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Show THE THUNDERBIRD TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 1986 PAGE 23 Art department undergoes changes Two new members have been added to the SUSC art department faculty Increased staff members include Anton "Tony" Rasmussen and Mark Bangerter, painters coming from a close association with Utah painter Alvin Gittins Rasmussen, the new art department chairman, has two major goals to stress a strong academic background tor SUSC art students and to create programs to take advantage of the southern Utah landscape and the programs unique to the area, the Utah Shakespearean Festival for example SUSC art students are extremely lucky says Rasmussen They're going to school in an area of unsurpassed beauty and they're enrolled in a program that enables them to be involved in what he calls a "total fine arts experience " "Our desire is to provide students with a strong foundation program so that they will be able to succeed in what ever area they pursue Professor Gittins preached the need for a solid foundation in drawing and painting, regardless of what direction the student chose to follow in his mature work My teaching philosophy follows the same pledge to prepare the student with a solid background of fundamental knowledge " Rasmussen, former director of the BountifulDavis Art Center and the Utah artists commisssioned to paint the large murals in the Salt Lake International Airport, was an assistant professor of art at Utah State University before accepting the SUSC position He has additional experience as an art professor at the University of Utah and as assistant director of U Program for Higher Education the Davis-Uo- f The new department chair holds BFA and MFA degrees from the University of Utah, both emphasizing drawing and painting, and has completed additional coursework toward a bachelor's degree in university studies arts administration and community education Rasmussen is currently working on a 21 toot SUSC art department taculty members, trom lett, are Tony Rasmussen, Arlene Braithwaite, Mark Talbert and Mark Bangerter The group has moved into new quarters in the Centrum mural for the Zion National Park Visitor's Center, scheduled tor completion this fall The painting is being done in "open studio"on campus, in the old art studio just east of the library Mark Bangerter is also a new addition to the faculty Bangerter is a native of Salt Lake City and a graduate of tne Universit of Utah receivi lg froth BFA and MFA degrees Fie received additional training from the Art Institute of Chicago, and tomes to STJSC after teaching at Boise State Univeisity, Weber State College and the U of U. Bangerter was trained as a portrait pairrter and sculptor Currently he is completing several portraits of outstanding persons of SUSC One of the portraits is of past student body president Stuart Janes SUSC President Gerald R Sherratt commissioned the works Musicians to join SUSC faculty BY Art facilities now continue working for her master's degree while she DANNY STEWART is here It's time to strike up the band again as the music department welcomes the addition of three new members to its staff this year Mark Mecham will assume responsibility as the assistant professor of music and director of choral activities Amanda M Mortensen will join the staff as a special instructor and Virginia Stitt will return to SUSC as the director of the orchestra and instructor of woodwinds and music theory Mecham graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in music education and a master's degree in choral conducting He earned his doctorate of musical arts in choral conducting at the University of Illinois Since then, he has worked with the choral programs at Mary College, Bismarck, N D , and at the University of Texas at Tyler Mecham is enthused about his work at SUSC. "I'm excited to work with choirs here We have a good would like to involve more people program. would like to invite all majors who have an interest in music to participate " Mortensen studied music education at Snow College for two years before coming to SUSC, where she graduated with a BA in music education She plans to I I non-mus- ic An accomplished trumpet player, Mortensen will work especially with brass instruction Mortensen says of her new position, "It's an excellent opportunity and a real challenge to teach here We have a lot of great plans for this year " She will teach private lessons as well as brass ensembles She will also teach conducting and other music education classes Stitt will be the director of the orchestra this year She has recently returned from Canada, where she played in the Ottawa Symphony and in the Ottawa Pops Orchestra Stitt returns to SUSC after a two year absence She is replacing Julia Quick who had been an assistant professor of music at SUSC since Stitt's departure "I see a lot of potential here with plenty of room for growth When my old position reopened, jumped at the chance to return really like it here because of the people, atmosphere and school," Stitt explained She is a very talented musician and has earned various degrees in music She holds a BS from the University of Illinois, an MA from the University of Northern Colorado, a master of music degree from Michigan State University I I and plans to take advantage of Bangerter's talents more in the future Rasmussen hopes to use the art faculty and the new facilities to show off southern Utah Outdoor workshops to take advantage of the natural wonders of southern Utah and f gure painting classes utilizing USF actors are but a few of the projects he has in mind "There's an enormous influx of people who could participate in our art programs each summer That is one of the big dreams I'll pursue as chairman " Rasmussen believes that the SUSC art department has the potential to be the finest in the state Helping to build his enthusiasm is the new facilities, a top caliber faculty, the location and natural beauty of the area, and the activities that take place here found in Centrum SUSC art students will start school this fall in new ilities this year Art classes have moved into the SUSC Centrum, a combined special eventsclassroom far facility dedicated ti spring Sculpture, ceramics, painting and graphics classrooms are housed in the new complex, and students will have access to new printing and darkroom. lithography presses and a "We've also acquired continuous display space for our student work which really increases our visibility," notes drawing and graphic arts specialist Arlene Braithwaite Students now have an opportunity to display their work along the Centrum concourse, thereby exposing it to the heavy special events center traffic SUSC offers a composite art major, a bachelor's degree which emphasises any of four areas drawing and painting, ceramics and sculpture, art education or graphic design As part of their academic training students also show their work in juried student exhibits and "senior portfolios" scheduled throughout, the year at the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery Another aspect of art education at SUSC is exposure to different art centers in the western states state-of-the-a- rt |