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NAS Awards Coastal Sustainability Studio $2.9 Million for Climate Change Research

Art & Design, Research, Community Outreach, Coastal Sustainability Studio, Architecture, , ,

lsu css nas grant

The National Academies of Sciences (NAS) awarded the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio $2,936,000 in research funds for their project, “Inland from the Coast: A Multi-Scalar Approach to Regional Climate Change Responses.”

jeff carneyLed by Associate Professor Jeff Carney in the LSU School of Architecture, the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio, or CSS, is a university-based research, design, and outreach organization that brings together disciplines that frequently work separately to intensively study and respond to issues of settlement, coastal restoration, flood protection, and the economy. Their NAS funded research seeks to improve understanding of inland-coastal environmental conditions and vulnerabilities, determine indicators of community health and wellbeing, and develop design and planning best practices for reducing risk and increasing adaptive capacity.

“Risks from sea level rise, land subsidence, and extreme weather are not limited to coastal areas but threaten entire regions from the coast inland,” Carney said. “Helping the Greater Baton Rouge region emerge more resilient from last year’s devastating floods will not only increase local health and wellbeing, but the resulting framework will be applicable to communities across the Gulf Coast and beyond.”

This project brings together faculty from 10 departments at Louisiana Sea Grant, University of New Orleans, and LSU, including CSS, the Center for Coastal Resiliency, the Life Course and Aging Center, and the Center for River Studies. Research findings will be put into practice through local partnerships with professional architects, engineers, landscape architects, planners, policy-makers, and community members.

“The LSU Center for River Studies is an ideal spot to lead the modeling efforts on this important project. The combination of our modeling expertise and collaboration with the LSU Center for Coastal Resiliency to integrate coastal surge hydrodynamics in river flood modeling and our location on the Baton Rouge campus will ensure that our research and products are integrated into regional design and used to educate planners, engineers, decision-makers, and the general public,” said project collaborator Clint Willson, LSU Center for River Studies director and the Mike N. Dooley Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Gulf Coast communities face a variety of unique environmental stressors stemming from climate change and both natural- and human-caused disasters. In recent years, such events have included floods, droughts, hurricanes, sinking coastal areas, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. While adverse events are a major challenge for any community, the degree to which communities effectively respond and recover can differ significantly.

“From previous research in the wake of 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we know that many people who live in coastal Louisiana are incredibly resilient and resourceful. However, resilience in the face of severe weather and its aftermath in the years after catastrophic environmental events is a complex phenomenon. We still have much to learn about the psychosocial variables within communities that have enabled generations to survive and thrive in this dynamic environment,” said project collaborator Katie Cherry, the director of the LSU Life Course and Aging Center and psychology professor.

“We are working with diverse Gulf communities to better understand their capacity to prepare for, withstand, and recover from acute and chronic adversity,” said Brian Quinn, associate vice president of Research-Evaluation-Learning at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “For too many of us, our prospects for good health are limited by where we live. Whether it is vulnerability to environmental disasters or chronic poverty, we know that the confluence of the diverse factors that impact resilience are closely tied to health equity. Ultimately, we hope to uncover what nurtures resilience in our communities, which is essential to building a Culture of Health. We all benefit when we all have a fair shot to live the healthiest lives possible.”

Visit css.lsu.edu for more information about the Coastal Sustainability Studio.

Inform through Virtual Reality

Art & Design, Students, Art, Digital Art, ,
haley hatfield urban illusions

A visitor views Hatfield’s virtual reality through Oculus Rift.

For her digital art thesis exhibition, Haley Hatfield experimented with 360-degree video and virtual reality to expose viewers to the recent social strife in Baton Rouge—a string of events that reflects a transformative time across the country.

“My intent was to use modern technology to document real-life experiences through virtual space,” stated Hatfield. “This framework has the potential to engage and educate viewers on a multitude of contemporary concepts.”

Originally, Hatfield intended to focus on the residual, or remaining, segregation of Baton Rouge. However, shortly after she began interviewing local residents on their experiences, tragedy struck the city with the controversial shooting and death of Alton Sterling by the hands of the police on July 5, 2016. Several protests ensued throughout the following weeks. Then, on July 17, six police officers were gunned down, three of whom lost their lives.

“Urban Illusions is my attempt to add another layer of depth to the events that made national news last summer while also digging deeper into the hearts of Baton Rouge residents,” Hatfield explained. “I felt a responsibility to expose these issues and enlighten those who may be unaware of the real state of American race relations.”

