz that’s going around in this region of the country
about all of these things. All of these factors contribute to the others. What
does it mean Only time will tell. What I’d like to see is for this department to
grow into a true regional powerhouse. I want students and music teachers up
and down the eastern seaboard, and far beyond, thinking about VCU when they
think about top places to study music.
Where can we find more information about you, your adventures
and your music
Well, there are a few online sources. I have accounts under
my name on Myspace, Facebook, and themusicpage.com. Yamaha has a page
for me too. My recordings are on Summit Records. There’s my website
at www.rextrumpet.com, and my email address is errichardson@vcu.edu.
I’m always very happy to hear from people.
Wow… where to begin VCU has been a fantastic home to
me for the past six years. I don’t think I could expect a better setting in which
to work. My colleagues are exceedingly able, dedicated, and fun to be around.
The students are a blast – great people, whose talent and enthusiasm are
inspiring. The leadership of the department and of the School of the Arts has
been supportive of all of my activities, on and off-campus.
It really comes down to vision. All of us on the faculty have different ideas and
strengths, but the department as a whole has shown the collective wisdom
to value these differences, to understand that this is what makes us succeed
on the department and School levels. All of our differences fall under the
umbrella of shared values – the importance of the arts in peoples’ lives, and

In Spring of ‘08, Mark Ramont, associate producer of Ford’s Theatre, joined
Theatre VCU as a visiting artist to direct Cabaret, a Broadway musical hit set in
1929 Berlin.
Ramont has won awards for his productions of Jeffrey, Amadeus, Goodnight
Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet), Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Mass Appeal and
Agnes of God, and has directed for numerous theatre companies.
Cabaret is set in Germany in a time when the Nazis are rising to power, the
economy is destroyed, and millions of unemployed people roam the streets. Enter
into this chaos an American cabaret dancer, working at the downtown Kit-Kat Klub
where anything goes on the stage. The story revolves around this dancer and a
young American writer, while the sub-plot involves the doomed romance between
a Jewish fruit vendor and a German boarding house owner. The club emcee is a
continual metaphor for the current state of society in Germany at that time.
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Jacob Dodd, adjunct faculty member and coordinator of technology for the
Department of Photography and Film, has received much acclaim for his film
Nunna Mia e la Barca (My Grandmother and the Boat). The film delves into
his Italian grandmother's daily life and her Italian heritage. It connects his
grandmother's present domestic routine with her past experience of enduring
the sinking of the boat, the Andrea Doria.
In Fall 2008, the award winning French feature film writer/director Claude
Miller, the director of “Un Secret” (2007), “La Classe de Neige” (1998), and
“The Accompanist” (1992), will be the Distinguished Director in Residence at
VCUarts Cinema. He won the Cesar for screenwriting in 1981 for “Garde a vue”
and is one of the major producer/directors in France.
Professor Miller is also the President of La Femis film school in Paris. Early in
his career, he worked with Robert Bresson, Jean-Luc Godard and on over 11
feature films with Francois Truffaut.
Nunna Mia e la Barca took first place at the James River Film Festival, was an
award nominee at the Rosebud Film and Video Festival and has been screened
in numerous other national festivals.
Dodd is currently working on a short 35mm narrative film titled “Darkness
There,” inspired by the life and tales of Edgar Allan Poe. The film was shot in
June at the Edgar Allan Poe Museum and the Maymont Italian and Japanese
Gardens in Richmond. “Darkness There” explores Poe’s dark romanticism
through the fictional blending of his stories with authentic historical artifacts.

Jessica Langley, a 2008 Painting and Printmaking MFA alumna, has received the
Leifur Eiriksson Foundation Scholarship in the amount of $25,000 as well as a
Fulbright Student Scholarship to study and pursue her artistic interests in Iceland.
She is the fourth VCU student to receive a Fulbright Scholarship in three years.
