Everything Nac

Christopher Talbot, director of the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University, announced the recipients of SFA and Friends of the Visual Arts scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year at the opening of the 35th Annual Art Alliance Spring Show. More than $25,000 in scholarships was awarded.

Recipients included:

• Sarah Bone, Richmond sophomore, awarded a Friends of the Visual Arts Scholarship;

• Erik Ordaz Lozano, Mexico City, Mexico, graduate student, awarded the Piero Fenci Scholarship for the Ceramic Arts;

• Ethan Donart, Sugarland junior, awarded the Art Alliance Scholarship and a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Mason Cullen, Cypress sophomore, awarded the Jack McKinney Memorial Art Scholarship and a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Madeline Castillo, League City senior, awarded the Eloise Chambers Adams Art Scholarship and a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Erin Kimball, incoming freshman from Flower Mound, awarded a Friends of the Visual Arts Scholarship;

• Aldo Ornelas, Chihuahua, Mexico, graduate student, awarded a Friends of the Visual Arts Scholarship;

• Shelby Locklin, Southlake junior, awarded a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Chloe Garrett, Orange sophomore, awarded a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• John Allen, Houston junior, awarded a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Joshua Castro-Donathen, Houston senior, awarded a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Savannah Heim, incoming freshman from Flower Mound awarded a 2019 School of Art Scholarship;

• Kailan Counahan, Rusk graduate student, awarded a 2019 School of Art Scholarship; and

• Emma Livingston, incoming freshman from Flower Mound, awarded a Regents’ Scholarship.

The Friends of the Visual Arts also sponsors and awarded the following five scholarships named for retired or current professors:

• Typhanie Shepherd, Lufkin junior, awarded the William E. Arscott Art Scholarship;

• Allison Silcox, Winnie junior, awarded the Gary Q. Frields Art Scholarship;

• Lucille Coleman, Yoakum senior, awarded the Charles D. Jones Art Scholarship;

• Cameron Sweet, Duncanville junior, awarded the Robert Kinsell Art Scholarship; and

• Ericka Bates, Nacogdoches sophomore, awarded the Gary Parker Art Scholarship.

Talbot also announced the awards for the 36th Annual Art Alliance Spring Show held in the Art Building galleries. Juror was Michelle White, chief curator of the Menil Collection, Houston, and juror of Texas National 2019. She chose three art works to receive a cash award: Haley Campbell, Nacogdoches sophomore, for “Zorn Master Copy,” Jack Shanklin, Thousand Oaks, California, graduate student for “Teapot no. 1” and Typhanie Shepherd, Lufkin junior, for “Minglin’ Mingo.”

For information about the School of Art, call (936) 468- 4804 or visit http://www.art.sfasu.edu.

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “Given” at 7 p.m. Friday, July 12, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

The website https://www.giventhemovie.com describes “Given” as the simple yet powerfully contemplative story of a unique family legacy come full circle. Told through the visceral experience of a 6-year-old, “Given” follows legendary surfers Aamion and Daize Goodwin from their island home of Kauai through 15 different countries in the quest for surf and to fulfill a calling handed down through generations. Set in wave after wave of stunningly visual Earthscapes, “Given” blooms into a tender yet stirring exploration of a young boy’s understanding of life through his familial bonds and their reverence for nature.

Directed by Jess Bianchi, “Given” runs 72 minutes.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by William Arscott, Nacogdoches Film Festival, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens, Jim and Mary Neal, Richard Orton and Main Street Nacogdoches.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Area residents are seeing SummerStage everywhere!

Stephen F. Austin State University theatre students involved in the School of Theatre’s SummerStage Festival have entertained young and old at East Texas libraries and at the Texas Blueberry Festival in downtown Nacogdoches. SummerStage posters are all over town. Ads and feature articles are in local newspapers. Students’ interviews have been heard on area radio stations.

But the only place to experience the SummerStage Festival is in W.M. Turner Auditorium in Griffith Fine Arts Building on the SFA campus. Sponsored by Tipton-Ford-Lincoln, the festival, which runs June 27 through July 12, features the musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and the beloved children’s story “The Reluctant Dragon.”

Based on the book by Kenneth Grahame and adapted by Mary Hall Surface, “The Reluctant Dragon” is the charming tale of an unlikely friendship between a young boy and a peace-loving dragon, and it’s about overcoming prejudice and fear in a small medieval domain. Theatre students have been taking the tale on the road where area children have enjoyed a sampling of what’s to come when the play opens the festival on Thursday, June 27.

“The children at the library performances really seemed to engage with our actors, and that was only a reading of the story,” said Dr. Slade Billew, assistant professor of theatre and director of “The Reluctant Dragon.” “I know that young people and adults alike will connect with the full performance and enjoy the fun and energy of the show.”

Attending a live theatre production like “The Reluctant Dragon” together as a family can strengthen relationships, according to Cleo House, director of the School of Theatre.

“Theatre inspires creativity in children, and a by-product of that creativity is self-expression and the ability to problem solve,” House said. “Of course, it is a fun time for them and the entire family. Believe it or not, research shows that families that attend the theatre together can increase their bonds to each other. It’s helpful to know that while you’re attending the theatre, you are doing many positive things at once.”

“The Reluctant Dragon” will be presented at 10 a.m. June 27 and 28 and July 5, 8, 10 and 11; at 2 p.m. June 27; and at 6:30 p.m. July 12. General admission tickets are $8.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material by Jay Reiss and originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine, is about an eclectic group of sixth graders who make their way through a spelling competition where each, eager to win, reveals his/her hopes, struggles and passions through songs. The play will be presented at 7:30 p.m. July 3, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11, and at 2 p.m. July 9 and 12. General admission tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students/youth. This show has some adult themes and is recommended for mature audiences (PG-13).

Pay-what-you-can performances for both SummerStage shows are on July 8.

All performances are in Turner Auditorium. Griffith Fine Arts Building is located at 2222 Alumni Drive. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu.