art/vision/voice - Maryland Institute College of Art

john scott and sister lurana neely
discuss the art curriculum in 1967.
ii. case introduction
case study: xavier university of louisiana 49
This case study does not offer a narrative of a cap project. Instead, it
offers insights into the shared values and divergent philosophies of two
key figures in Xavier University of Louisiana’s cap program.
John Scott is an internationally recognized sculptor and printmaker
and a graduate of Xavier’s Department of Art. After receiving his mfa
from Michigan State University, Scott returned to New Orleans, where
he has taught for 39 years at Xavier University. He has been a driving force
in the university’s Department of Art, and in the evolution of communitybased
arts programming at Xavier. He received a John D. MacArthur
Fellowship in 1992, and is a nationally respected educator. The community,
and concern about individuals in community, have always been a major
part of his work. He and others were responsible for the first African
American Pavilion at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans.
New Orleans-based artist and art educator Richard Thomas studied
with John Scott at Xavier and later founded Pieces of Power (pop), an
art collective for at-risk African American teens that was incubated at
McDonogh 35 High School in the Treme community of New Orleans.
pop is a key partner for Xavier’s cap program.
Service in the community and professional preparation play a large
role in the history of the Xavier Department of Art. A key figure was
Sister Lurana Neely, a member of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Order, who passed on to her students, including, John Scott, an abiding
commitment to serving the community through the arts. She and
Sr. Valerie Riggs founded a community-based arts program called the
Audubon Arts Center in the Gert Town community, adjacent to the