Langley, a native of Mansfield, Ohio, travels
to Iceland for the upcoming academic year
to study the country’s landscape, particularly
its natural formations, and to create art
inspired by her surroundings. She will study
the contemporary concept of landscape
and nature in Iceland and how it impacts
Icelandic art. “I will make art and collect a lot
of sketches. This will take on various forms
from photographs, color studies, to whatever
I put in a journal. Hopefully, as I’m there my
work will develop into what I could call a
body of work.”
Jessica Langley (above)
Impenetrable, 2007 (left)
Watercolor, gouache, ink, and gesso on paper
www.jesslangley.com
Students interested in a Fulbright Student
Scholarship application are encouraged to
contact the National Scholarship Office.
Visit www.honors.vcu.edu/nationalscholar
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June 30th marked the end of Richard Roth’s time as chair of Painting and Printmaking and Jim Long’s tenure as chair of
Photography and Film. Holly Morrison and John Heroy step into large shoes.
Holly Morrison: Department of Painting and Printmaking
Holly Morrison began teaching at VCU in the fall of 2005, as an Associate Professor in
the Department of Painting and Printmaking. Her area of expertise is in print media from
analog to digital - especially etching, photogravure, and large format digital output. Her
work has been exhibited at the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL, Hallwalls Gallery,
Buffalo, NY, and the Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C., among others. Permanent
collections include a public work in the Louis Stokes Wing of the Cleveland Public Library,
The Federal Reserve Bank, Cleveland, OH, Progressive Corporation, and TIAA-CREF.
Ms. Morrison earned her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and her MFA from the
Cranbrook Academy of Art and Design.
John Heroy: Department of Photography and Film
John Heroy joined VCU’s Department of Photography in 1971, after working in the
exhibitions department at the George Eastman House. His areas of expertise are fine-art
black & white and digital photography. He was one of the first members of the School to
investigate and employ computer-generated imagery and he was an early beta-tester for
Adobe’s Photoshop and other image-editing programs. His work has been widely exhibited
in venues including San Francisco Art Institute; Rhode Island School of Design Photo
Gallery; Louis K. Meisel Gallery,NYC; and Marianne Deson Gallery, Chicago. His work
has won many awards, including those from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia and the
Society for Contemporary Photography. Mr. Heroy earned his BFA from Rochester Institute
of Technology and his MFA from the Visual Studies Workshop/SUNY Buffalo.
In 2008, VCUarts established a Qatar Support Office in the Pollak Building
on the Richmond campus. Its The purpose QSO, as is it’s to optimize known, provides the strategic a variety value of of
operating administrative a campus support separated including by human seven resources, time zones procurement, and a work week payroll/ that aligns
by benefits, just eight finance, hours. and The is intent also home is to support for the VCUarts each person Director and of every Web function at
the Development VCUQatar and campus Art Director. without If experiencing you have a question a slowdown about in traveling operations. to or
working in Qatar, the new QSO should be your first stop.
www.vcu.edu/arts/qso
www.vcu.edu/arts/qso

Pediatric cancer patients haven’t had many choices when it’s come to what they have to wear in the hospital. But the
Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising is out to change that.
In Fall 2007, students in Fashion’s Computer Aided Design class created the fabrics for this special loungewear and in the
Spring they designed the garments that adapt for children and young adults going through chemotherapy treatment. These
garments will be produced thanks to a sponsorship by Cotton Incorporated. All profits will go directly to ASK, the philanthropic
arm of the pediatric cancer unit at VCU Health System.
The garments are adapted for medical procedures or examinations but remain attractive and cover the body to preserve
modesty. Some students designed textile patterns and printed them on cotton using high-end equipment in the department.
Students interviewed nurses and parents to find out what patients wanted.
The garments were part of Fashion’s Annual Spring Fashion Show and if the crowd reaction was any indication, the line will be
well received by patients.
Photos by Jay Paul.
❉
Shaun McGinnis, a Manassas, Virginia native and 1992 Interior Design graduate, was part of the design team for two homes
featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC. McGinnis works for Duane Foster of D Foster Architects in Scottsdale,
AZ and the two architects partnered with homebuilder Atreus Homes & Communities on both projects.