With the combination of virtual reality, 360-degree video, Maya, and Unity, she created a multi-location landscape exposing viewers to these pivotal moments in American history. Footage includes nine interviews with a wide range of Baton Rouge residents and locations important to the message Hatfield is communicating, including the Triple S Food Mart where Alton Sterling was shot and two protest locations.

On July 10, 2016, Hatfield marched with thousands of others in the Black Lives Matter protest in Mid City. “The march started as a beautiful diverse group of people all coming together for a cause but was met with a frightening end when police showed up in riot gear,” she recalled. “I have never experienced the kind of fear I felt that day standing near the corner of East Boulevard and France Street, which is why I chose this location as the third environment in Urban Illusions.”

The result of Hatfield’s endeavors is an interactive documentary experience. When viewed through a virtual reality headset, such as the Oculus Rift, or Google VR Cardboard on an iOS device, the experience becomes completely immersive. Viewers have more personal interactions with the footage and can interpret the meaning of the virtual experience for themselves.

“Documenting in 360-degrees allows viewers to see everything, not only in front of them but also to each side and behind them,” shared Hatfield, who explored the roles of documenter, observer, archivist, and participant while filming. Six cameras film at once from a central point, removing speculation of cropped or edited video as there are no borders—also meaning Hatfield can be seen filming.

For her final exhibition, Hatfield included the Oculus Rift immersive experience set up, a digital image of the 3D environment modeled in Maya serving as a metaphor for the concept, a projection mapping compilation of each of the interviews, six iPads with full 360-degree interaction applications of Urban Illusions, and six Google Cardboards for viewers to download the iOS app themselves from the Apple App Store. Anyone in the country can download the Urban Illusions App from the Apple App Store at no cost.

“Virtual reality presents a unique opportunity for documenting real life in a way that is more engaging and potentially less biases than reading about it or watching it on the news,” concluded Hatfield. “This new form of documenting stories and events can change how history is perceived and learned.”

Instructor John Campbell Named Fellow of the American Society of Interior Designers

Art & Design, Interior Design, Honors & Awards, Faculty, ,

john campbell fasid

LSU School of Interior Design Instructor John Campbell was inducted into the American Society of Interior Designers Council of Fellows for his work within the organization promoting professionalism and licensure of interior designers in Louisiana, for his efforts on ASID chapter and national boards, and for passing the torch, through teaching, to countless young designers.

According to asid.org, election to the College of Fellows, the society’s highest honor, is bestowed on less than one percent of the ASID membership. Fellowship is bestowed on professional members who have made notable and outstanding contributions to the profession not only through their work, but through their demonstrated commitment to ASID and to the interior design industry.

Passionate about design and teaching, Campbell has been practicing interior design for more than 40 years. His firm, John Campbell Design Associates, provides design services for large and small projects across the country, from Florida to Idaho/Washington and back to Louisiana. For his efforts in licensure, he was issued Louisiana ID Registration #8. He is a past president of the Louisiana District Chapter of ASID (now South Central Chapter) which encompasses Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Before coming to LSU in 2009, Campbell taught interior design, history of interior design, and visual technology and design at the University of Idaho while simultaneously teaching interior design at Washington State University.

More about ASID

The American Society of Interior Designers collaborates with others to promote the value of interior design. By generating, collecting, and disseminating applied knowledge, ASID prepares its members to excel in a dynamic and evolving profession. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building, and outreach, ASID strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people’s lives. Visit asid.org for more information.

Richard Doubleday Receives Fulbright to Conduct Research in China

Art & Design, Research, Honors & Awards, Art, Graphic Design, Faculty, ,
richard doubleday

Doubleday has received a Fulbright fellowship to study the dramatic change in graphic design that has occurred since China adopted a free market economy.

LSU College of Art & Design Associate Professor Richard Doubleday has been named a Fulbright senior scholar. The Fulbright Scholar Program will fund his research on contemporary Chinese graphic design at Beijing’s prestigious Tsinghua University, the Academy of Arts & Design and the China Central Academy of Fine Arts. He will conduct research in China from September 1 – November 30, 2017 and from May 1 – June 30, 2018.

The Fulbright Scholar Program awards scholars and students to conduct research abroad. About 1,200 U.S. scholars; 1,600 U.S. students; 4,000 foreign students; and 900 visiting scholars receive awards annually.

