SFA University
October 18, 2016 - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art will host two exhibitions – a showcase of alumni art work and an exhibition of artist books from the Booklyn Gallery – Oct. 27 through Jan. 14 in The Cole Art Center at The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.
A reception for the double opening with artists in attendance is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Cole Art Center. The exhibitions are a presentation of the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine arts and School of Art.
The mixed media “SFA Alumni Showcase” will be the first of its kind in several decades and will feature a variety of paintings, sculpture and other work, according to Gary Parker, retired SFA School of Art instructor and the curator of the show.
“I left it up to the individual artist to curate their own section,” Parker said. “I gave each artist a certain amount of wall space and all the floor space they wanted, but most will be traditional work.”
Parker has been an advocate of an alumni exhibition for many years. After his retirement, Parker was asked by the School of Art to turn his idea into a show that he would curate.
“I’m glad we’re doing this, and I hope it becomes a biennial event,” Parker said. “I think there are enough SFA art alums out there who are doing good things that we could feature them in this way for years to come.
“I want current students to be aware that there is a future for them in art, if they go get it,” he said. “They need to understand there is life after graduation, and that they can pursue an art career and be successful at it. If you have examples in front of you from previous students who have succeeded, it’s encouraging.”
Artists who now reside in New York, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas have work in the show. Participating artists include Celia Eberle, Greg Elliott, Rachel Gardner, Mike Lanagan, Emily Sloan, Matthew Sontheimer, Sara Sosnowy, Mary Jo Vath and Holly Wilson.
Keeping up with alumni across the country who have had thriving art careers is important for not only recruiting purposes, but also for documenting SFA’s history of generating successful artists, Parker said.
“That’s what current students need to see,” he said. “Not only does this give validity to SFA itself, but it gives students a certain amount of hope for the future.”
“Artist Books from the Booklyn Gallery: High Performance Printmaking,” the second exhibition, addresses the evolution of printmaking in the 21st century. The exhibition proposes that printmaking in the 21st century “will thrive as a social practice moving beyond the pop, decorative and empty abstraction that defines the commodity-driven ‘fine’ print world, and continuing to further the goals of socially engaged and experimental printmakers ranging from Goya to Judy Watson and beyond,” states Marshall Weber, curator of the exhibition.
“I propose that there is room for an urgent, attentive, attached, and ‘awoke’ printmaking practice,” Weber said, “… a practice that engages with the world both passionately and compassionately and has commitments to aesthetic integrity and social and ecological justice. In these artists’ work, aspects of public and private performance, of choreography and gesture, are a crucial conceptual and/or material part of the printmaking process.”
The Booklyn Gallery is an artist-run, nonprofit artist and bookmakers’ organization headquartered in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York.
Exhibitions are sponsored in part by the SFA Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum. Admission is free.
The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. Gallery hours are 12:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.
October 12, 2016 - Future college students will have the opportunity to experience a taste of campus life during a free, action-packed open-house Saturday, Nov. 12, at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.
Prospective students will have the opportunity to visit with university faculty and staff members, tour the campus and residence halls, and preview academic programs during the SFA Showcase Saturday event.
"There is no better time than Showcase Saturday to visit the beautiful SFA campus and witness firsthand what it's like to be a Lumberjack," said Jessica Maynard, assistant director of SFA's Office of Admissions.
"Guests are encouraged to visit one-on-one with our faculty members to learn more about our quality, personalized academic programs, and our staff members will be available to answer questions about everything from admission requirements to financial aid to residence life,” Maynard added.
SFA is a comprehensive, residential university located in the heart of Texas Forest Country. Approximately 13,000 students attend SFA, which is within a few hours' drive of Texas' major metropolitan areas.
Showcase Saturday event registration will begin at 11:45 a.m. on the first floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center and will remain open until 12:45 p.m. Each person who registers will receive an information packet. The opening program begins at 12:45 p.m. and will provide an overview of the day's events.
Guests will then be able to visit with representatives of the academic departments until 4 p.m. at the Academic Fair in the Student Recreation Center. A Student Services Fair will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center.
Campus and residence hall tours will begin at 1:30 p.m. and continue until 5 p.m. Campus tours will take students on a guided walk of the SFA campus, while the self-guided residence hall tours will showcase several halls on both the north and south ends of campus.
Admissions counselors will be available to discuss admission procedures and requirements from 1:30 to 5 p.m. in the Rusk Building, Room 206, and at several freshman and transfer admissions sessions held throughout the day.