The first episode, in early 2008, featured a home designed for the Yazzie family. This home, on the Navajo reservation in Pinon,
Arizona, was designed in the Navajo “hogan” style, which is usually round and cone shaped, with the door facing the east to
welcome the rising sun for good wealth and fortune. This was the first “green” home for the show, complete with solar panels,
a windmill and a cistern for collecting rainwater.
The second home, for the Martinez Family, was completed in January. This home in Albuquerque, New Mexico was
designed with influences from the mission settlements of the early 1800’s. On both projects, McGinnis was responsible for
the elevations. The architects took the design from concept to completion in only two and a half weeks per the show’s tight
schedule. For more information visit: fosterarch.com/extremehomemakeover.html

The Department of Art Education is especially excited about their student
engagement in service-learning and community outreach through partnerships
with the Children’s Museum, Fulton Hill Community Center, Neighborhood
Resource Center, Southerland Place Assisted Living Center, and Broad Rock
Elementary School under the direction of Dr. Min Cho. Our partnership with
Chandler Middle School continues under the direction of Dr. Sara Wilson McKay.
Administrative Director and Instructor Sarah Branigan worked with faculty from
Chandler Middle school and our Department of Interior Design to transform their
cafeteria into an exhibition space.
Dr. Melanie Buffington’s students created podcasts that were later used by the
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to assist visitors in viewing exhibitions. Dr. David
Burton’s students worked in a number of our area schools. And department Chair
Dr. Pamela G. Taylor’s honors students shared their art with the Giving Heart
Community Thanksgiving Feast as well as challenged virtual communities to
think about what it means to serve and learn in SecondLife.com
Lindsay Aronson Ess is a recent VCU Fashion graduate who suffered severe
and debilitating complications following surgery for Crohn’s disease, resulting
in quadruple amputations. Initially hospitalized on August 3, 2007 she remained
in intensive care until early December, when she was moved to Johns Hopkins
in Baltimore to begin rehabilitative therapy. She has since returned to Richmond
to continue her therapy and recuperation among friends and family. Lindsay’s
medical expenses far exceed insurance coverage. Love of Lindsay has been
created by friends of Lindsay to accept donations to help cover these costs.
In October, more than $21,000 was raised at the Concert for Lindsay, sponsored
by the departments of Music and Fashion Design and Merchandising.
www.loveoflindsay.com
March 27–29 were busy days at VCUarts. While Painting and Printmaking was
hosting the Southern Graphics Council Conference, The Department of Music
brought together a global array of more than 50 performers and presenters to
celebrate, share and learn about Heitor Villa-Lobos. Villa-Lobos was a prolific
composer who transformed the music of Brazil, elevating his country to international
prominence. Experiencing Villa-Lobos: An International Festival included 9 concerts,
2 master classes and 6 sessions of presentations of papers. The festival is believed
to be the first of its kind in the United States.
❉
Embodying the Sacred in Yoruba Art explores the relationship between art and the
spiritual world in Yoruba culture, presenting 66 works of art in diverse media. For
the Yoruba, one of Africa’s oldest and most influential cultures, art and spirituality
are inherently intertwined. Works of art give form to the divine and inspire religious
devotion. In turn, they are empowered by spiritual forces.
The exhibition includes shrines and beaded regalia that reference the supreme deity of
the Yoruba, altar images, and ritual implements that facilitate spiritual communication.
Spectacular masks dramatize the presence of the sublime. This exhibition features
important art works from the Bernard and Patricia Wagner Collection–many are recent
gifts to the organizing institutions, along with major art works from the collections of
The Newark Museum and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.
The exhibition is curated by Christa Clarke of The Newark Museum and Carol
Thompson from the High Museum of Art in consultation with Babatunde Lawal,
VCU Department of Art History. The beautiful 116-page color catalogue, with essay
by Dr. Babatunde Lawal, is available from the gallery for $20.00.
A related symposium on Yoruba art and culture is planned for February 6, 2009
www.vcu.edu/arts/gallery
Epa Headress, 20th Century. Ekiti, Nigeria
Wood, pigment. h. 56 inches. Collection of Bernard and Patricia Wagner.
Egungun mask, 20th century. Nigeria.
Wood, wool, metal, pigment. h.12 x w.8 x d.6 1/2 inches
The Newark Museum, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Paul E Schneck, 1979 79.210
Opening reception January 16 from 6–8 pm
Exhibition runs January 16–March 1, 2009

The Pollak Society, established in 2005, serves as the leadership donor society for the School of the Arts. Members enjoy
exclusive gatherings during the academic year, from elegant receptions in private homes with significant collections, to
outstanding performances on the VCU campus, to behind the scenes glimpses of tomorrow’s cutting edge artists at work.
VCUarts thanks the following alumni, faculty and friends who have provided for
VCUarts through a retirement plan designation, bequest, life insurance policy,
charitable annuity or trust, or other planned gift.
The following supported the School of the Arts this year through unrestricted gifts to the Pollak Society:
Pollak Society Benefactor/VCU President’s Club ($5,000 and above):
Ivor Massey and Maureen Denlea-Massey
Pollak Society Patron: ($2,500–$4,999):
Lissy and J. Stewart Bryan III
Meg and John D. Gottwald
Terrell and Elliott Harrigan
Deb Mihaloff and Alan Kirshner
Nancy Brennan Lund
Kathie and Steve Markel
Jason G. Noble
Thomas Papa
Dorothy and Stanley Pauley
Bev and David Reynolds
Pollak Society Member: ($1,000–$2,499):
Phoebe and Joseph Antrim III
Jil and H. Hiter Harris III
Lisa and Reid Ashe
Ruth and Louis Harris
Felicia and Max Beard
Dixie and J. Cameron Hoggan, Jr.
Jane Brooke
Mary Anne and Walter Hooker
Esther and Rudolph Bunzl
Allison Weinstein and Ivan Jecklin
Nita and Jack Enoch, Jr.
Martee and Charles Johnson III
Jean and Robey W. Estes, Jr.
True and Charles Luck III
Margaret W. Fisher
Joan and Morgan Massey
Mary and Richard Fowlkes II
W. B. Millner
David C. Freed
Mollie and Richard Mitchell
Tanya and Justin French
Sara and Paul Monroe
Sara P. Gallant
Abby W. Moore
Marsha and William Ginther
Sara Belle and Neil November
Gottwald Foundation (Nancy and James Gottwald) Joan O. Oates
Suzanne and Leslie Grandis
Patsy and Hunter Pettus, Jr.
Freddie and Lawrence Gray
Paulette Roberts-Pullen and John Pullen
Suellen K. Gregory
Pam and “Major” Richard Reynolds III
Amy Hauft and Jack Risley
Charlotte and James Roberts
Fannie and Gilbert Rosenthal
Susan K. Roth
Becky and Charles Satterfield
Priscilla Burbank and Michael Schewel
Patricia Bell and Jeffery Schul
Suzanne and Joseph Seipel
Carolyn and John Snow
Annabelle J. Taylor
Carol and Charles Thalhimer, Jr.
Marcia and Harry Thalhimer
Tilghman Family Foundation
Lilo and Scott Ukrop
Deborah and Thomas Valentine
Tina Walls
Claire and Christopher Williams
Gwynn Epps and Mitchel August
Alexander C. Baer
Terri and Larry Beam
Bette H. Bickford
Sandra Haas Blacker
Rhonda S. Bowers
Charles E. Brownell, III
Louise T. Brownell
Bobby G. Buchanan
Nancy and Don Burks, III
James C. Chalkley
C. M. Coiner
Kenneth E. Cook
John R. Cook
Bruce C. Couch
Mary Anne and Rex Dazey
Beverly and John DeMao, Jr.
JoAnne W. Draucker
Carolyn E. Duckworth
Kenneth A. Fadeley
John W. Finnell, Jr.
Margaret W. Fisher
Samuel S. Forrest
Joanne B. Fridley
Nettie M. Gordon
William F. Harmon
Frank W. Harrell, Jr.
