There are 22 releases on this page.
Cello recital set
Released: November 20, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - Cello player Samuel Cho will present a recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, in White Concert Hall on the Washburn University campus. No admission is charged and the public is welcome.
Cho will be accompanied on piano by Shane Spangler. The program will include Rococo Variations Opus 33 by Tchaikvosky, Cello Sonata No. 2 Op. 99 by Brahms and Cello Sonata in A Major by Luigi Boccherini.
For more information, call 785-670-1511.
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Fetter String Quartet to perform Nov. 24
Released: November 20, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - Works by Mozart and Mendelssohn will be presented in a concert by the Fetter String Quartet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, in White Concert Hall on the Washburn University campus. No admission is charged and the public is welcome.
Quartet members are Samuel Cho, cello; Roberto Carlos Henriquez, viola; and Manuel Tabora and Carlos Cabezas, violin.
For more information, call 785-670-1511.
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WU NAMI sponsors discussion about mental illness and holidays
Released: November 19, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Holidays are a tough time for those with depression, alcoholism and loneliness, but it doesn’t have to be. Learn how the holidays don’t have to bring you down during a discussion about mental illness from 6 - 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, in the Thomas Room, Memorial Union at Washburn University. The public is welcome and there is no charge.
Guest speaker will be Tom Mapes, program manager of crisis and intake, Valeo. Mapes will talk about making it though the holiday season and how to help others make it through.
The event is sponsored by NAMI WU. NAMI is an acronym for National Alliance on Mental Illness.
For more information, contact Alice Harnish, president, NAMI WU, at (785) 969-0321.
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Jazz groups perform Dec. 2
Released: November 19, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - The Washburn University Jazz Ensembles I and II, the WU Latin Jazz Combo, the WU Jazz Combo and the Payless Jazz Combo will perform at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2, at White Concert Hall. No admission is charged and the public is welcome.
The groups will perform original arrangements as well as standard jazz repertoire, and focus on selections popular throughout the Jazz Era.
Director is Craig Treinen.
For information about the concert, call (785) 670-1511.
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Washburn University awards excellence award
Released: November 19, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Washburn University recently awarded the November Student Life Achieving Excellence Award to Regina Cassell, lecturer, mass media, and director, student publications.
Cassell was nominated because she has guided individual students along their career path, getting to know students, and taking time outside the classroom in support of them.
The Student Life Achieving Excellence Award is an ongoing award presented to a student adviser, faculty or staff member, or community leader who demonstrates excellence in working with individual students, student groups and organizations and who reflects the guiding principles of the student life area.
For more information regarding the award, call the Washburn student life office at (785) 670-2100.
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Artist Talk and Family/Community Day Event
Released: November 16, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – A talk by sculptor Patrick Dougherty and a hands-on activity for participants are scheduled for this week at the Mulvane Art Museum.
Artist Talk: Dougherty will present an Artist Talk about his sculptures, inspirations and use of materials at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20 in Room 143, Garvey Fine Arts Center.
Dougherty has spent this month designing and building, along with a crew of volunteers, a site specific sculpture on the campus of Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, outside the Mulvane Art Museum. From Chapel Hill, N.C., he is internationally known for his unusual and dynamic sculptures built with tree saplings. During the past several decades he has built more than 250 sculptures throughout the world. His signature woven sculptures, waving, willowy, whimsical and windblown-looking, tower over or fold into buildings, trees, and other landscape elements.
More information about Dougherty and his work, may be found at www.stickwork.net.
Family/Community Day will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Participants can help build a large-scale group installation in the Mulvane ArtLab using recycled materials andalso create a woven art object using natural materials.
This project is supported in part by the Kansas Arts Commission’s Kansas American Masterpieces grant program, Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University and Washburn’s Campus Beautification Committee. This project is also sponsored in part by AT&T, The Real Yellow Pages and YellowPages.com.
The Mulvane Art Museum is located on the campus of Washburn University at 17th & Jewell streets. Museum & ArtLab hours are Tuesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.. Admission is rree. For more information, call 785-670-1124 or go to http://www.washburn.edu/mulvane or mulvane.info@washburn.edu.
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Wind and trumpet ensembles set concert
Released: November 12, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - The Washburn wind and trumpet ensembles will join for a concert, “Collaborations,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, in White Concert Hall, Washburn University. No admission is charged and the public is welcome.
