Artwork featuring a buffalo.

Artist-educators discuss exhibition, intercultural collaboration

Dr. Lori Santos, associate professor of art education, and Vladimir Ramos, La Escuela Nacional Superior Autónoma de Bellas Artes del Perú, will host an artist talk at 2 p.m. today about their exhibition “From Lima to Wichita/De Lima a Wichita,” on view at ShiftSpace Gallery through July 30.

Participants have the option to attend in person at ShiftSpace, located inside Groover Labs (334 St. Francis Ave.), or join via Zoom.

An image of painted sunflowers made out of cardboard with the following text: "Join us in McKnight Atrium for flower-making workshop with visiting artist George Ferrandi. July 30."

Join visiting artist George Ferrandi for flower-making workshop

Join visiting artist George Ferrandi for a free flower-making workshop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 30 at the McKnight Art Center Atrium.

The workshop will include the making of a sunflower that will adorn the ShiftSpace parade entry for the homecoming parade. Participants will also be able to keep their creations. All materials will be provided, and Ferrandi and members of the ShiftSpace Student Group will be on hand to walk participants through the process. Light refreshments will be provided.

Ferrandi is a Pennsylvania-based artist best known in Wichita for Jump!Star, a sprawling celestial community art project that she initiated with communities in Kansas. Ferrandi’s ShiftSpace residency was made possible with a grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission.

This image includes a detail of a painting of a bison with the words "Lima to Wichita: Intercultural Dialogues in Clothing & Paint" and "July 2."

ShiftSpace exhibition uses clothing to tell story

Wichita State’s ShiftSpace Gallery will host an opening reception for “From Lima to Wichita: Intercultural Dialogues in Clothing & Paint” 6-9 p.m. July 2.  The event is part of the First Friday gallery crawl.
The exhibition is the product of the intercultural exchange between artist-educators Lori Santos of WSU and Vladimir Ramos of La Escuela Nacional Superior Autónoma de Bellas Artes del Perú. The two co-taught a summer course in which students used clothing as a catalyst for storytelling.
“From Lima to Wichita” includes works by students in the course alongside paintings that reflect Ramos’ exploration of Wichita and Santos’ experiences in Peru. The show also includes information about the Puzzle Peace Pledge Project (4PEACE), an ongoing cross-cultural collaboration that Santos initiated in Lima and Wichita.
The exhibition is presented by the WSU art education program.
Dean Rodney Miller drives a classic car through campus, and a young man standing on the sidewalk holds a sign that says "We Love You."

College of Fine Arts celebrates grads with second annual ‘Commencement Cruise’

The College of Fine Arts will host its second annual Commencement Cruise at 7:30 p.m. May 13. The tradition started last year because of COVID-19. All fall 2020 and spring 2021 CFA graduates, faculty and staff are invited to decorate their vehicles and cruise around the perimeter of campus. Family, friends and other members of the university community are invited to cheer on the graduates.

All graduating students will also be invited to join. Participants are encouraged to wear their regalia, and to make signs for their vehicles that represent their creative practice or program area. Staging for cruise participants begins at 7 p.m. The caravan will start rolling at 7:30 p.m.

Observers are invited to park and watch along Perimeter Road, WuShock Drive and Mid-Campus Drive.

For more info, visit the Commencement Cruise website.

Please join Wichita State University Art, Design, Creative and Industries (ADCI) for a retirement reception for Jim Hellman, an associate professor, is scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 13 at the McKnight Art Center atrium. 

Join ADCI for Jim Hellman’s retirement reception

Please join Wichita State University Art, Design and Creative Industries (ADCI) for a retirement reception for Jim Hellman, associate professor, scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 13, at the McKnight Art Center atrium. Hellman spent most of his 45-year career educating graphic design students at Wichita State. Over the years, he worked tirelessly to help young designers understand the principles of design and apply them to real-world problems. At one point or another, Hellman has taught most of the designers currently working in Wichita, as well as numerous alumni working across the U.S.

Grab-and-go refreshments will be served.