Everything Nac

“Fragmentation: The Lithographs of Wayne Kimball” will open Thursday, Sept. 14, in Griffith Gallery on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

The exhibition features finely detailed lithographs on paper.

Neal Cox, associate professor in the School of Art teaching printmaking, digital media, photography and drawing, who studied under Kimball, said of his work: “There is a connection to surrealism, a la Magritte, but in a more contemporary manner. He likes to make subtle comments on current events or pop culture (at least the popular culture he is interested in) while connecting with elements of antiquity.

“He also seems interested in architectural detail, particularly interior design and even furniture design,” Cox added. “All the work seems like a staged collage of sorts.”

A reception with the artist is scheduled for 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5.

Kimball holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Southern Utah, Cedar City, and a Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Arizona, Tucson. He holds a Master Printer certification from the Tamarind Institute, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Kimball’s teaching experience includes a number of faculty positions at universities in New Mexico, Wisconsin, California, Texas and Arizona. He was a professor in the Department of Visual Arts at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Since his retirement in 2009, Kimball has continued to produce and exhibit his work, which can be found in collections ranging from the National Gallery of Art, the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Museum.

The exhibition will show through Nov. 10. Griffith Gallery is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Dr.

Admission to the exhibition and reception, which is sponsored in part by the SFA School of Art, Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum, is free. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Annual School of Art Faculty Exhibition will open with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Each year, the faculty exhibition features a wide variety of artworks in ceramics, sculpture, photography, painting, prints, metals and mixed media, according to John Handley, director of SFA art galleries.

“I think our faculty looks forward to this exhibition each fall as a way to kick off the school year and showcase their personal work for incoming students and the public at large to see,” Handley said. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget that many of our faculty are also professional working artists whose work is in private collections and museums around the world.”

This year’s featured faculty artist is Bill Nieberding, assistant professor in the School of Art, who will present an exhibition of his photography. “Personae in Places: The Photography of William Nieberding” explores the artist’s fascination with the human form in public spaces over the last two decades, Handley explained.

“Early black and white environmental portraits, recent street photographs, and events, such as Dia De Los Muertos festival in Nacogdoches, are featured,” Handley said. “The images explore complex aspects of identity revealed in the way people present themselves to the public eye and to the unwavering eye of the camera.”

Nieberding’s exhibition will show in Reavley Gallery, and the faculty exhibition will be in Ledbetter Gallery. Both shows will be exhibited through Oct. 21. The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House is located at 329 E. Main St.

Admission to the exhibition and reception, which is sponsored in part by the Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum, is free. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

By Christine Broussard
Contributing writer

Nineteen family nurse practitioner students from across Texas visited the Stephen F. Austin State University DeWitt School of Nursing Building last week for the first Master of Science in Nursing program orientation in the university’s history.

The new online program makes it easier for East Texas nurses to access graduate nursing education while providing much-needed primary care to citizens of Deep East Texas.

“Because I’m a single mom working two jobs with two kids, I would not have been able to go back to school if it was not for SFA’s new online program,” Shannon Weaver of Longview said during last week’s orientation. “I think for so many of us, at this point in our lives, hybrid programs or those that require in-person classes are just not a feasible option, so I love that aspect of SFA’s new program.”

The Master of Science in Nursing with focus as a family nurse practitioner requires 46 credit hours and 720 minimum clinical hours to complete. Students will be allowed to utilize preceptors for clinical experiences in their home communities, when possible.

“For similar programs at other universities, you have to be on campus so many days a week and that was just not an option for me unless I was wanting to relocate, find a new job and go to school at the same time,” said Grant Harris, a Master of Science in Nursing student and SFA graduate. “The master’s degree in nursing was just a really flexible program and great fit.”

A $750,000 grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation strengthened development of the online program, which includes a few on-campus clinical experiences.

“We could not have gained momentum if it were not for the support of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, and we are most thankful,” said Dr. Sara Bishop, director of SFA’s DeWitt School of Nursing.

The SFA nursing administrators stated that access to health care is a growing concern across the nation. Many Texas counties have a shortage of primary care providers, including the counties in Deep East Texas. The leaders believe this program will connect SFA and East Texas communities through learning opportunities.

“Many of the students will be working with area nurse practitioners and primary care physicians in clinical sites where they will receive assistance and training,” said Dr. Janice Hensarling, associate professor of nursing and Master of Science in Nursing assistant program coordinator. “We have already received so much support from the community, and our program will focus on the needs of rural East Texas.”

According to Dr. Christell Bray, program coordinator, the first class is scheduled to graduate in 2020.

For additional information about admission requirements and other details, contact Hensarling at (936) 468-7732 or jhensarling@sfasu.edu.

Christine Broussard is a senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts will open its 2017-18 University Series with a performance of New York City-based dance company Taylor 2 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

A younger sibling to the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Taylor 2 brings the work of the modern dance world’s leading choreographer to life for audiences of all backgrounds. At 87, Taylor is the last working member of the generation of luminaries that launched modern dance in America.