The concert will feature the performance of “Angels in the Architecture” a new work for concert band and soprano soloist by American composer Frank Ticheli. Guest vocalist will be Ann Marie Snook, chairwoman of the music department.
Visual enhancements will add a whimsical element for “Cartoon,” by Paul Hart. The program will also include “Sleep” by Eric Whitacre and “Selections from the Danseyre,” by Susato, which is based on 15th century Renaissance dance compositions and modernized for concert band.
Mark Norman is conductor of the wind ensemble. Michael Averett conducts the trumpet ensemble.
For information, call 785-670-1511.
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Washburn University and Washburn Tech receive grants
Released: November 12, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Washburn University and Washburn Institute of Technology have received grants.
Rick LeJuerrne, regional director, Washburn Small Business Development Center, received $77,000 from the Kansas Department of Commerce-Small Business Administration for the operation of the the Center. Started in 1983, the Washburn University Small Business Development Center provides small business consulting services and training seminars to northeast Kansas entrepreneurs.
Richard Stephens and Paul Verhage, instructors at Washburn Institute of Technology, were awarded $44,785 through the Kansas Board of Regents (Carl D. Perkins Reserve Fund CTE 2009-2010) to purchase new equipment for the expansion of the industrial and electrical technology programs. The equipment will enable both programs to better train students to serve advanced manufacturing facilities in the northeast Kansas region that are currently installing technically-advanced and robotic equipment.
Monica Scheibmeir, dean of the School of Nursing, will receive a $26,874 contract from the Marian Clinic as a result of a Finding Solutions in Challenging Times grant award from the Sunflower Foundation. The School of Nursing will assist the staff of Marian Clinic to provide primary health care services to patients twice a week for the length of the grant for the purposes of easing staff overload and providing a teaching and learning opportunity for nursing students. Marian Clinic is a non-profit medical and dental clinic founded in 1988 that serves the uninsured and under-insured populations in Topeka, Kan., and the surrounding areas
Richard Ellis, director of Learning In the Community: The Center for Community Service and Civic Engagement and professor in the human services department in the School of Applied Studies, received $25,000 from the Bonner Foundation for support of Washburn’s Bonner Leaders Program. Established in 2001, the Bonner Leaders Program provides scholarships to students willing to commit 900 hours of service to the community over a period of two years.
Stephen Angel, associate professor and chairman of the chemistry department in the College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded $15,000 from the National Institute of Health, through the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Program to purchase laboratory equipment and supplies to augment a prior K-INBRE grant of $25,000 for a UV-Vis Plate Reader.
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Festive array at Celebration of Cultures
Released: November 11, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - Washburn University international students will share the music, fashion, dance, song and culture of their home countries at a Celebration of Cultures at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, in White Concert Hall. The public is welcome and a free-will donation will be accepted to support the Washburn International Club.
Students will present a program of:
A fashion show exhibition of native dress
Music: Honduran popurri folklorico and popurri catracho, African ceremonial choruses, American fiddle tunes, Chinese folk songs, opera and qin (stringed instrument)
Dance: Semi-classical and contemporary dance of India, music mix dance of Korea, Zi-Reigna tribal belly dance, and hip-hop tribute.
The event is sponsored by the WU international programs department.
For information, call 670-1051.
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Greek community impacts community at large
Released: November 11, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – On Oct. 26 the Washburn University Greek community sponsored their annual Trick or Treat for Canned Goods. This year more than 100 Greek members participated by trick or treating the community for 45 minutes and they collected more than 700 canned food items for Let’s Help.
Delta Gamma sorority won the participation award, with more than 30 members present.
Washburn fraternities: Alpha Delta, Delta Chi, Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Phi Epsilon
Washburn sororities: Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta and Zeta Tau Alpha
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High school students win honors at Math Day
Released: November 06, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Teams of students representing Washburn Rural High, Baldwin High and Maur Hill-Mount Academy, Atchison, won first place honors in their respective class designations at the recent 2009 Math Day competition at Washburn University.
Participating in the event were 159 students from 16 Kansas high schools, with awards determined on the basis of scores earned in a competitive examination.