Financial aid information sessions will be held at 2:30, 3:15 and 4 p.m. in the Baker Pattillo Student Center's Twilight Ballroom. Residence Life information sessions will be held at 2:30, 3:15 and 4 p.m. in the Baker Pattillo Student Center's movie theater on the second floor.
Participating prospective students will receive a free SFA T-shirt after completing an evaluation form in the tent located in the courtyard area of the Rusk Building.
For more information about SFA's Showcase Saturday, contact the SFA Office of Admissions at (936) 468-2504 or email admissions@sfasu.edu.
October 11, 2016 - Vendor booth spaces are still available for the fourth annual Día de los Muertos Fiesta slated for 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, in downtown Nacogdoches in and around The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.
Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead observance, is considered a cheerful celebration of life, honoring the souls of the deceased. Día de los Muertos is a Mexican term derived from the Roman Catholic All Saints’ and All Souls’ days, traditionally observed Nov. 1 and 2. An array of activities, ranging from decorating graves to creating home altars, typically highlight the celebration that can last for days.
The popular Chikawa Aztec Dancers, Martinez Mariachi Duo and musicians Juan Carlos and Jenna Ureña will return to entertain crowds at the Nacogdoches celebration, which grows in popularity each year, according to Lisa Steed, events coordinator for Stephen F. Austin State University art galleries.
A fundraiser for the gallery will feature original art and Day of the Dead vintage items.
Those interested in reserving booth spaces may email sfaartgalleries@sfasu.edu to receive a reservation form, which are also available at the Nacogdoches Public Library and The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.
Among the vendors already committed to participating are SFA Art Metals, SFA Art Alliance, Friends of the Visual Arts, The Old Stone Fort, Nacogdoches Public Library with free children’s activities, SFA School of Theatre with face painting, and several food vendors, including Casa Morales and Birdie’s Bakery, and more.
Sponsors are also being solicited for the event. Confirmed sponsors include SFA Sound Recording Technology, R&K Distributors, the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau and Friends of the Visual Arts.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities or booth reservations, call (936) 468-6557.
October 11, 2016 NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Customarily held in large, metropolitan areas such as Houston, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth, the 87th annual meeting of the Texas Archeological Society will be held in Nacogdoches this year and hosted by Stephen F. Austin State University Oct. 28 through 30 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center.
This year’s meeting will be the second time the Oldest Town in Texas has hosted the event. The first time was in 1995. Nacogdoches’ selection as the conference host correlates with the city’s celebration of its 300th anniversary.
“The meeting consists of a day and a half of presentations of papers and posters from professionals, students and avocationals,” said Dr. George Avery, director of the SFA anthropology and archeology lab. “All areas of Texas are represented, but there will be special emphasis on the Spanish presence in this area. There also will be meetings of the Council of Texas Archeologists, the Texas Historical Commission’s Stewardship program, and the TAS executive and board meetings.”
On Friday evening, the public is invited to bring artifacts to be identified. Jason Barrett with the Houston division of the Texas Department of Transportation will then speak on the resurgence of public archeology in the Houston area. Both this speaker event and the artifact identification are free to attend.
Dr. Juliana Barr, associate professor in the Duke University Department of History, will speak at a Saturday evening banquet regarding the role of archeology in telling the story of the American Indians prior to European arrival. On Sunday, three field trip opportunities for participants will be offered at Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, Nacogdoches County sites and Mission Dolores State Historic Site.
A silent auction also will be held during the weekend conference. Auction donors include Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Kroger and Brookshires in Nacogdoches. In addition, Kiwanas of Nacogdoches, Lions Club of San Augustine and the Deep East Texas Archeological Society of Newton have each sponsored one high school student to attend the conference.
The TAS is a non-profit organization, and the goal of the annual meeting is to fundraise for TAS activities, which include raising awareness that many construction projects impact archeological sites. The TAS hosts workshops year-round on various archeological topics, including ceramics, lithics (stone tools), macrobotanicals, historic archeology and rock-art recording. TAS also has a one-week field school in June each year. See http://www.txarch.org/index.php for more information on the TAS.
The cost of the TAS conference is $60 for adult members and $30 for student members. The cost for adult non-members is $70 and student non-members is $35. For information or to register, contact Avery at (936) 468-2457 or averyg@sfasu.edu.
October 11, 2016 - Tickets are still available for the Big Head Blues Club performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.
