Summer 2019 Herron Highlights

IUPUI's 2019-20 academic year is underway, and the Herron community finds itself coming off another remarkably active summer of research, advancement, and creative excellence.

Below is a sampling of highlights that took place between July and September. In addition to the expected exhibitions, there were many updates about grant awards and artist residencies, as well as published articles and contributions. Each and all of these achievements underscore our commitment to creating a meaningful impact in our communities, locally and globally.

• Associate Professor Anila Agha exhibited a new installation, "Shimmering Mirage (red)," from Sept. 19 to 22 at Sundaram Tagore Gallery's booth during EXPO CHICAGO. She was among 25 artists to receive 2019 Painters & Sculptors Grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, and among 33 artists to receive Lucas Artist Fellowships and a three-month residency at Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, California. Plus, both Artnet News and The New York Times highlighted Agha's upcoming solo exhibition "Between Light and Shadow," opening Oct. 19 at Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio, as a not-to-be-missed exhibition this fall.

• From Sept. 6 to 27, Gallery 924 at the Arts Council of Indianapolis exhibited new works by Associate Professor Anila Agha, Associate Professor Stefan Petranek, and Professor Cory Robinson in a group show. The pieces were created with support from the DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award Program.

• The Los Angeles Times featured collaborative fiber artists Alyssa Arney (B.F.A. Printmaking '11) and Liz Flynn, aka Threadwinners, who met in 2013 and teamed up as creative partners in 2016. Their latest show, "Zer | o," opened Sept. 7 at the Gallery @ WorkWell in Irvine, California, and continues through Nov. 2.

• The rebranding of Prost Brewing by CODO Design – an Indianapolis-based branding firm co-founded by Isaac Arthur (B.F.A. Visual Communication '09) and Cody Fague (B.F.A. Visual Communication '09) – was recently featured on Brand New, a website run by acclaimed designers Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit.

• During the Aug. 28 closing reception for our summer exhibitions, Dean Nan Goggin and Herron Alumni Association board member Duane King honored three members of the Herron community. Andrew Blauvelt (B.F.A. Visual Communication '86) received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award; Devin Johannis (B.F.A. Furniture Design '19) received the 2019 Spirit of Herron Award; and Associate Professor Kathleen O'Connell received the Harry A. Davis Faculty Award.

• In July, David Bowen (B.F.A. Sculpture '99) participated in Schmidt Ocean Institute's (SOI) Artist-at-Sea Program, where he worked side by side with scientists to develop a new work of art informed by the research occurring aboard SOI's flagship vessel.

• The New Yorker profiled the artistic development and career of Vija Celmins (B.F.A. '62) in the print edition of the Sept. 2 issue, just as her retrospective exhibition traveled from Ontario, Toronto, to New York, New York. "Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory" opened Sept. 24 at The Met Breuer and will remain on view through Jan. 12, 2020. The New York Times included Celmins's retrospective as a "don't miss" in their fall preview of more than 100 art shows and events happening this fall.

• Brandon Cockrum (M.F.A. Visual Communication Design '11) and Dustin Lynch (B.F.A. Visual Communication Design '10) co-authored and published a paper, "Identifying patient-centered outcomes for children with cancer and their caregivers when they seek care in the emergency department," in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatric Blood & Cancer.

• Emily Crowel, a senior in Herron's art education program, was one of two IUPUI students crowned Regatta Royalty for this year's IUPUI Regatta.

• Harper's Magazine published two of Assistant Professor Steven Dana's illustrations in the October 2019 issue, accompanying a review of Ben Lerner's third novel, "The Topeka School."

• In August, the Indiana Arts Commission promoted Bridget Eckert (B.F.A. Visual Communication Design '16) from Communications and Community Engagement Manager to Director of Marketing and Communications.

• Professor Valerie Eickmeier presented new paintings and woodcuts created during a recently completed sabbatical year. Her exhibition, "Mapping Expedition," opened Sept. 18 and continues through Nov. 9 in the Herron galleries.

• Timothy Faris (M.F.A. Visual Art '19) was hired as a curatorial assistant and education coordinator at Saginaw Art Museum in Saginaw, Michigan.

• Kim (B.F.A. Painting '99) and Paul Fuelling (B.F.A. Painting '97) of the North Carolina-based creative workshop Mabel Studios were artists-in-residence from Aug. 19 to 25 at Blowing Rock Historical Society's Edgewood Cottage.

• Emily Gable (B.F.A. Painting '11) exhibited from Aug. 23 to Sept. 20 in "Slouch City," a solo show in the Middle Space Gallery at Cat Head Press in Indianapolis. Read an article in NUVO about Gable's path to becoming the owner and operator of Bootleg Sign Co.

• Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist and IU School of Medicine Assistant Professor Daniel Bateman, M.D., began testing the effectiveness of a new mobile app, designed with contributions from Associate Professor Aaron Ganci and Professor Youngbok Hong, to improve care for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Five Herron faculty members received internal funding through the IUPUI Arts and Humanities (IAHI) Grant Program. Associate Professor Aaron Ganci received a $3,000 IAHI Research/Creative Activity grant; Associate Professor Robert Horvath and Assistant Professor Gurkan Mihci each received $2,000 IAHI Diversity Fellowship grants; and Visiting Lecturer Asli Narin and Associate Professor Meredith Setser each received $3,500 IAHI Academy Fellowship grants.

• Interior Design Media featured Associate Professor Katie Hudnall's work in a story highlighting "Making A Seat at the Table," an exhibition opening Oct. 4 at the Center for Art in Wood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

• From May 26 to June 7, Alyssa Imran (B.F.A. Furniture Design '18) worked at Haystack Mountain School of Craft in Deer Isle, Maine, as a shop technician for their two-week Open Studio Residency program.

