Kirsten Rae Simonsen and Scott Groeniger

Lecturer Kirsten Rae Simonsen and Assistant Professor of 2-D Digital Imaging Scott Groeniger had work featured in the group exhibition Resort, about luxury and culture, at the Residence Gallery in London. Resort was on display from May 7 - May 30, 2010.

Kirsten Rae Simonsen will also have work featured in the group exhibition Auto-Manic at Root Division in San Fransisco, CA. Auto-Manic, which is focused on car culture and America's love affair with the automobile, is on display from June 9 - June 26, 2010.

Jodie Chock and Stephanie Gumpel published in Resolve 40

Two current art students, Jodie Chock and Stephanie Gumpel, have had their writing published in the current issue of Resolve 40, a New York based on-line art magazine. They wrote about their participation in a Marina Abramovic performance where they spent an extended period of time sitting across from her at Moma.

Jodie and Stephanie just completed a Professional Practices class in New York taught by Debra Drexler in which they visited museums and galleries, and interviewed art dealers such as HP Garcia, Ro Lohin (Lohin Gelguld) and Denise Bibro. The visited the library of Knodler, New York's oldest gallery with Edye Wessler, and alumni Willa Cox took them into the storage rooms of the Metropolitan Museum. The talked with art critic Jonathon Goodman, and artist, dealer, critic Robert Edelman. The visited the studio of former Whitney Biennial artist Michele Zalopany, and the studios of Mark Weiner and Linda DiGusta who are also the editors of Resolve 40.

Ara Laylo

Ara Laylo received her BFA from UH Manoa with a concentration in Graphic Design. She is currently the art director of Flux Magazine Hawai'i and has also returned to UHM as a Lecturer for an Introduction to Design course. We were able to conduct an interview with Ara to hear about her latest accomplishments and how the foundation she built here at UHM helped prepare her for these roles in the professional art world.

How was Flux Magazine formed?

Flux was founded by Lisa Yamada with the creative help of Cody Matsukawa. Their vision was to rethink the way people conceived Hawai'i through editorial content.

The word flux is a perfect word to describe the city of Honolulu and other major cities. Our city is in constant flux- the flux between the mainland and Asia, the flux within our communities through art and culture, the flux within unofficial realms and official discourse... It's certainly a dialogue with no end.

We're currently working on the third issue. Flux is still a new magazine but I definitely feel like we've opened a connection between a wide demographic. The magazine attracts a young demo but fortunately also appeals to an adult market. In past issues we've talked about the River Street Housing Project, Hawai'i 2059, the activist legacy of John Kelly, Malama Makua, Maui's fight for water and Honolulu's thriving arts and music culture. We try to find the balance between serious and fun.

What does being the art director of Flux entail? How has receiving an education in the arts helped this?

It's basically a one woman design operation. The moment I started with Flux I redesigned all of their collateral- the logo, business cards and their advertising booklet. I am responsible for the magazine's layout and manage all pre and post production.

I cant stress enough how much the BFA Design Program at UHM has impacted my life. The curriculum definitely prepared me conceptually and technically. The professors became my mentors and inspired me to achieve.

Do you have any words of wisdom you would like to impart on current art students and emerging artists?

Reach out to one another! We all suffer from different types of localism, rather see yourself as one art community. One day you might need the help of your fellow design classmate to design your portfolio website. One day you might need the help of your fellow sculpture classmate to build a frame to mount one of your design exhibits. Also... it's just the nice thing you can do.

Art History Faculty members win awards!

Joseph Stanton was awarded the first Tony Quagliano International Poetry Award.
John Szostak was awarded a Summer Research Grant from the Japan Studies Endowment for his research topic entitled "Young Bakusen: The formative Years, 1890-1904".

BETWEEN : 2010 BFA Exhibition

Between : 2010 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition is the culmination of a multi-year curriculum of academic study within the department. This annual exhibition presents art and design work created during the final stages of the BFA candidates' coursework. Featured are recent undergraduate works in painting, printmaking, glass, drawing, graphic design, ceramics, sculpture, photography and intermedia.

exhibition from April 25 to May 14, 2010 - final week!

gallery hours:

M-F 10:30AM-5:00PM

Artworks included is on view at Facebook Album

Debra Drexler and Liam Davis in Escape from New York

31 Cats and Dogs, Debra Drexler
[ work on display in Escape From New York]


Drawing and Painting professor, Debra Drexler and MFA alum Liam Davis both have work in the upcoming exhibition Escape From New York, on view from May 15, 2010 to June 19, 2010 in the historic Fabricolor Building in Patterson, N.J.
Curated by Olympia Lambert, Escape From New York will show work of 43 top contemporary artists currently working today, including 2010 Whitney Biennial selectees: The Bruce High Foundation and Kate Gilmore. The exhibition includes artists working in a broad breadth of genres- from painting, to video, photography, installation, sculpture, performance, and social based media art. Opening reception for Escape From New York is May, 15, 2010 3-9 p.m.