The Big Head Blues Club, featuring Big Head Todd and the Monsters with Mud Morganfield, Billy Branch, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Erica Brown, will present “Way Down Inside: Songs of Willie Dixon,” a performance that pays tribute to one of the pillars of modern blues. The show, which is part of the SFA College of Fine Arts’ University Series, is sponsored in part by Lehmann Eye Center.
Prior to the performance, Dr. J.D. Salas, associate professor in the SFA School of Music, will present an informative talk about blues music at 7 p.m. in Griffith Gallery. The gallery is located across the hall from Turner Auditorium, which is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive. The audience is invited back to the gallery for a post-performance reception to meet the performers and to honor the event’s corporate sponsor.
Single event ticket prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for non-SFA students/youth. Tickets for SFA students are $3. For tickets or more information on the 2016-17 University Series, visit finearts.sfasu.edu, stop by the Box Office in Room 211 of the Griffith Fine Arts Building, or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.
October 11, 2016 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s Braille and Cane Club will host a White Cane Day parade and activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13th, on the university campus in honor of National White Cane Safety Day.
The day celebrates the growing independence and self-sufficiency of people who are blind in America, and also works to recognize the white cane as the symbol of independence and self-reliance, according to the National Federation of the Blind’s website.
Laura Kiefer, SFA Braille and Cane Club president, is coordinating the event.
“This day is very close to my heart because my mom is visually impaired and uses a cane. I know she often encounters people who believe in the many misconceptions associated with blindness,” said Kiefer, a Fort Worth senior studying rehabilitation and orientation and mobility at SFA.
Open to the public, the festivities will include a parade through campus along Vista Drive, North Street and East College Street. Parade participants are encouraged to wear white and should meet at 9:30 a.m. in the first floor lobby of the Human Services Building on the SFA campus. The parade will end at the SFA fountain.
“This event is incredibly important in providing public awareness to the fact that people who are blind are happy, productive and independent members of the community,” Kiefer said.
In addition to the parade, club members will host a public awareness event beginning at 11 a.m. in front of the Baker Pattillo Student Center and a bake sale near the SFA fountain. Funds raised from the bake sale will support the club’s annual Christmas party for local children with visual impairments.
October 5, 2016 - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre will present the student-directed, full-length play “Sunset Baby” by Dominique Morisseau at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, in the Downstage Theatre on the SFA campus.
Directed by Dallas senior Dominique Rider, the play is about a former black revolutionary returning to his home to find a daughter he barely knows and a city that has changed in the past 20 years. The play addresses how generational voids affect people and the implications of revolution, according to Rider.
The cast includes Houston junior Terrance Simon as Damon; Dallas senior Jonee´ Lewis as Nina; and San Antonio senior Kevin Holloway-Harris as Kenyatta.
The production staff includes Jessy Valladares, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, junior, stage manager; Rebekah Webb, Dallas junior, assistant stage manager; Alexis Wicks, Mathis senior, scenic designer; Danika Pettyjohn, Fort Worth senior, costume designer; Brian Steele, Houston junior, lighting designer; Lane Davidson, Denton junior, sound designer; Angel Williams, Beaumont senior, hair and makeup designer; and Hope Kidd, Grand Prairie sophomore, properties manager.
Scott Shattuck is faculty production advisor.
“Sunset Baby’ is recommended for mature audiences. Tickets are $6. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit theatre.sfasu.edu. The Downstage Theatre is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive.
October 5, 2016 - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House will host the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association’s annual membership and board meeting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at Cole Art Center.
Nacogdoches County Judge Mike Perry and Carl Watson, executive director of the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, will welcome attendees.
Presentations will focus on archaeological research on the trail in East Texas and Louisiana, and the National Park Service will provide an update on the trail. Other activities include a networking luncheon with association representatives and agency officials from the NPS and Texas Historical Commission and a tour of trail sites between Nacogdoches and Geneva, Texas. The tour will include a rare opportunity to visit association property that was purchased with donor support in 2014 and which represents the largest concentration of remnants of the physical road anywhere on the trail, according to a press release from the association.
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association is an advocacy group that seeks to protect the historic integrity of the trail, educate the public about its significance, and promote resource development, interpretation and tourism along its path, according to the association.
Added to the National Trails System by the U.S. Congress in 2004, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail commemorates nationally significant historic routes extending from the United States-Mexico border at the Rio Grande to the eastern boundary of the Spanish province of Texas in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Among the included trail sites are the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, the Alamo, Mission Tejas State Park, Caddo Mounds State Historic Site and The Old Stone Fort on the SFA campus.