Samuel Ho, a senior at Washburn Rural High School, earned the top score on the placement test.
Winners of team awards were:
Class 5A & 6A:
First place: Washburn Rural High (team members Samuel Ho, Hyunjee Kwak and Dylan Davis)
Second place: Topeka High (team members David Wang, Edward Collazo and Katherine Ebeling)
Class 4A:
First place: Baldwin High (team members Myeong Jeong, Brian Lamoreux and Allison Howard)
Second place: Hayden High (team members Sarah Keffer, James Doyle and Matthew McNary)
Class 1A, 2A & 3A:
First place: Maur Hill-Mount Academy, Atchison (team members Danhao Ma, Huanhe Dong and Benquing Bai)
Second place: Atchison County Community High (team members Trevor Lutz, Riley Hundley and Emily Warriner)
Winners of individual awards were:
First place, senior: Samuel Ho, Washburn Rural High
Second place, senior: Danhao Ma, Maur Hill-Mount Academy
Third place, senior: Huanhe Dong, Maur Hill-Mount Academy
First place, non-senior: David Wang, Topeka High
Second place, non-senior: Myeong Jeong, Baldwin High
Third place, non-senior: Meixi Wang, Lawrence Free State
For more information, call (785) 670-1491.
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Student a contender for prestigious scholarship
Released: November 05, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - Washburn University senior Garrett Love, of Montezuma, was recently nominated by the university to compete for the prestigious Rhodes Scholar Award.
“Garrett has excelled in the academic and extracurricular arenas and has distinguished himself as a leader,” said Robin Bowen, vice president of academic affairs. “He is a positive role model for other students and is very deserving of the nomination.”
Currently president of the Washburn Student Government Association, Love is, according to university archives, the first Washburn student to be nominated for the award in more than 100 years. In 1904, the first year nominations were accepted for the Rhodes, Washburn senior Frank Mohler was selected and completed his studies the next year at Oxford University. Merrill Templeton, a 1909 graduate, was selected for the honor, but became ill and had to withdraw before he began coursework in England in 1910. In 1910, Philip Whitcomb became the third Washburn student named a Rhodes Scholar. He began at Oxford in 1911.
Prior to being elected president of Washburn Student Government Association, Love served for two years as a senator. He currently is a member of the Kansas Board of Regents Student Advisory Council, a student representative of the Washburn Budget Reduction Task Force and the Washburn Strategic Planning Committee and is a member of the Topeka Heartland Visioning Steering Committee.
Love holds a 4.0 grade point average and is majoring in economics, management and finance. He was a member of the Washburn men’s basketball team for three years and was twice named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Presidential Scholar. His honors include membership in Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Mortar Board and Sagamore honor societies and participation in the Washburn Leadership Institute.
A Rhodes Scholarship provides the opportunity to study at Oxford University for two years, with all tuition fees paid and a living allowance provided. American Rhodes Scholars are selected from all over the nation to pursue a course of study of their own choosing at Oxford; students may work toward a master's degree or a second bachelor's degree. If named to the program, Love plans to research methods through which theories of justice and freedom of choice can be incorporated into the analysis of optimal taxation.
Established in 1902 through the will of English-born businessman and politician Cecil John Rhodes, the Rhodes Scholar Award is the oldest fellowship program in the world and is bestowed to only 90 students each year. A nominee must possess a high standard of intellectual and academic achievement, exhibit integrity of character, display interest in and respect for fellow beings and display the ability and desire to lead. Applicants must also demonstrate physical vigor that will enable them to make an effective contribution to the world around them, which can be achieved through participation and success in athletics.
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‘Super Size Me’ filmmaker Morgan Spurlock to speak
Released: November 05, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, writer, producer and director of the 2004 feature film “Super Size Me,” will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, in the Washburn Room, Memorial Union, at Washburn University. No admission is charged and the public is invited.
Since earning an Academy Award nomination for “Super Size Me,” in which he documented his health as he spent 30 days eating only food from McDonald's, Spurlock co-starred and produced the 2008 film, “What Would Jesus Buy?” based on the evangelism of Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir during a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse (the end of humankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt). In 2008, he produced and appeared in “Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?” which follows his global search for the al Qaeda leader.
The event is sponsored by the Washburn Student Government Association. For information, call 670-2320.