Doubleday first became interested in Chinese graphic design after leading seminars at Chinese universities. He has also written essays and reviews on graphic design that have been translated into Mandarin and was featured as a guest writer in a special edition of Tsinghua University’s Zhuangshi Chinese Journal of Design.

Over the past 10 years, Doubleday has gone to China at least once a year to teach seminars and workshops at various Chinese design schools. He was particularly drawn to the way Chinese graphic designers combine Roman typography and traditional Chinese calligraphy to create an interesting and appealing visual aesthetic.

richard doubleday

Over the past 10 years, Professor Richard Doubleday has taught seminars and workshops in China, including at a graphic design school in Nanjing, pictured here.

Over the next year, Doubleday will be researching Chinese graphic design, particularly modern design that has flourished since the opening of the Chinese economy in 1979. He will also be studying the relationship between mainland Chinese graphic design and design in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. Doubleday said his interest lies in charting the dramatic change in graphic design that occurred when China adopted a free market economy.

“It’s overwhelmingly impressive to go over there and see the development and how much things have changed in such a short amount of time,” Doubleday said. “Graphic design, as we know it today, didn’t really exist in China in 1979, and now there are hundreds of graphic design schools and thousands of design students.”

Doubleday also tries to bridge his work between China and LSU. The LSU School of Art has hosted faculty from Chinese universities at LSU to share skills and methods between the two countries. Doubleday said this exchange provides mutual benefits for both the Chinese and LSU scholars, and helps LSU build international collaborations.

LSU has a video uplink studio with live broadcast capabilities. Contact us to set up an interview.

Alison Satake
LSU Media Relations
225-578-3870
asatake@lsu.edu

Beth Carter
LSU Media Relations
ecart13@lsu.edu

Art & Environment Seminar Students Invoke Late Activist Mary McCastle in Alsen, Louisiana

Students, Community Outreach, Art History, Art, ,

Students in Professor Susan Elizabeth Ryan’s art history seminar, “Art & Environment,” worked to raise awareness for Louisiana communities facing health and safety issues stemming from environmental problems.

Ryan’s “Art & Environment” seminar covers the history, theory, and analysis of participatory art—commonly known as social practice art—with a focus on climate and environmental issues, especially in Louisiana. The class teamed up with the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN), a statewide organization based in Baton Rouge that, since 1986, has worked with special communities suffering from the effects of climate change, commercial pollution, and other environmental issues. After reading texts on the history and theory of environmental issues and theories of social practice art, Ryan’s students worked in groups to execute their own social interactions in Louisiana communities. The students then wrote papers on their work within the context of the historical and theoretical literature.

lsu art history

“Mary Is Watching You” projected on Exxon tanks near Alsen, Louisiana (Photo by Erin Rolfs)

One group focused on Alsen, a small, unincorporated town founded by freed slaves in the 19th century. As noted by environmental researchers like law professor Oliver Houck and geographer Dr. Craig Colten, this community has been repeatedly targeted by waste and petrochemical companies to bare a disproportionate and unsafe exposure to toxic byproducts in their water, soil, and air. In the 1980s, resident Mary McCastle took one waste corporation, ironically named Rollins Environmental Services, to court and won. However, Rollins was not the only dumper, and, after the extreme flooding of Baton Rouge and surrounding areas in summer 2016, debris from flooded streets and properties was hauled to a dumping site near residents’ homes in Alsen—without proper sorting or screening for toxic fumes. Chemicals from the landfill leach into the groundwater, and the local Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) bypasses the small city.

For their participatory art project, Erin Rolfs (MA in Art History candidate), Hannah Sonnier (BFA in Studio Arts candidate), and Kristian Carroll (BA candidate) used social engagement and creative action to shed light on Louisiana’s environmental concerns. The group invoked the presence of local hero and late activist Mary McCastle (1929-2000) in a “projection bomb” featuring Mary’s watching eyes and the bold phrase, “Mary Is Watching You.” They projected the image around the community on roadside objects, such as trees and oil tanks, and on key government buildings in Baton Rouge, including the DEQ headquarters and the Baton Rouge capitol building.

“Projection bombing is a peaceful yet forceful way to get a message across by increasing visibility, breaking through gated/protected spaces without trespassing, and making the site of contention the canvas for your cause,” states the group on the website they created, maryiswatching.squarespace.com. They also created a social media campaign at facebook.com/MaryIsWatchingYou and the hashtag #WWMD (What Would Mary Do?).

lsu art history

One group teamed up with a local minister to distribute toxin-absorbing plants to community members.

