First Annual Southern Virginia University Alumni Art Show, October 2011

It was my pleasure to curate the first Alumni Art Show at my alma mater, Southern Virginia University as part of Homecoming Weekend.

Here is a little virtual tour of the art show.

Emmelin Himes and Krista Jones in the front room.

Front Room

Emmelin Himes, Krista and Ertle Jones enjoying the show.

Reception.

The Man, John Feinauer, Alumni Guy.

 

Emmelin Himes ('11), Lo, This Hath Touched Thy Lips, Oil on Panel, $200

 

Tara Phillips (’11), Vision, Mixed Media, 21.25X19.25X5.25, $250

                    

 

Khiah Smith (’08), Revery, Woodblock Print & Gouache, 16x20, NFS

 

Melissa Branin Wheeler (’05), Street Performer, Roma,

Oil on Canvas, 18x24, $100

 

Melissa Branin Wheeler, Woody Guthrie, Oil on Canvas,18x24, $100

 

Rachel Adams (’11), Fear, Mixed Media, 18x24, $50

 

Colleen Moore, Language, Sculpture, 30x80, NFS

 

Jasmine (Johnson) Sloan (’11), The Observatory, Graphite, charcoal, and Watercolor on Rives BFK Paper, 9x13, $65

 

Jasmine (Johnson) Sloan (’11), The Small Window, Graphite, charcoal, and Watercolor on Rives BFK Paper, 9x13, $65

 

Rachel Adams (’11), Elements of Childhood, Mixed Media,18x24, $50

Chloe Trammel, Grief Upon the Alter, Oil on Panel, 6ftx6ft, $450

 Lauren Soffe, Healing #1, C-Print, 13”x16”, NFS

 

Lauren Soffe, Healing #2, C-Print, 13”x16”, NFS

 

Nancy Lemmon (’10), Fog on the Golden Gate, Photography, 11”x13”, Highest Offer

Congrats to Nancy for selling her second piece Fog on the Golden Gate #2  at the opening reception!

 

Krista Jones (’09), Petals, Oil on Canvas, 12x16, NFS

John, checking in Alumni, giving them chocolate, free food, and free football.  He loves us!

I was really pleased with the turn out for this show, even though there were many people who said they would participate, then didn't come through, and there were many who should have responded but didn't.  I say "should have" because I personally wanted to see their art, selfish indeed.  But, SVU is an institution that thrives on tradition, so it will be fun to watch this new tradition evolve.  And for any one who would have or should have participated, you have plenty of time to prepare for next year!  And for those who did participate, thank you for continuing to be an SVU pioneer. 

By the way, if you are an SVU alum and aren't aware of everything John Feinauer is doing to make your alumni experiences better, you should learn about it.  He is moving mountains.  As more and more people join the ranks of alumni, there are more resources and programs designed for us. 

One great way to get involved is the 5 Buck-A-Month Plan.  All of the money donated to the Alumni Association, stays in the Alumni Association, which means you get to reap the benefits.  More importantly, those who swing the gavel on accreditation look very closely on the weighty subject of "donors" and importantly "alumni donors".  It doesn't matter if you donate 75 cents or 75,000 dollars, if you give to the school your name goes on the "donar list" that SACS looks at to judge accreditation.   We all know that we all need accreditation.  Just because we're gone doesn't mean there isn't something we can do to help, in fact, we "old schoolers" have far more invested in the success of SVU than the great majority of folks who came after '05.  We came to SVU because we wanted to be involved in something important.  I still feel that way about SVU, and I know the school still needs us just as much now as it did when we were only 400 (or less) strong. 

Get involved!