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Mulvane Merriment holiday event Dec. 4 and 5; silent aucton and glass ornament sale continues
Released: November 04, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Start your holiday shopping by bidding in a silent auction or purchasing exclusive limited edition glass ornaments at the Mulvane Art Museum.
The auction, which concludes at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, features work donated by 19 artists.
The limited edition glass ornaments available for purchase at the Mulvane Store include Washburn’s Carole Chapel by Kymm Hughes and the Mulvane Art Museum by Mike Savage.
Details on Mulvane Merriment: Dec. 4 and 5
11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5
Jewelry, clothing, art work and holiday treasures will be available for purchase.
Pottery by John Cohorst, Omaha, Neb.
Raku by Joyce Furney, Manhattan
Lampwork bead jewelry by Jami Hamilton, Kansas City, Mo.
Sculptures by Maggie Jones, Topeka
Silversmith jewelry by Val Smith, Topeka
Merriment boxed lunch available 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5
Menu: homemade chicken soup, cheddar cheese stick, crackers, cinnamon roll and beverage.
Cost: $7.50
Toffee and brittle from the Alma Bakery, decorated holiday cookies and cinnamon rolls will also be sold throughout the day.
Mulvane Merriment gift sale will be open during the First Friday Art Walk on Dec. 5.
Mulvane Merriment is a benefit for the Mulvane Art Museum, sponsored by the Mulvane Women’s Board. For information, call 785-272-5850 or go to http://www.washburn.edu/mulvane .
Museum and ArtLab hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. No admission is charged. The museum is closed major holidays.
The Mulvane Art Museum is located on the Washburn University campus at 17th and Jewell Streets, adjacent to White Concert Hall. No admission is charged. Free parking is available in the lot west of the museum. For additional information, call 785-670-1124, e-mail mulvane.info@washburn.edu, or go to http://www.washburn.edu/mulvane.
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Giving Trees: Make the holiday brighter for children
Released: November 03, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Help a child in need during the holidays with a visit to an Angels Among Us Giving Tree from Friday, Nov. 6, through noon, Friday, Dec. 4, at locations on or near the Washburn University campus.
Each tree is decorated with angel tags. Pick an angel tag and purchase the gift requested. Return the tag and unwrapped gift to the tree location by noon Friday, Dec. 4.
The trees are located at the Catholic Campus Center, 1633 SW Jewell; Campus Ministry at Washburn,1621 SW Boswell; multicultural affairs office, room 110, Morgan Hall; Living Learning Center lobby, 1801 SW Jewell; Washburn Student Government Association, lower level, Memorial Union; and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, 1845 SW Jewell.
The gifts will be donated to the Topeka Rescue Mission, Let’s Help, Doorstep and KVC Behavioral Health Care.
The Catholic Campus Center, Campus Ministry at Washburn, multicultural affairs office, Washburn Student Government Association, Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and Washburn Residential Council sponsor this event.
For more information, contact the Catholic Campus Center at (785) 233-2204.
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11th Annual National Survivors of Suicide Day Nov. 21 to be observed
Released: November 02, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Each day in the United States more than 80 people take their own lives, leaving behind loved ones to struggle with the loss, grief and all of those questions that begin with “Why?”
Survivors of suicide are invited to network at a healing conference to connect with others who have survived the tragedy of suicide, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, in room 138, Stoffer Science Hall, Washburn University. A DVD will be shown, followed by a discussion.
Washburn counseling services is sponsoring the conference. For more information, contact (785) 670-1450.
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New art featured in Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit
Released: October 07, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Washburn University's commitment to the aesthetic and cultural enhancement of the campus continues with the 14th annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit. The community is invited to view the new works.
The sculptures were selected by juror Robert Soppelsa, senior curator/ART in Embassies, U.S. State Department, under the auspices of the Campus Beautification Committee. The sculptures will be on display through July 2010.
For a brochure detailing a walking tour of the sculpture exhibition, call 785-670-1124, or go to www.washburn.edu/sculptures.
Sculptures on tour and statements by artists:
1. “Pylon” (welded forged aluminum), Michael Shewmaker, Hilo, Hawaii
“’Pylon’ is a welded aluminum sculpture with obelisk roots. Construction of the piece proceeded from a one-foot high model. Sheet aluminum was cut from scaled up measurements and box welded together. Each side of the box was then hand forged to create the concave surfaces. The handwork gives the finished piece a more organic appearance,” the artist said.
