It’s common to think that the action required to bring about social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion lies only in the larger systems of government, policy, and institutions. However, naming microaggressions and taking steps to address them are small, but powerful actions to bring about change and increase JEDI. Join us for this ARTbreak, led…
Gordon Parks was one of the 20th century’s premier photographers and photojournalists. His work was marked by a keen artistic eye as well as a deep sense of compassion for his subjects. These qualities are on full display in many of his works, including the photograph American Gothic, Washington, D.C., which is part of the…
Trevor Grabill is a printmaker and teacher in Kalamazoo, and an instructor at the Kirk Newman Art School. Their woodblock and linocut prints depict the strangeness, beauty, and sadness of small towns and natural spaces in the Upper Midwest. They are fascinated by gardens, bus stops, side streets, parking lots, front porches, and other spaces…
Margaret Vega is a Professor Emerita of Kendall College of Art and Design, where she taught painting, drawing, color theory, and concept design. Her work has been shown widely across the United States and abroad, including exhibitions in Rome, Shanghai, Munich, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Vega is also the Founding Director of SiteStudio,…
Is it possible for audiences to be transported to the theatrical past? Dr. Ed Menta joins us to explore this question and more, taking a closer look into the history and architectural design of the Teatro Olimpico (Vicenza) and the Drottningholm Slottsteater (Stockholm). His talk will analyze how these theatres “perform” their pasts, examining how…
This summer, the KIA happily welcomed Leslie Donaldson as Director of the Kirk Newman Art School. Get to know Donaldson as she speaks about her background, her vision for the Art School, and more. Donaldson brings more than 20 years’ experience in varied arts management functions, including education, programming, marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, and entrepreneurship.…
Marisa Bianan, a 2018 graduate of Western Michigan University's Dance program (BFA), was named the Associate Artistic Director of Kalamazoo’s own Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers in 2021. She has presented choreographic works at the 2019 Midwest RADFest, Inaside Chicago Dance’s Summer 2020 concert, and the 2021 Maggie Allesee Choreography competition. Recently, she was commissioned to…
Halloween in the 21st century is a fun day, associated with youth, dressing up in costumes, and trick-or-treating, evoking images of witches, devils, and goblins that are more entertaining than macabre. Halloween has its origins as a pre-Christian Celtic festival that appropriated elements of and converged with the religious feasts of All Saints’ Day and…
During this ARTbreak, Brent Harris will join us to lead a conversation about human relationships with death and grief through the lenses of art and creativity. Harris is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for nature and storytelling. These elements guide his current body of work, which seeks out narrative connections within the world around…
Studying Chinese characters and calligraphy can not only improve Chinese reading and writing skills, but also reveal a great deal about the origins of Chinese culture. The rich and colorful culture of ancient China comes to life through the shapes, meanings, and sounds of Chinese characters. During this ARTbreak, we will explore the cultural underpinnings…
The PBS documentary film Native Art Now! explores works created by Indigenous artists since 1992, including installations, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, glass, and fabric art. Learn more about the work of Kay WalkingStick, whose painting North Rim Clouds is featured in the KIA exhibition Unveiling American Genius, as well as from Indigenous artists Wendy Red…
Take a look back into the history of the Kirk Newman Art School! During this ARTbreak, Tom Kendall will return to the KIA to offer personal perspectives from his many years of involvement with the school. Kendall was hired by Kirk Newman in 1973 to head the Ceramics Department, and he went on to become…