Robert F. Hester
William F. Hooper, III
Elizabeth and Gary Hopper
C. Larry Horne and Ronald W. Phillips
John S. Hull
Fredrika H. Jacobs
Philip B. Johnson
Patricia Powell Kessler
Margaret and Joseph Kopalchick
Chloe and Tom Leback
Heloise B. Levit
Robert F. Lindholm, NSD
Robin and James Meador-Woodruff
Doris and Donald Mela
Elaine S. Marlowe Mitchell
Elizabeth Moon
Tekla Moore
Margaret H. Mordecai
Joan L. Muller
Richard Newdick
Jacquelin Harmon Olbert
Janet A. Payne
Regenia A. Perry
Barbara C. Polen
Martha and John Rhodes
Richard T. Robertson
Margaret T. H. Robinson
Suzanne and Joseph Seipel
Rudy Shackelford
Charlotte P. Shepard
W.E. Singleton
Sean G. Thornton
Brenda W. Travis
Shirley Vasy
Tureman G. Weaver
Willie Anne Wright
VCU School of the Arts gratefully acknowledges the following donors who made gifts of $1000 or more designated to other
areas within the School of the Arts, to endowed funds, or gifts-in-kind during FY 2007–2008.
$10,000 and above:
E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation
Charles A. Harris
Ruth and Louis Harris
Rosemary and David Keller
Anne Rhodes Lee
$5,000–$9,999:
Anonymous
Herta and Ronnie Bell
Brazilian Embassy
Camp - Younts Foundation
The Sydney & Frances Lewis Foundation
$2,500–$4,999:
Center for Palladian Studies in America
Fredrika and Paul Jacobs
The Kip Kephart Foundation
$1,000–$2,499:
Anonymous
Bon Air Artists Association
Peggy and John Borgard
Cindi and Charles Culkin
JoAnne W. Draucker
Judith A. Ferguson
Willard A. Foster, Jr.
Nettie M. Gordon
Gift-In-Kind:
Patricia Gale Bockisch
James F. Stutts
Patrick McGettigan
Nancy C. Millett
Mary T. Murrill
Michi Ouchi
Reynolds Gallery
Lincoln Financial Media Company
R.E.B. Foundation
Robins Foundation
Virginia Commission for the Arts
Deborah and Burton MacArthur, Jr.
John T. Patykula
Jerry Williams and Mark Reed
Anne and John Guthmiller
Donald F. Mela
Gerald Morgan, Jr.
Sharon Larkins-Pederson and
Edson Pederson
Audrey and Arthur Powers
Richmond Concert Pops, Inc
Carol and Frederick Showker
W. E. Singleton
The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation
Windgate Charitable Foundation
Estate of Otti Y. Windmueller
Dmitri Shteinberg
Jane A. Sinnenberg
M.W. Smull
The State Fair of Virginia
Sonia K. Vlahcevic
Washington and Lee University
Winterthur
Sherry Wortman and Gregg Weinberg
We are grateful to the following corporations for their matching gifts of $1,000 or more.
Philip Morris Co, Inc.
Verizon Communications
Wachovia Matching Gifts Program
Next to scholarship support, endowed support of departmental initiatives is an
increasing priority for our 16 departments. Bringing outstanding artists from all
over the country to work with VCUarts students is an essential part of providing
a first-class education in art, performance and design. An endowed fund
designated for visiting artists can help bridge the gap between the costs involved
and the departments’ budgets.
One such fund is the Terry Noack Fund, established at the death of this gifted
designer, by his friends Patrick McGettigan, Gay Pirozzi and Andy Smull. The
outstanding reputation of VCUarts Department of Interior Design led these
donors to establish and continue to add to the Terry Noack Fund. It allows us to
invite such speakers as those we had this year: the editors of Craft magazine
(former editors of Dwell); editor in chief of Metropolis magazine; the chair of the
Department of Interior Design and Architecture from Ohio University; and Charlie
Lazor, inventor of the “flatpak” house.
