Visiting artists broaden students’ abilities

Art students at the University of South Dakota are benefitting from the appearances of visiting artists from across at the country, thanks to connections professors at the College of Fine Arts have built up throughout their professional careers.

Various artists have come to USD hosting interactive art shows for students to experience, and have also had the opportunity to work alongside the visiting artists in different artistic ventures.

First-year Riley Hoben has attended four art presentations this year, and said each artist has influenced his own work.

“Art has such a large scale of opportunity,” Hoben said. “By seeing what other artists do, you can really develop your own style.”

Printmaker Althea Murphy-Price, an art professor from the University of Tennessee, presented a collection for students to experience Nov. 5, which students said impacedt them in an unfamiliar, surprising way.

Fueled by inspiration of race and the female identity, Murphy-Price’s art showcases unique materials and techniques, primarily the molding and compressing of human hair.

“It is incredible how something so bizarre and gross can translate into something beautiful,” Murphy-Price said. “Seeing people respond to my art makes me understand it better.”

She said she works to make a statement with her pieces.

Murphy-Price started using this idea of hair art in her graduate thesis at Tyler School of Arts in Pennsylvania. Presenting an image of her 15×15 foot print entitled “Distance Between,” Murphy-Price shared how she created a “drawing” of islands which she constructed using her hair. The piece was too large to transport, but she was able to showcase a few of her smaller prints, all of which incorporated the use of human hair.

Murphy-Price said she loves to inspire others and help each student grow.

“The students inspire me as well,” Murphy-Price said. “That’s why I love to travel around and meet new people. It is exciting to see how others interoperate printmaking and art altogether.”

Johntimmothy Pizzuto, a USD printmaking professor, said getting Murphy-Price to visit and share her experience and talent with students at USD was no difficult task, as they have been friends for quite some time. Pizzuto met Murphy-Price four years ago during a presentation of her earlier works.

“Without the requests of eager students, professionals such as Murphy-Price would not make it to USD,” Pizzuto said.

With the students’ interests in mind, Pizzuto said he aims these kinds of experiences toward education and hopes that by bringing in artists, both undergraduate and graduate students will develop multiple artistic voices.

“Every artist brings in a different experience,” Pizzuto said. “New approaches, both technically and conceptually, broaden the students’ artistic metaphors and content ideas.”

Taking advantage of the opportunities the College of Fine Arts has to offer, Hoben said the sharing of ideas and talents among artists fuels his admiration of art.

“Art is almost a team sport,” Hoben said. “Without people’s reactions and perspectives of your art, the joy of finishing a project would be nonexistent.”

(Photo: Seniors Abby Johnson and Kara Dumke watch as visiting artist Althea Murphy-Price makes a lithograph using a press Nov. 6 in the Warren M. Lee Center for Fine Arts. Anna Glenski / The Volante)