Metalsmithing and sculpture have been a passion of the artist’s for 40 years. “Recent technological improvements have made it possible for me to combine the two interests. While many of my pieces may seem large, I envision them as maquettes for much larger pieces, ranging from 35 to 75 feet in height,” he noted.
2. Inside Edge (stone), Andy Sweet, Denver, Colo.
“This work grew out of my personal psychological work in the Men’s movement. We speak of something having ‘an edge’ or ‘my edge’ – referring to a sticky or trouble spot in one’s psychic makeup. This piece evokes issues about maleness, protection and symmetry for me,” he said.
Sweet is a Colorado-based sculptor who works in stone, steel and mixed media. His studio is with the Ironton Studios and Gallery in Denver and he shows mostly in the Western U.S.
3. Ring Three (steel), Joe Forrest Sackett, Albuquerque, N.M.
“I have made a number of pieces, mostly steel, but in other media as well, with a ‘ring’ theme. The shape reflects unity and coherence, as well as a sense of mathematical purity. Rings indicate magic and symbolize feminine power and force. This one is bridged by a mysterious greenish blade.”
A playwright and artist, Sackett grew up in Santa Fe, N.M., and now lives in Albuquerque, having “seen some of the world and its ways.” He describes himself as a proud parent and proud teacher who likes art “in most of its manifestations.”
4. Totem (wood), Joe Forrest Sackett, Albuquerque, N.M.
“Totems are usually representations of supernatural beings symbolic to the totem’s creator. My ‘Totem’ is not symbolic; it’s an abstract object, non-mathematical and non-representational. It may also have some male energy and phallic impact, but, to paraphrase Freud, sometimes a totem pole is just a piece of wood.”
5. Wedges I (mild steel), Matt Moyer, Columbia, Mo.
“’Wedges I’ is a formal study exploring the fluid and humorous interaction of two rigid geometric forms in space. These wedge forms, though rigid and geometric in nature, contain glimpses of softness in their unrefined welded edges. Exploring the boundaries and interactive possibilities that two tethered geometric forms can explore is a driving force behind this series of work.”
Moyer received a master of fine arts in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Missouri in 2009. He has exhibited his public sculpture in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri, and recently donated a piece to the city of Galesburg, Ill., in remembrance of the Midwest flooding in 2008.
6. Poco a Poco Se va Lejos (bronze), Pokey Park, Tucson, Ariz.
“My style reflects my belief that life needs to be celebrated with whimsy and attitude. I use animals with the personalities and attitudes that reflect human emotions. ‘Poco a Poco Se va Lejos’ loosely translated from Spanish means ‘One step at a time one can go a long way.’ It’s the tortoise of ‘Tortoise and Hare’ fame lumbering along with absolute determination to get to the finish line.”
Her love for nature and respect for “its different moods” began in coastal Georgia where she was born. “Feeling the need to capture it in another form, my creative journey began. Curiosity, patience and determination, more than my formal training, guide me. I now live both in the mountains and desert, where the surrounding wildlife gives me inspiration,” she noted.
7. Rules of Civility (steel), Kristin Garnant, Camanche, Iowa
“This triptych consists of three abstract pieces constructed of corten steel,” Garnant said. “Their subtle curves reveal openings and recesses, the give and take of space, while maintaining an upright dignity and powerful presence. Sentries, speaking to the need of civility and compassion.
“The distinct quality of steel and the combinations of textures reveal unique compositions much like the layering of fine handmade papers. Reinterpreting ideas in metal can give it a distinctly new identity. It is this creative unfolding of each piece that has captured my interest in this form.”
8. Mantle (steel), Steve Elliott, Wayne, Neb.
“I am interested in the relationship between nature and structural complexity, particularly relating to “free form” architecture, where lines and shapes are approximated in order to physically construct intricate geometric structures. The linear, skeletal construction method gradually brings the visual elements together while “drawing” with the material, inciting the viewer into a potential state of meaning,” he noted.
