Alumni in the News

Phil Ladeau (MFA Studio Art, 2014), Erik Shane Swanson (MFA Studio Art, 2014), and James Scheuren (MFA Studio Art, 2014) have a group exhibition, Pitch, at SOIL Artist-Run Gallery in Seattle, Washington. Pitch revels the extraordinary within common objects and occurrences through sculpture, drawing, and photography. The exhibition will run from March 5 through March 28. 

Soloist Mela Dailey (M. Music, 2003), won a Grammy this week for Best Choral Performance as part of the ensemble The Conspiraire Symphonic Choir and their performance of "The Sacred Spirit of Russia." Dailey is a faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance as well as a Butler School alumna.

In 2010, after Francis Tsai (BS in Chemistry 1990, MA in architecture 1993) had established himself as a successful freelance artist, he was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. As his movements became more and more restricted, Tsai worked doggedly to adapt his drawing techniques — at first using his toes and an iPad to sketch, and now, most remarkably, his eyes. With the “Eye Gaze” technology, which uses infrared cameras to track eye movements and translate them into commands on a computer, Tsai can manipulate various softwares, allowing him to speak, write, and of course, draw. 

Barry Stone (MFA Studio Art, 2001) opened his exhibition "New Weather Weaves New Garments" at the James Harris Gallery in Seattle, WA. His exhibition will be on view until February 14.

Sara Frantz (MFA Studio Art, 2007) opened a solo exhibition at Women & Their Work in Austin, which will be on view through March 19. The exhibition, "Between Borderlands," explores the contemporary environment once-removed. 

Lily Brooks (MFA in Studio Art, 2014) presents recent work in We Have to Count the Clouds at Aviary Gallery in Boston, MA. The exhibition will be on display January 1 through February 1, 2015. In Lily Brooks’ series We Have to Count the Clouds, photographs function as evidence of the ways in which we comprehend, negotiate, and mediate our relationship to weather and climate. Meteorological instruments act as an extension of our senses; within them a semblance of understanding exists. In looking closely at the marks that are made–in the prediction of weather, the tracking of meteorological data, as well as on the landscape and human body itself–the work presents the visual remnants of often invisible forces.

Rachel Simon Weil's (MFA Design, 2014) creation Monkey Fortunetell was listed as the Best Main Menu by Rock Paper Shotgun. Monkey Fortunetell can read your future from how you shake and cast a barrel full of monkeys, but its main menu makes one thing clear: no matter what else, 2015 will be a year for boogying hard. 

Alton DuLaney (B.F.A. Studio Art, 1995) made his second appearance on the Rachel Ray Show, Sunday, December 15, 2014 (episode 9051). Alton is the gift-wrapping guru of NYC, crafting extraordinaire, and LA television personality. Check out his YouTube page for gift-wrapping tips and learn how to make your own DIY Holiday decor! 

Katrina Jane Perry (B.A. Studio Art, 2008) is a recipient of a 6-week visual artist residency at The Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta. Perry is there currently investigating the relationship between Nature and the Human Condition through the documentation of the Banff National Park. Perry works in both photographic and sculptural mediums.

Jarrod Beck (M.F.A. Studio Art, 2007) was announced as the NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program recipient of the Clare Weiss Emerging Artist Award. Uplift, a site-specific installation made of recycled materials will be on view in Sarah D. Roosevelt Park from August 20, 2014 through August 2015.