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for Success "My first art show at Drake," Joseph Biel, FA'88, says proudly, "was in someone's apartment my sophomore year. I remember the care that I took in putting together that show. It was really important to me even though only a few people saw it." By Lisa D. Gildehaus, JO'93 More than a decade later, Biel is far cry from his "apartment gallery" days. "My breakthrough show happened in LA in 2002 at the Roberts and Tilton Gallery. I got a small show in one of the gallery's project rooms but then the main exhibitor cancelled and, because I had this huge body of work-enough to fill up the space-I got a show. I sold all of the work in the show and got a review in the LA Times." He pauses and then modestly adds, "I have a way to go, but now some people know me."
It is exactly this sort of chance opportunity that faculty of Drake's Department of Art and Design prepare their students to handle with composure. Stacy Lautzenheiser, AS'93, design director for Origins, a division of Estee Lauder, got a call from a contact she'd made through another friend shortly after she moved to New York in 1996. "Origins was designing their first ever catalogue and had pulled it from the design firm. They needed a freelance designer and needed the project done quickly," Lautzenheiser recalls. "Six months later, I accepted a full-time position with them. I thought I'd be here a year and now it's six years later! Origins is a fantastic corporation to work for." Department of Art and Design Chair Robert Craig is pleased but not surprised to hear about Drake alumni succeeding under the pressure of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. "Employers hire Drake students because they have opportunities to develop other skills, skills that are more comprehensive, partnered in design, and with an emphasis on new technology. Our program also understands that it is the material process and hand skills that students develop that sets them apart." A diverse faculty Current students and alumni credit Drake's diverse faculty as one of the department's strongest assets. "We try to hire someone comprehensively skilled in all areas," says Craig. "For example, Angela Battle, assistant professor of art, has an undergraduate degree in biology and a terminal degree in painting and now develops courses within the art and design department that are applicable to the sciences. In fact, this year we are doing interdisciplinary work with the Science Department." Hope Donovan, a sophomore pursuing a degree in drawing, entered the program "totally oblivious to what the art world was all about." With a talent for drawing and an interest in liberal arts, Drake lured Donovan to the program with a scholarship. For someone on unfamiliar territory, Donovan has relied heavily on the faculty for guidance. "I have immense respect for Ignatius Widiapradja [associate professor of art and design]," Donovan says; "He is intensely aware of what's going on in the world and makes every attempt to educate his students not just to be better artists, but better people." She has also found support from her advisor, Maura Lyons, assistant professor of art, who, helped her find campus employment and from her painting professor, Angela Battle, who Donovan says, "makes concerted efforts to put up student work in smaller galleries that we have around the building and in the library." Most students form strong allegiances with one or two professors in their department, people who help them grow and expand their talents in ways that they had not previously envisioned. "Our current faculty body is a cohesive group that brings an important diversity regarding teaching methods and approaches to creating art and design," says Craig.
"When I started at Drake, Iowa State was the strongest Art and Design program around the area," says Lautzenheiser, "but by the time I left, Drake's program rivaled ISU's. It was a change for the positive." Throughout the 1990s, the Department focused its energies on a unique cooperation among the graphic design, studio art and art history areas in order to create a cross-disciplinary approach. "We focus on merging the programs because then, for example, the graphic design students in other programs develop studio skills," says Craig. "Many graphic design students focus only on computer skills and they never develop hand skills. Because of our program, we've gotten a lot of compliments from employers that our students have the appropriate hand skills." The Department has also developed connections across the University in order to create more overlap between fine arts and other elements of a student's education. In 2001, for example, the Department worked in conjunction with the English Department on a collaborative piece through Drake's Anderson Gallery. "The English students brought a literary piece of work and the art students talked about a certain piece of art," says Cira Pascual Marquina, the gallery's artistic director. "They reflected on the two, exchanged ideas and then each developed an idea based on the other's work." The Art and Design Department is also expanding into other areas, such as Web and video. "We have to prepare students with time-based and digital programs, because that's what the market-and the students-call for," says Craig.