“This is dance for everyone: accessible, athletic, emotionally powerful and really sexy – with a sense of humor, too,” said Scott Shattuck, associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and director of the University Series. “His smaller company brings us a more intimate performance but still delivers the same knockout excitement that Paul Taylor is well known for worldwide.”

Taylor 2 was established in 1993 to ensure that audiences all over the world could see Taylor’s works, unhindered by economic or technical limitations. The renowned choreographer worked with longtime colleague Linda Hodes to create a company that could perform at the highest level as well as teach and provide community outreach.

Taylor 2’s performance is sponsored in part by Cataract, Glaucoma & Retina Consultants of East Texas/Benchmark Optical/Medical Arts Surgery Center.

Prior to the performance, Heather Samuelson, assistant professor and co-coordinator of dance in the SFA Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, will present an informative talk at 7 p.m. in Griffith Gallery. The gallery is located across the hall from Turner Auditorium, which is inside the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive. The audience is invited back to the gallery for a post-performance reception to meet the dancers and to honor the event’s corporate sponsor.

Single event ticket prices for the University Series are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for non-SFA students/youth. Tickets for SFA students are $3.

For more information or to purchase tickets, 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.

Other upcoming University Series performances include Christmas with the Annie Moses Band on Dec. 12; Chanticleer on Jan. 19; The Mountaintop on Feb. 3; and The Barefoot Movement on March 8. Season tickets for the five-event series are $100 for adults, $80 for seniors and $40 for students/youth. A special Encore Event, the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker, will kick off the holiday season on Nov. 16 and 17. Call for prices and discounts.

The Children’s Performing Arts Series at Stephen F. Austin State University will once again bring fun, educational shows that entertain and inform East Texas youngsters.

The series, presented by the College of Fine Arts, features five nationally touring shows designed to engage 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.”

This year’s lineup taps into four children’s shows offered by the Virginia Repertory Theatre, and it brings back the action-packed Super Scientific Circus.

The 2017-18 series opens Friday, Oct. 13, with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” This musical adaptation of the classic Grimm’s fairy tale comes to life with a talented ensemble of actors and wonderful puppets. Follow along as Snow White meets her pint-sized friends, takes the apple from the Evil Queen, receives a kiss from the Prince, and lives happily ever after. This faithful rendition of the fable will inspire young audiences to read the original. This performance is for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Perhaps the best loved holiday story of all time, Virginia Repertory’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” on Friday, Dec. 1, is particularly suited to children. Watch Mr. Scrooge have a change of heart from stone to gold as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas, transforming him into a kinder, gentler man. All the joy, sentiment and meaning are here, without being too scary for young audiences. The play is for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Children can learn more about black history with a performance of “Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad” on Thursday, Feb. 1. This stirring drama with music is a classic tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of her people from the bonds of slavery. Traveling by night and in extreme secrecy, her courage helped to change the world. Share her inspiring and adventurous life with students in this factual and deeply moving musical history lesson written for children in second through eighth grade.

The longtime favorite Super Scientific Circus returns to the SFA campus on Wednesday, March 7, 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.

The series concludes Friday, April 27, with “The Ugly Duckling,” the fable of the swan who grows up ‘ugly” in a family of ducks, later to find his appearance changing as he discovers his true identity. Virginia Rep unites Hans Christian Andersen’s classic ugly duckling with other animal “misfit” heroes from the folk traditions of other cultures who work together to earn their home on the King’s estate and find the self-confidence that only friendship and accomplishment can provide. The musical targets children in kindergarten through fifth 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.

The Alazan Trio at Stephen F Austin State University will perform romantic piano trios when the faculty ensemble presents a recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Comprised of School of Music faculty members Jennifer Dalmas, violin; Evgeni Raychev, cello; and Ron Petti, piano, the trio will perform the music of German composers Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms.

Formed in 2005, the Alazan Trio has typically performed and promoted music primarily by American composers, according to Dalmas.

“For this concert, the trio will explore the music of Romantic composers Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms, going effectively on a ‘European Vacation,'” she said.

The two pieces on the program are Schumann’s Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17 and Brahms’ Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 101. The piano trio by Schumann is considered to be one of her finest works, and is her only published piece written in four-movement form.

“Elegant and lyrical, this work was admired by her contemporaries, particularly Mendelssohn,” Dalmas said.

His third and last piano trio, Brahms’ Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 101 is also composed in four movements and is more tautly conceived than his other more lengthy chamber works, Dalmas explained.

“Of the three piano trios he composed, this is the most powerful and dramatic, and Clara Schumann admired it greatly,” she said.

The performance is part of the Calliope Concert Series of the School of Music, made possible by the Wedgeworth-Wright Endowment for the Arts, the James E. and Beth Kingham Performance Fund and the Kennedy Recital Fund. Cole Concert Hall is located in the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building, 2210 Alumni Drive.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.