For information on becoming a member of VCUarts Pollak
Society or Heritage Society, to establish a scholarship,
departmental endowment or other endowed fund, or to
note errors and omissions on this page, please contact
VCUarts Associate Dean for Development, Jayne Shaw at
jdshaw@vcu.edu or 804.827.4676.
www.vcu.edu/arts/alumni_and_friends/
philanthropy

The Spring 2008 semester proved to be quite different than Fall 2007 for three
VCUQatar students. But not everything was dissimilar.
Interior Design students Sali Qubrosi, Samreen Zahra (who went skiing while she
was here!) and Hala Akkawi were exchange students who traveled from Doha
to experience life on the Richmond VCU campus. They rounded out their Interior
Design studies with classes including woodworking and modern dance.
Hala Akkawi tell us, “Before I arrived in Richmond I did not know what to expect.
I was very happy to know that we are at the same level of education and I did
well in all classes. The students were very kind and were excited to know
that we are from Qatar and they all wanted to know more about our university
here. It was my first time to be this far from my family which taught me how to
be independent and how to manage time, which was a big challenge for me.
One thing that was very different from back home was the service provided at
Richmond. Back home you can get anything you want easily, however in the
states, we had to go buy our own materials, we had to order books online. We
had to use public transportation and walk alot!! I feel like I am a different person
who can take alot of responsibilities and can meet new people from different
backgrounds.”
The Richmond-Qatar Exchange is offered again this year. Hala says, “I would
encourage everyone to do this exchange program and I would really like to see
more of the students from Richmond coming here. When I came back to Qatar all
of my friends were talking about the exchange program and now everyone wants
to go to the States.”
www.vcu.edu/oie/qatar
❉
Scholarship support greatly enhances VCUarts’ ability to attract and retain the
nation’s very best students. This year many important scholarships have been
established through generous gifts, among them:
The McLeod Scholarship: Endowed by VCUarts alumna Anne Rhodes
Lee ’76, a painter in New York City, this unrestricted scholarship will provide
generous support to a student studying in any of our 16 departments.
The Charles Harris Cinema Scholarship: Dr. and Mrs. Louis Harris and
their son Charles Harris, all of Richmond, have created the first scholarship
specifically for a student in the School’s newest program, Cinema.
The Thomas Keller Scholarship: Created by the parents of Thomas Keller in
his memory, this scholarship will assist a gifted student in the Department of
Theatre. Mr. and Mrs. Keller hope that this fund will help outstanding students
who go above and beyond in their efforts.
Tyler Binsted
Conor Backman
The Murry N. DePillars Piano Scholarship: Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Bunzl of
Richmond established this scholarship in honor and memory of former School
of the Arts dean Murry N. DePillars, who passed away earlier this year. The
scholarship not only serves to honor Dr. DePillars but will enable gifted piano
students to study in the Department of Music.
Conor Backman, a rising sophomore in Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, is the first recipient of the
Tyler Binsted Endowed Scholarship in Sculpture + Extended Media.
The scholarship was created in memory of Tyler Binsted, an accomplished undergraduate sculpture student at VCU who
died in March. The merit scholarship is designated for the top Art Foundation student at VCU who has been accepted for
enrollment in the Department of Sculpture + Extended Media, in which Binsted was enrolled.
“This scholarship will honor the life and work of Tyler Binsted, who proved to be an outstanding student and artist during his
time at VCU,” said Richard Toscan, dean of the VCU School of the Arts. “We will use this scholarship to reward exceptional
students like Conor who have demonstrated the kind of talent and dedication we will always remember in Tyler.”

www.vcu.edu/arts
www.esterknows.com
An equal opportunity/affirmative action university.
Non-profit Organization
US Postage PAID
Permit No. 869
Richmond, Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts
PO Box 842519 | Richmond, VA | 23284-2519
VCUarts alumna Tara Donovan received a
2008 MacArthur “Genius” Award ($500,000).
Tara is the third VCUarts graduate to receive
this prestigious award within the last 5 years.