Gugel is also cognizant of the skills he took with him from the program. "It's hard to pinpoint what elements you leave the program with, but I can say that many things that are inherent to me now as a designer, I feel I picked up and exercised at Drake. The faculty and program as a whole in both fine arts and the graphic arts teaches students an attention and appreciation for detail. The program is big enough that it has a great studio space and resources, yet small enough that you can really get to know the professors on a personal level and get a lot of good face time with them." Learning to exhibit "When I was a student, I thought a lot of work meant 20 pieces, and you'd go to a gallery and they'd say 'show me 40 more,'" says Biel. He firmly believes that it is best for fresh young artists not to be too eager to jump into the cutthroat world of art galleries. "It's more important to develop a sense of self as an artist. These galleries can be really disorienting even to me and I'm a little older than someone right out of their MFA program. It's like a battlefield out there. I also can't emphasize how much work it takes to create body of work. You've got to have the goods when you walk into these galleries." In an effort to help students develop that sense of self, a hallmark of the Art and Design program is the annual juried student exhibition. The galleries on the Drake campus are designed to house student and faculty exhibitions throughout the year. At the end of each semester, students undergo BFA reviews from faculty throughout the department and then at the end of each school year, students are encouraged to submit work to the juried exhibit. Studio faculty then select a piece of student work that is purchased through the Provost Purchase Award and added to the university's permanent collection. "Submitting work to a show is always a harrowing experience," says Donovan. "You have to be prepared for rejection, because that is the most likely outcome. Winning an award is nice I imagine, but getting in the show is the most important part. Many students get excited by the idea of competition, and it does encourage students to do the best that they can." This rigorous competition is designed to reflect life outside the university walls. Craig notes that this part of the Drake experience hopes to impress upon young artists the work that awaits them. "Juried shows are a major component of an artist's life so the sooner students understand that part- the preparation or the rejection of an exhibit-is really the most important learning experience." Beyond the University Walls "My time at Drake was an amazing experience for me," says Biel. "I didn't know how good I had it and what a high level of experience and artistry I was getting until after I'd finished." Many alumni, like Biel, find themselves well prepared because of the talent and skills they developed while at Drake. Stacy Lautzenheiser acknowledges that she wouldn't have moved to New York if it hadn't been for the constant encouragement she found through fine arts faculty and then at Conyers Design in Des Moines, her first professional job after graduation-a job that she accepted after encouragement from her graphic design professor. "Everything builds on one another," she says. "In a small design studio, you work all the time. In the corporate environment, you can work from 8 to 6 and then have time outside of work to do other freelance creative designing. I always thought I wanted to have my own design studio, but I came to realize that the corporate environment and doing other things on the side is a pretty good way to go." The impact of Drake's program is also evident as Biel, on the other end of the artistic spectrum, envisions his future. "My goal is to go to the next level. I'd like to shoot for some New York shows and go for the big galleries. I just want to produce as much, show as much, and get my name out as much as I possibly can." Lisa
Gildehaus, JO'93, is an independent filmmaker and writer. |
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The Anderson Gallery, which opened during the 1995-1996 season, has gained prominence for its exhibitions of contemporary art both on the Drake campus and throughout the Des Moines community. Cira Pascual Marquina, artistic director of the Anderson Gallery since 2001, envisions the gallery as a laboratory that encourages both investigation and encourages experimentation. "Young artists are under pressure to get gallery shows in major art centers," explains Pascual Marquina. "A gallery wants an artist to produce marketable work and develop a set style. It puts artists in a very set track so they have identifiable work." As part of the Fine Arts Department, the Anderson Gallery houses exhibitions that are chosen by Pascual Marquina and Art Department faculty. "As a small gallery, we offer an opportunity for experimentation and expansion of style-a chance for artists to play with ideas. We also have more flexibility to work with artists on a one-on-one basis." The Gallery currently hosts six exhibitions per year-three to four are curated shows, and the other two to three are reserved for student and faculty work. Pascual Marquina is aware of the pivotal role that the gallery holds within the University system and beyond. "We play a role where people inhabit an environment. We need to give back to the community in response to all that we receive. It is also important to work in interdisciplinary departments. We do gallery talks, opening receptions, and really try to engage both the University community as well as the Des Moines community with the artists to foster a dialogue about the work." In the spring of 2003, the Anderson Gallery will host the 32nd Annual Juried Student Exhibition and the Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibitions. "In the autumn of 2003," adds Pascual Marquina, "is an exhibition by Otl Aicher, a German designer who has really impacted contemporary design. His designs are very well known and we see them everywhere-the Lufthansa Airlines logo, the 1972 Munich Olympics logo. He even designed the first very simple male and female bathroom logos." Pascual Marquina's enthusiasm is contagious, and the Anderson Gallery has been capitalizing on its unique space and purpose within the community. "Smaller spaces like this can help artists experiment and try new paths. Because we are in a university setting, I feel this is an essential part of our mission." |
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