Another group executed actions to raise awareness of environmental hazards and social issues in the St. James and Adriana communities. Caroline Geipert (MA in Art History candidate), Adriana Goethel (PhD in Theater candidate), and Molly Johnson (Bachelor of Architecture candidate) banded together to raise awareness in St. James (also originally a freed slave village), a community adversely affected by methanol emissions from Chinese-owned Yuhuang chemical plant and other pollutant-producing industries in the area. The group used the crowdsourcing site GoFundMe to raise money to buy plants and flowers known to absorb airborne toxins—not so much as a solution but as a symbol of hopeful community action. They teamed up with a local minister to distribute the toxin-absorbing flora and helped community members plant them around the church while discussing how the plants work and how the intervention exemplifies greater awareness of the hazardous air quality. They also launched a Facebook group to help combat methanol emissions and air pollution in St. James.

lsu art history

Art & Environment seminar students protest at Denka chemical plant (Photo by Emma Gonzalez)

Visit art.lsu.edu to read more about art history at LSU.

Mark Boyer Named President of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architecture, Honors & Awards, Faculty,

mark boyerLSU’s Mark Boyer has been named the incoming 2017–18 president of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA), an international organization whose mission is to encourage, support, and further education in the field of landscape architecture specifically related to teaching, research, scholarship, and public service.

Boyer joined the faculty and administration at LSU as Robert Reich Professor and director of the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture in 2015 after teaching for 17 years at the University of Arkansas, where he was inducted into the highly distinguished University of Arkansas Teaching Academy. He received his BS in landscape architecture with distinction from the University of Kentucky and his MLA from LSU.

In 2015, Boyer was inducted to the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows. He is the recipient of several merit and honor awards from the national and regional organizations of the ASLA, the American Institute of Architects, and others for the planning and design of an urban greenway in Warren, Arkansas, and as a project design team member of “Habitat Trails: From Infill House to Green Neighborhood Design.” He has received numerous grants for his research on landscape architecture design and construction technologies; sustainable design; green roofs and bio-retention; and sustainable and alternative stormwater management technologies.

Boyer’s service as president of CELA will begin in May at the close of the 2017 CELA Conference in Beijing and was preceded by a year-long term of office as president-elect. He will also co-present a paper at the conference on his experience into the value of bridging landscape architecture academic practice and applied county extension education. His presentation will explore the evolution and impacts on public and professional constituencies from the long-term working relationship between Boyer, as a landscape architect and academic, and an agricultural extension educator.

Visit thecela.org for more information about the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture and landscape.lsu.edu for more information about the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture.

Collages by LSU Graphic Design History Students Exhibited in China

Students, Events, Art, Graphic Design, Exhibitions, ,

Associate Professor Richard Doubleday’s graphic design history students designed a series of posters using collage techniques for their final projects. In this form-making exercise, students were asked to embrace “chance creations” exploring various methods of collage, photomontage, and assemblage and a wide range of image-making techniques and mixed media.

Initially, the collages addressed the students’ answers to captivating news stories from The New York Times, BBC, Google news, NPR, PBS, Wikinews, Alternet, The Real News, Reuters, or The Independent. As they were developing their projects, Nanjing University of the Arts extended an invitation for Doubleday’s class to participate in their Cool Words exhibition. Doubleday welcomed the opportunity, and asked his students to stage a two-part sequence of posters by merging their existing collage exercises to fit within the parameters of the Cool Words exhibition’s theme, 400 Years of Legacy: Tang Zianzu Meets William Shakespeare (1564–1616). The exhibition commemorated the 400th anniversary (in 2016) of the two prominent playwrights’ deaths, celebrating the legacy of their separate cultural spheres. The exhibited works reflect the cultural differences and creative techniques of the two playwrights who represent the peaks of Chinese and Western dramatic arts.

“In the professional world of graphic design, challenging problems under tight time constraints often call for unique imagery and efficient solutions,” stated Doubleday. “The project encouraged playing, risk-taking, and experimentation while asking the students to communicate a clear message to their audience.”

The LSU students’ work was on display at Nanjing University of the Arts April 25–May 3, 2017.

 

Two LSU Students Named 2017 Emerging Artists by Ceramics Monthly

Students, Publications, Art, Ceramics, ,

Two graduate students from the LSU School of Art, Naomi Clement and Mike Stumbras, have been selected as 2017 Emerging Artists by Ceramics Monthly, the preeminent international publication for ceramics enthusiasts.

