Alumni in the News

Thomas A. Livesay (BA, 1968 and MFA, 1972), executive director at the LSU Museum of Art, announced his retirement from the institution on March 30, 2012. Livesay has been the director of the museum since January of 2007.

The Virtuosi Quintet, founded by alumnus James Jeter (BM, 1971), bassonist, performed the world premiere of Jim Lahti's "Woodwind Quintet," written for Dr. Jeter, on March 25, 2012 at St. Malachy's Church in New York City. Works of Bach, Bozza, Grieg and Reicha were also featured. The other members of the Virtuosi include Karla Moe, flute, Bette Condon, oboe, Larry Tietze, clarinet, and Janet Lantz, horn.

Graduate Natalia Anciso will have her museum show debut on March 30th at the San Jose Museum of Art. Having just wrapped a showing at the 4th Chicana/o Biennial at MACLA in San Jose, CA, Natalia will debut an installation at the "Mexicanismo through Artists' Eyes" exhibition along with internationally-renowned Mexican and Mexican-American artists including Betsabee Romero (Mexico City), Margarita Cabrera (El Paso, TX), Enrique Chagoya (San Francisco), and others.

The exhibition opens March 30th and runs until September 23, 2012.

Ultra Madre, the performance installation by Andres Bedoya (BFA, 2001), was originally presented at the Museo Nacional de Arte in La Paz, Bolivia, in 2009. Installed within the main arch of the museum's patio, for approximately one hour participating women lay still with their long hair cascading down the 15-foot structure. The current show, From Ultra Madre, presents materials generated during its 18-month development.

On view from February 24 to March 17 at Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street at Pitt, New York, NY 10002. Opening reception is today, February 24, from 6 to 8pm. Additional information here. Maps and directions can be found here.

GenerousArt.org, founded by alumna Jennifer Chenoweth (MFA, 1999), was featured in an episode of KLRU's Arts in Context last night, Thursday, February 23rd. The 30 minute episode featured interviews of several Generous Artists including alumna Judith Simonds (MFA, 1994) as well as Jennifer Balkan, Wells Mason, Stella Alesi, and Virginia Fleck. The full episode is available to watch online on Vimeo.

Alumna Lindsey Bailey (BFA, 2008), graduate student at Belmont University, has spearheaded a project that brings together Belmont University sculpture students and Nashvilla-area schools. Starting with a campaign on Kickstarter, Bailey raised over $4,000 to fund 12 of 24 workshops, a documentary film crew, and transportation for students to the gallery opening at Belmont University. The exhibition, titled Deliciously Happy, features the results of the collaborative workshops between Belmont students and Nashville students. It will be on view from February 29th to March 30th, with a reception on March 1st from 5 - 7pm, at Gallery 121 in the Leu Center for Visual Arts.

Mike McKinley (BFA, 1977) is currently writing a memoir on his time spent in the Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the New York-based parody ballet company. McKinley spent around a decade with the company as his alter-egos, ballerina Tatiana Youbetchabootskaya (pictured left) and danseur Igor Teupleze. His memoir is titled Blood and Satin: Confessions of a Drag Ballerina. 

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo will perform at the Long Center Tuesday, February 7th at 7:30pm in Dell Hall. For more information on the performance call 474-5664 or visit www.thelongcenter.org.

Alumna Connie Swann (BFA, 1996) will be featured in a solo exhibit in March at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center in San Antonio, TX. Titled Spaces in Between, the exhibit will run from March 2 - March 25, 2012. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 2nd, 6pm - 9pm and on First Friday, March 3rd, 6pm - 9pm.

David Lujan (BFA, Studio Art, 2006) is featured in the show, Dimensions: Constructed Exploration and the Painted Print at Gallery Black Lagoon. The exhibition, which opens with a reception on Friday, February 3 from 7-10 p.m., is free to the public. RSVP on the Gallery Black Lagoon's Facebook event page.

The eye-popping solo exhibit at the UT FAB Gallery, Taylor Winn: Large Works 2005 – 2011, features paintings spanning up to 7 feet tall by 15 feet wide brimming with signature comets, tornadoes and rivers of paint in sophisticated colors.  Opening reception is Thursday, November 10, from 6 - 8pm.  The exhibition runs through Dec. 16.