As we continue to celebrate our spring 2015 LSU College of Art & Design graduates, the LSU School of Art is also celebrating the graduation of three men who are truly Masters of Fine Art. Three members of the LSU College of Art & Design faculty are retiring, all after more than 30 years of service:

• Professor Christopher Hentz, master jewelry maker and digital fabricator, has taught in the School of Art for 39 years;
• Professor Kimberly Arp, master printmaker in both traditional and digital media has taught for 38 years; and
• Professor Thomas Neff, master photographer, also in traditional and digital modes, has taught for 33 years.

Of course, these faculty members have all done a great deal more than teach.

They have each maintained a national and international studio practice. They’ve stepped out across the country and across the world to launch solo and group exhibitions, to give lectures, to act as jurors, consultants, visiting artists, and critics. They’ve served on committees—both graduate and administrative. They’ve written and been written about. But most important of all, “They’ve coached and counseled, celebrated or commiserated—they’ve inspired multiple generations of young artists,” said LSU School of Art Director Rod Parker.

The end of their teaching at LSU doesn’t by any means mean the end of life. As emeritus faculty, they will always be welcomed by the LSU College of Art & Design—by future and former students, colleagues, and alumni. Just as their careers have undergone constant renewal and change, they will continue to have periods of transformational creative growth and personal development. “They are all three embarking on a new path of mastery, leading the way for us to follow,” Parker added.

Join us in celebrating the amazing careers of these three remarkable faculty.