Elliott’s large scale sculptures and mixed media works have been included in more than 40 solo and group exhibitions nationwide. Recent exhibitions include the Manoa Art Gallery in Honolulu, ARC Gallery in Chicago and 516 ARTS in Albuquerque. He is an associate professor of art and chairman of the art and design department at Wayne (Neb.) State College.
9. Circus Acrobat (steel), Robert Lamberson, Dannebrog, Neb.
A welded steel sculpture, “Circus Acrobat” depicts an acrobat suspended high in the air with his feet and hands braced between two poles. The idea for this piece came from a visit to the Barnum and Bailey Circue in 1947 in Grand Island, Neb. “I was fascinated by a man climbing two poles which were not attached to anything, to a height of about 15 feet. This image has stuck in my mind for nearly 60 years,” he said.
Lamberson’s extensive experience with functional design and welding, paired with his continuous contact with arts and artists dating back to the mid 1960s, gives him a solid background in many aspects of visual arts, which seemed to naturally evolve into working with sculptural forms. He said his work is normally characterized by the use of contrasting geometric forms and contrasting colors and textures, with an occasional touch of humor or whimsy.
10. The Mulvane Art Museum has invited Patrick Dougherty to design and build a site specific sculpture during November 2009 on the Museum’s front lawn.
Patrick T. Dougherty, Chapel Hill, N.C., is internationally known for his unusual and dynamic sculptures built with tree saplings. During the past several decades Dougherty has built more than 200 sculptures throughout the world. His signature woven sculptures - waving, willowy, whimsical and windblown-looking - tower over or fold into buildings, trees and other landscape elements.
Born in Oklahoma and raised in North Carolina, Dougherty earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in hospital and health administration from the University of Iowa. He returned to Chapel Hill in 1975, and worked as a carpenter and stone mason while studying sculpture and art history at the University at Chapel Hill.
The experience of building his own home in North Carolina and using the native materials at hand – saplings – has led him to use this readily available and renewable resource in his sculptures. Dougherty’s installations are in museums, parks and gardens throughout the United States, as well as in Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, England, France, Denmark and Austria. His work explores the supple, linear energy of young tree saplings woven into natural, nest-like settings, with inventive references to architectural and sculptural forms and concepts of domestic shelter, habitats, passageways and vistas.
Dougherty has received many honors and awards, including the Pollack-Krasner Foundation Grant, Henry Moore Foundation Fellowship and several grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. His work has been the subject of more than 100 articles and reviews in publications, including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
For additional information, visit Dougherty’s Web site at http://www.stickwork.net.
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Musical instruments from tools, household items and sporting goods: ‘Hybrid Visions’ coming to Mulvane Art Museum
Released: September 15, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Violins made from cowboy boots, pianos crafted from Styrofoam packaging and guitars derived from tennis rackets and film reels are among the collection of inventive and witty instruments in “Hybrid Visions: Ken Butler” featured Sept. 26, 2009 to Jan. 24, 2010 at the Mulvane Art Museum.
The opening reception will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, with a performance by Butler set for 6 p.m.
A native of Oregon, Butler is an artist and musician whose hybrid musical instruments and other artworks explore the interaction and transformation of common and uncommon objects, altered images, sounds and silence. The idea of bricolage, essentially using whatever is at hand, is at the center of his art, encompassing a range of practice that combines live music, instrument design, performance art, theater, sculpture, installation, photography, film/video, graphic design, drawing and collage. He is internationally recognized as an innovator of experimental musical instruments created from diverse materials including tools, sports equipment and household objects.
Butler’s sculpture works have been featured in numerous exhibitions and played during performances throughout the world, including The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and The Kitchen, The Brooklyn Museum, The Queens Museum, Lincoln Center and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. His works have been reviewed in The New York Times, The Village Voice, Artforum, Smithsonian and Sculpture Magazine and have been featured on PBS, CNN, MTV and NBC, including a live appearance on “The Tonight Show.”
Butler studied the viola as a child and maintained a strong interest in music while studying the visual arts at Colorado College and The Institute for American Universities in Aix-en-Provence, France. He completed a master’s of fine arts degree in painting at Portland State University in 1977. His numerous grants and awards include multiple fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the New York State Council for the Arts and the Oregon Arts Commission.
