Everything Nac

Nacogdoches junior Josh Welch has been awarded the first Gary Parker Art Scholarship at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The SFA Friends of the Visual Arts established the scholarship last year in honor of retired SFA School of Art faculty member Gary Parker, who was employed for 31 years in the School of Art where he not only taught courses but also directed the school’s Summer Art Academy program for children and served as the gallery preparator.

The FVA has established scholarships in the name of retiring SFA School of Art professors who were employed in the School of Art for minimum of 10 years before retirement and who contributed in a significant way to the mission of the Friends of the Visual Arts board and its fundraising activities, such as consistently donating art for fundraisers, by providing monetary assistance, or by serving on FVA committees or board.

Jeff Brewer, assistant professor of sculpture and drawing in the School of Art, nominated Welch for the award. Among the Parker scholarship criteria is the expectation that the recipient “must have demonstrated promise in the field of art by using their hands and minds to create art.”

“Josh has a passion for sculpture, a genuine excitement for knowledge and the drive to make a difference,” Brewer wrote in his recommendation. “He is more than deserving of this scholarship in that he embodies all the ideals that Gary Parker champions. He makes (art) not only with his hands but with his head and heart.”

Brewer said he has watched Welch “push” himself, his fellow students and others, including his teachers, toward excellence, and he is always willing to go the extra mile.

“When I need a hand, he is there without prompting and is the last one to leave the studios at night, he said. “Be it Art Alliance, Showcase Saturday, Art Day or keeping me on task, Josh is my ‘go-to.'”

Welch will attend a residency this summer in Germany.

“He has what it takes to make it in the art world, and this scholarship will only help propel him faster in that direction,” Brewer said.

The SFA Friends of the Visual Arts is made up of community members who support the arts in East Texas and provide monetary assistance to students enrolling in the School of Art by conducting fundraisers, such as the annual 12 X 12 event every July.

Katy senior Victoria Sturm has been selected as this year’s Charles D. Jones Art Scholarship recipient at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The Jones scholarship, established by the SFA Friends of the Visual Arts, is awarded on an annual basis to a junior, senior or graduate level student with drawing or printmaking as his/her major study area. Students must show initiative and a broad appreciation of all of the fine arts with a concentration on printmaking, according to the eligibility criteria established by Jones.

Neal Cox, associate professor in the SFA School of Art and printmaking coordinator, nominated Sturm for the award, giving her “my highest recommendation based upon my observations of her work ethic, enthusiasm, development and temperament,” he said.

“Ms. Sturm’s enthusiasm energizes her peers and creates a positive learning environment,” Cox wrote in is nomination letter. “Not only does she take her standard educational expectations seriously, she is also an honors student. Ms. Sturm is 100-percent on time with her assigned work. She has never been late to class, and, to my memory, has perfect attendance.

Sturm is currently working on a body of work questioning cosmetic culture, Cox said.

“Her consideration of societal norms has led her to make some pretty profound work,” he wrote. “I am looking forward to seeing her work come together in her final show next year, and am happy to throw my support behind her so she can really excel. The Jones scholarship would be a great boon to her toward that end. There is not a more deserving, qualified student in my program.”

The FVA has established scholarships in the name of retiring SFA School of Art professors who were employed in the School of Art for a minimum of 10 years before retirement and who contributed in a significant way to the mission of the Friends of the Visual Arts board and its fundraising activities, such as consistently donating art for fundraisers, by providing monetary assistance, or by serving on FVA committees or board.

Jones is professor emeritus in the SFA School of Art where he taught printmaking, drawing, Mexican art history and the “Art of The Book” from 1971 to 2011. During that time, he was named a Regents Professor and received a Distinguished Professor Award from the Alumni Association and a Teaching Excellence Award from the university. He is now the director and master printer for the LaNana Creek Press in the College of Fine Arts and has had exhibitions of his work worldwide.

The SFA Friends of the Visual Arts is made up of community members who support the arts in East Texas and provide monetary assistance to students enrolled in the School of Art by conducting fundraisers, such as the upcoming annual 12 x 12 event in July.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s James I. Perkins College of Education will host Barrio Writers, a free weeklong summer writing program, June 13-18 on the SFA campus.

This is the second year SFA is offering the program, which is tailored for students ages 13-21 with an interest in reading and writing.

Barrio Writers comprises chapters in cities across the state, including Austin and Houston. Dr. Heather Olson Beal, SFA associate professor of secondary education, is coordinating the program for SFA and the Nacogdoches Independent School District.

Barrio Writers offers free afternoon workshops in the McKibben Education Building on the SFA campus. SFA faculty and staff members serve as writing advisers who lead the workshops.

During each session, students read books, poems and song lyrics before discussing them as a group and then free write for 30 minutes. Through discussion, students relate the reading to their personal experiences by answering various questions. Students also can share their writing and receive critiques and constructive feedback.

“In this program, we don’t focus on grammar or writing style. Instead, we focus on using one’s voice for empowerment and identity,” Olson Beal said. “The program’s purpose is to have students work on content and expressing themselves. We want them to think about big issues in their communities and use writing as a tool to change the world around them.”

After each program is complete, Barrio Writers founder Sarah Rafael García collects the written work and compiles the pieces into a book to demonstrate the participant’s diverse backgrounds. Olson Beal said the opportunity for students to have their work published is one of the program’s main benefits. SFA Press began publishing the yearly Barrio Writers anthologies in 2015.

Along with the workshops, students participate in multicultural field trips during the week. Also, a public reading of the students’ work is hosted the Saturday following the program. This year’s public reading will be 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, in the Early Childhood Research Center, Room 212, on the SFA campus.

In addition to Nacogdoches ISD students in grades 6-12, SFA students 21 or younger also are encouraged to participate in the event, especially education majors as Olson Beal said the event is great for experience and one’s résumé.

For more information, email sfabarriowriters@gmail.com or visit www.barriowriters.org.