October 4, 2016 - The Children’s Performing Arts Series at Stephen F. Austin State University offers more than just great national touring shows for young audiences.
The series, hosted by the College of Fine Arts, gives potential future SFA students and their teachers and parents another opportunity to visit campus and learn about the many programs that are offered here.
Each year, CPAS features five shows designed to entertain, educate and engage young audiences of all ages. Careful consideration is given to show topics, which always include teachable classroom elements, according to Diane Peterson, Fine Arts Box Office manager and director of the series.
“CPAS shows are a great way to supplement class curriculums, and our in-depth study guides provide suggestions for pre- and post-performance activities and discussions,” Peterson said.
CPAS shows bring hundreds of students from schools throughout East Texas to the SFA campus to enjoy the productions.
“Our shows are often sell-outs, so we encourage teachers to book their classrooms early to take advantage of these great field trips that provide fun and educational outings for children,” Peterson said. “We also offer great discounts for large groups.”
The 2016-2017 series opens Thursday, Oct. 27, with “Pollyanna” presented by Stars Within Reach Productions and targeting children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Based on the best-selling classic by Eleanor H. Porter, the all-new, original musical tells the story of one little girl’s philosophy on life of always finding something to be glad about, no matter the circumstances.
“Celebration USA! America Sings!” comes to SFA on Friday, Dec. 2. Also presented by Stars Within Reach Productions, this high-energy revue takes the audience on a musical journey across the country tracking the cultural and historical moments that helped shape our nation. This show targets students in third through eighth grades.
The popular musical “Seussical,” presented by Theatreworks USA, is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 10. The Cat in the Hat is host as Dr. Seuss’s beloved characters find themselves intertwined in an incredible crazy-quilt adventure in which the power of imagination saves the day. “Seussical” targets students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale of “The Little Mermaid” is brought to life on Tuesday, March 7, in a brand new production by The Panto Company USA. The show, which targets children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, follows the dreams of a young girl who believes there is a better life for her out of the water and features stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and original songs.
The longtime favorite Super Scientific Circus returns to the SFA campus on Thursday, May 11, with Mr. Fish and Trent the Mime once again proving that science can be fun and funny. They use amazing circus skills involving boomerangs, bubbles, beach balls, bullwhips and magic to introduce the principles of friction, inertia, centripetal force, aerodynamics and more. The show targets students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Performances are at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on show dates in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. Tickets are $7.50 for individuals and $6 per person for groups of 20 or more.
To order tickets, call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS. Visit the CPAS website at www.cpas.sfasu.edu for additional information.
October 3, 2016 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s online master’s degree program in educational leadership was named the third best and among the most affordable online programs in the nation, according to a recent ranking by Educational Leadership Degree Programs, a website dedicated to helping students select the degree program that best suits their needs.
“It is a terrific honor to be recognized for the excellence and value that we’ve always known our program to have,” said Dr. Barbara Qualls, assistant professor of secondary education and educational leadership and program coordinator at SFA.
Website editors based the rankings on specific criteria, including tuition, accreditation and size of the program. Site editors said SFA’s program “bolsters Texas’ status as the queen of online education leadership degrees.”
SFA’s nationally accredited program offers a 30-hour master’s degree in educational leadership and an 18-hour principal certification. The program is administered completely online through Desire to Learn, the university’s online course-delivery system.
Qualls said it is “essential to personalize the online experience with frequent communication, detailed and timely feedback, and respectful relationship building.”
Additionally, students in the program experience interactive sessions with other students, real-time communication with professors and extensive use of electronic media such as video production through SFA’s online program.
“Our students are the future of Texas’ educational leadership. They deserve and receive the best and most consistent educational experience we can give them,” Qualls said. “Most SFA students are full-time teachers while in the program; therefore, our faculty members allow them to work at their own pace and within their own schedule.”
The program utilizes a scholar-practitioner approach incorporating theory and practice-based learning that focuses on research-based practices, curriculum and instructional leadership.
“The primary function of this program is to assist students in expansion of their self-perception as a leader and to retain the nurturing qualities of a teacher while building flexible and marketable leadership skills that can sustain lifelong learning,” Qualls said. “Our graduates are leading campuses in all parts of Texas. Lumberjack principals are a gold standard for Texas educational leadership.”
For more information, visit www.sfasu.edu/secondaryed/103.asp.
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