The Mulvane Art Museum is the final stop in a two-year tour funded in part by the Oregon Cultural Trust and the Clackamas County Cultural Coalition. The retrospective exhibit was organized collaboratively by The Art Gym, Marylhurst (Ore.) University and the Hallie Ford Museum, Willamette University, Salem, Ore.
Butler will also perform at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, during the Museum’s Family and Community Day program which is set for 1 to 4 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to construct their own unique musical instruments using recycled materials and then play the instruments during a mini-concert at 3:45p.m. Family Day events are free and open to the public.
Museum and ArtLab hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. No admission is charged. The museum is closed major holidays.
The Mulvane Art Museum is located on the Washburn University campus at 17th and Jewell Streets, adjacent to White Concert Hall. Free parking is available in the lot west of the museum. For additional information, call 785-670-1124, e-mail mulvane.info@washburn.edu, or go to http://www.washburn.edu/mulvane/.
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Anxiety Clinic accepting patients
Released: September 14, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - Patients are now being accepted by the Anxiety Clinic at the Psychological Services Center at Washburn University.
The clinic specializes in treating a variety of problems associated with anxiety such as public speaking fears, fears of interacting with others, panic attacks, worry, stress, obsessions and compulsions.
The clinic is staffed by students working toward their master's degree in psychology, under the supervision of a psychology department faculty member who is also a licensed psychologist.
The Anxiety Clinic emphasizes utilizing treatments that have been shown to be effective in the scientific literature. These treatments are typically cognitive-behavioral treatments that involve teaching the patient skills to manage and overcome anxiety. Information on the clinic is found at http://www.washburn.edu/cas/psychology/clinic.
Fee is $5 per session. The clinic is located in room 111 of Henderson Learning Resources Center on the Washburn campus.
All calls are confidential. For more information, call 785-670-1564.
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Crane Observatory schedules fall open houses
Released: August 13, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – View the night sky at Crane Observatory open houses. The observatory is in Stoffer Science Hall on the Washburn University campus. Open houses are free and open to the public. The events are canceled in the event of inclement weather. Open houses will be :
8:30 to 10 p.m. Sept. 3 and 17
8 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 1 and 15
7:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 5 and 19 and Dec. 3
For more information, call the Washburn physics and astronomy department at 670-2141 or check the Web site at http://www.washburn.edu/cas/physics/crane.
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Speakers set for 2009-10 Wake Up with Washburn breakfast talks
Released: July 31, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA – Marketing serenity and the keys to success in Internet business are among the topics of alumni scheduled as speakers in the 2009-10 Wake Up with Washburn Breakfast Lecture Series. The events begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center, Washburn University.
Kicking off the series on Aug. 27 will be Kevin Bittner, of Topeka, who will present “The Keys to Success in the Internet Business World.” Bittner is an entrepreneur and experienced telecommunications executive. As chief executive officer and managing partner of Strategic Planning Consultants, he focuses on telecommunications and management consulting. As chief operating officer of the Kansas iSold It franchise, Bittner is part of a new trend of eBay drop-off stores. He previously served 1998-06 at KMC Telecom as senior vice president of wholesale services, managed the Kansas outside sales force for Cellular One and owned and managed his own sports promotion company. He earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Washburn in 1988.
Other breakfast dates and speakers are:
Oct. 15: Debra Goodrich, of Topeka, will present “Dixie Lee Jackson’s Guide to Cooking and Kissing.” Goodrich is a journalist and historian with a career in publishing and broadcasting. She hosts her own online talk show on RadioRichandFriends.com, hosted a Topeka talk show on KMAJ 1440, twice been a guest on CSpan, narrated 20 historic documentaries on topics from Jesse James to Abraham Lincoln, has spoken to hundreds of groups across the country and been a guest on numerous national talk shows. She combined her Southern roots with a lifetime of researching cooking and kissing to create the character of Dixie Lee Jackson. As this character, Goodrich has performed at several venues, including the Topeka Performing Arts Center. She received a bachelor of arts degree in history from Washburn in 1996.
Feb.11, 2010: Mitch Peterson, of Olathe, Kan., will present "Marketing Serenity in Troubled Times." Peterson is vice president of marketing for Nolan Real Estate in Leawood, Kan. In this position, he is responsible for the company’s marketing strategy for 10,000 apartment homes in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas and Arizona. Peterson joined Nolan in 2008 after five years with Sprint as director-national retail sales, eight years with Hallmark Cards and two years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. He earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Washburn in 1990 and holds a master of business administration degree in marketing and finance from Pennsylvania State University.