As fewer than two dozen artists are selected for this prestigious recognition each year, it is a testament to the School of Art’s highly ranked MFA program and dedicated faculty that not one but two LSU students were chosen for this award.

Works by Clement and Stumbras are featured in the May issue of the magazine, and Clement also shares recipes for her Vince Patelka all-temperature slip and bright clear glaze.

“I’ve been a subscriber to Ceramics Monthly since I was 16,” shared Clement, “so it is a thrill and an honor to now be showcased in the magazine!”

Naomi Clement received a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD), where she studied ceramics and art history. Before pursuing her current graduate studies at LSU, she sought out and explored different experiences as a craftsperson: working as an apprentice to several studio potters, as the ceramics technician during NSCAD’s summer session, and as an artist in residence at Medalta in Medicine Hat, in Alberta, Canada. In 2007, she interviewed several prominent NSCAD alumnae for her essay, “Walter Ostrom & the Female Potters of NSCAD,” which was subsequently published in the book Utopic Impulses: Contemporary Ceramic Practices.

In addition to being a passionate maker, Clement believes strongly in the importance of service to community and currently serves as a student director at large for the National Council for the Education of the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). She has exhibited her work, lectures, taught classes, and assisted in workshops throughout the United States and Canada. Clement said her work explores “how things fit together and how they do not.”

As stated in the May issue of Ceramics Monthly, “Clement hones in on these crossroads and uses points of transition in her work to create utilitarian vessels that have a visual record of her questions, decisions, actions, and intents.”

Mike Stumbras studied ceramics at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he received a BFA in studio art and a BS in biology. Because of his interest in science, Stumbras said he is particularly curious about themes that relate to the natural world from a biological perspective. “I’m very interested in alternative processes and materials and the chemistry that governs his behavior. I want to expand the boundaries of conventional ceramic practices and participate in discussions that enhance the material culture of my craft.”

Before Stumbras came to LSU, he studied extensively with his mentor Steven Hill, learning about layering sprayed glazes, glaze chemistry, and single firing. He has had residencies in Chicago, Kansas City, New York, and Colorado, and he has received numerous awards. His work with radiation-sensitive glazes was featured in a previous issue of Ceramics Monthly.

“Mike Stumbras’ deft ability to combine references to historical production ceramics with contemporary studio practices means the work appears both old fashioned in form and design while also having cutting edge style and surface,” according to Ceramics Monthly.

Clement and Stumbras graduate this year, and their MFA thesis shows can be viewed at the LSU School of Art’s Glassell Gallery at the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge April 25–29, 2017. A closing reception will be held at the gallery on Saturday, April 29, 6–8 p.m.

View the 2017 Emerging Artists articles by following the links provided below. (These articles were originally published in the May 2017 issue of Ceramics Monthly, page 60, ceramicsmonthly.org; copyright, The American Ceramic Society, Reprinted with permission.)

Visit naomiclement.com and mikestumbras.com to view more work by Clement and Stumbras.

School of Art Scholarship Opportunities for Incoming First-Year Undergraduates

Students, Art,

The LSU School of Art has two scholarship opportunities for incoming first-year undergraduate students pursuing degrees in graphic design, digital art, and studio art—ceramics, painting & drawing, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Applicants must apply by April 28, 2017, to be considered for 2017–18 scholarships. These scholarship awards will be based on high school GPA, submitted portfolios, and written statements as reviewed by a committee of LSU School of Art faculty.

Application Requirements

  • The portfolio—to be emphasized the most in the review process—should be submitted through Slideroom at lsuart.slideroom.com/#/login/program/35198 and should include up to 10 images of recent work. Follow the instructions in Slideroom for uploading the images.
  • The written statement should address the question, “Why are you interested in the visual arts?” in 120 words or less.

Scholarships for Incoming First-Year Undergraduate Students in Studio Art

The Hearst Foundations Scholarship in Art—$2,000

The School of Art will award one Hearst Foundations Scholarship each fall. Applicants must be incoming first-year minority students. Recipients will receive an additional $2,000 award in their second year of study if they maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher and stay enrolled in the LSU College of Art & Design.

Linda Bliss Salisbury Scholarship—$1,000

The Linda Bliss Salisbury Scholarship (two available) benefits full-time undergraduate first-year students who show artistic promise and are majoring in art in the LSU College of Art & Design School of Art. The recipient must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.

For more information, contact Kitty Pheney at kphene2@lsu.edu.

View more scholarship opportunities in art here.