• Samuel Levi Jones (B.F.A. Photography '09) exhibited from June 29 to Aug. 24 in "No More Tokens" at Vielmetter Los Angeles in California. His solo exhibition, "Mass Awakening," opened Sept. 5 at Galerie Lelong & Co. in New York, New York, and continues through Oct. 12.

• Anna Marisa Martinez (B.F.A. Painting '13) was selected as one of three contemporary artists to participate in Indianapolis Contemporary's inaugural artist/curator program called the Network.

• In July, Kimberly McNeelan (M.F.A. Visual Art '17) installed her sculpture "Community Windows" as part of Greenwood Parks and Recreation Department's 2019-2021 Art on the Trail, a juried public art exhibit. McNeelan's sculpture can be seen on the Polk Hill Trail in Greenwood, Indiana, through April 30, 2021.

• Herron welcomed gallery director and curator, Joseph Mella, plus three new faculty members: Edgar and Dorothy Fehnel Chair in International Studios and Assistant Professor Uranchimeg Tsultem, Assistant Professor Steven Dana; and Visiting Lecturer Michelle Peterein. Additionally, Cory Robinson and Youngbok Hong were promoted to Professor, and Katie Hudnall and Pamela Napier were promoted to Associate Professor.

• In September, Healthcare Initiatives, Inc., awarded Assistant Professor Eileen Misluk and art therapy master's degree students a $25,000 grant to develop a training program for clinicians in a variety of settings to better assess and work with individuals with eating disorders and related health concerns.

• Visiting Lecturer Asli Narin exhibited in "When You Dance You Make Me Happy," featuring select artworks from the Luciano Benetton Collection, including pieces created by Nick Cave, Helmut Lang, and Hermann Nitsch. The exhibition opened Sept. 13 and will remain on view through Nov. 10 at Gallerie delle Prigioni in Treviso, Italy.

• An oil painting by Mejo Okon (B.F.A. Visual Communication '75), "Brahma in the Clouds," was shown and awarded Best of the Masters in the 49th Annual Women Artists of the West Exhibition at Mary Williams Fine Art Gallery in Boulder, Colorado. The group show opened Sept. 12 and continues through Oct. 12.

• In August, Michael Osheroff (M.F.A. Visual Art '18) began a one-year artist residency with the Appalachian Center for Craft at Tennessee Tech in Smithville, Tennessee. In addition to making new work in the center's immersive studio environment, Osheroff will manage the studio and provide Tennessee Tech students with instructional support and expertise.

• Melissa Parrot Quimby (B.F.A. Ceramics '95) was one of 12 artists to exhibit her work in the group show "Shucks, Spinski, Redux" at West Chester University's Knauer Gallery in Pennsylvania. The exhibition ran from Aug. 26 to Sept. 27 and featured reinterpretations of the late ceramic sculptor Victor Spinski's artwork.

• Associate Professor Stefan Petranek and alumna Tiffany Pierce (M.F.A. Visual Art '19) exhibited in FotoFocus's first juried group exhibition, "Auto//Update: Photography in the Electronic Age." The exhibition opened Sept. 14 and continues through Nov. 16 at The Carnegie in Covington, Kentucky.

• Associate Professor William Potter's solo exhibition "Among the Marks" at Bethel University's Weaver Gallery opened Sept. 6. The show will remain on view through Oct. 31.

• Lynette Therese Sauer (B.F.A. Painting '16) was among 57 artists to exhibit their work from Aug. 28 to Sept. 27 in the international juried drawing show "Visual Thinking" at the Ronald L. Barr Gallery in IU Southeast's Ogle Center.

• The latest issue in James Sholly's (B.F.A. Visual Communication '87) and Jon Sholly's (B.F.A. Visual Communication '03) series of forgotten histories about Indiana's homegrown design, was included in the 60th Anniversary Edition of the Communication Arts Design Annual. Commercial Article 12 reveals the story of the Indianapolis-based novelty stationary company Stupid Incorporated.

• Marna Shopoff exhibited from Aug. 7 to 23 in TAG Gallery's 2019 California Open Exhibition, juried by Ruth Weisberg, director of the University of Southern California's Initiative for Israeli Arts and Humanities.

• In August, Erin Harper Vernon (B.F.A. Photography '03) began working as a volunteer artist and creative liaison at Tube Factory Artspace through Big Car Collaborative's new Artist and Public Life Residency program. Vernon aims to make an impact on her hometown by creating social practice programs and building a lending art library for both local artists and underserved communities.

• Liz Wierzbicki (M.F.A. Visual Art '14) installed video art titled "An Open Flight" at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND). The artwork will remain on view between the departures level and baggage claim through Dec. 31.

• Kassie Woodworth (B.F.A. Sculpture '19) was awarded a 2019–20 residency with the Stutz Artists Association. During her yearlong residency, Woodworth will maintain a studio space at Stutz Business & Arts Center in downtown Indianapolis while receiving professional development and mentoring from Stutz artists.

• John Drue S. Worrell (B.F.A. Painting '11) exhibited from June 27 to Aug. 17 in "Architectural Jumpers" at Meredith Rosen Gallery in New York, New York.

• Robert Young (B.F.A. General Fine Arts '13) joined the faculty of Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as an assistant professor of illustration and began teaching in September.

Want to be featured in the next Herron highlights roundup? Submit your exhibitions, publications, career updates, accomplishments, and accolades via our online form.