April 22, 2010: Angie Wilson-Perkins, of Olathe, Kan., will present “Careers in a Service Field: Pursuing Rewards, Not Awards.” Wilson-Perkins has served since 2001 as a special agent for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. She is a forensic interviewer, a member of the Cyber Crimes Task Force, which works crimes against children, and also serves on the multidisciplinary advisory committee for Sunflower House, a child abuse prevention center. Prior to joining the KBI, she worked in a private psychology practice and completed her master’s practicum at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Leavenworth, Kan. She holds two degrees in psychology from Washburn, a bachelor of arts in 1998 and a master of arts in 2000.
The Wake Up With Washburn program, sponsored by Washburn’s Alumni Association and the School of Business, has been providing opportunities for students, campus and community members to hear from successful alumni since its inception in 1993.
The cost is $12 for dues-paid members of the Washburn Alumni Association and $14 for non-members. Reservations may be made by calling (785) 670-1641 or e-mailing wualumni@washburn.edu.
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Selections from the Mulvane Art Museum’s Permanent Collection exhibit opens July 5
Released: June 10, 2009 | View this release only
TOPEKA - The Mulvane Art Museum will feature selections from the Permanent Collection beginning July 5. Japanese color prints, Tsubas and Yatates donated by Robert F. W. Whitcomb will be on display in the second floor north gallery and Meissen figurines donated by Barbara Wilson will be on display in the Harrison Gallery. The exhibition will close Jan. 17, 2010.
Whitcomb, a 1915 graduate of Washburn, spent many years in Japan as a branch officer for a New York bank. During his time there he became interested in Japanese prints, Tsubas (sword guards) and Yatates (pen and ink containers). Whitcomb collected prints that fall into three groups: figure prints from the 1730s-1830s, landscape; genre and Surimono from 1810 to 1850; and prints showing foreigners in Japan from 1860 to1880.
The primary purpose of a Tsuba is to balance a sword and prevent the hand from sliding down the blade. Early Tsubas were made of leather in an iron or wooden frame which was sometimes lacquered for strength and stability. Later in the Muromachi period (1392-1572), when Tsuba became an industry separate from sword manufacture, the iron Tsuba evolved. As time and skills progressed the Tsuba evolved into works of art with engravings and piercework.
Yatate are small portable writing sets which provided a carrying box for the ink cotton, a shaft for a brush and possibly a letter opener. Japanese writing was traditionally done using the usual writing set comprised of an inking stone, a small stick of solid ink (which is turned to liquid, usable ink by grinding on the inking stone and watering) and brushes. During the Kamakura era (1185-1333), the idea of ink-saturated cotton appeared. By touching the cotton with a brush, one made it ready to write and by enclosing the cotton in a little box, it was possible to carry the set around without risk of spilling ink.
Whitecomb donated his collections to the Mulvane Art Museum in 1968 and 1975 in honor of Frances Davis Whittemore, director of the Washburn art department from 1912 to 1929.
Barbara Wilson’s collection of Meissen figurines was donated in 2007. In the history of European/Continental porcelain, the German factory of Meissen, near Dresden, has long held a prominent position. In 1710, Meissen began producing decorative and fine utilitarian pieces of true hard-paste porcelain. Meissen figurines display a mastery of the medium as the shapes and forms have intricate detailing and each piece is hand painted. While the mid-18th century period is considered to be the golden years of the factory, the Victorian era saw a renewed interest in beautiful items from the past. Beginning in 1870, revival pieces were updated and reissued to conform to lavish Victorian taste. As the 20th century dawned, Meissen added new models and the factory continues to produce high quality tableware and figurines in classic and contemporary designs.
Museum and ArtLab hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. No admission is charged. The museum is closed major holidays.
The Mulvane Art Museum is located on the Washburn University campus at 17th and Jewell Streets, adjacent to White Concert Hall. For additional information, call 785-670-1124, e-mail mulvane.info@washburn.edu, or go to http://www.washburn.edu/mulvane/.
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