Graphic Design Professor Michael Bird-"Inside my Head " Lecture Tonight 7pm

“I AM, I Will, I’m Afraid – Ashland" Unveiling & Forum

I Am, I Will, I’m Afraid (Ashland), Digital Print on Vinyl, 8’x12’, 2016

Traci Molloy, Brooklyn, NY based artist and education activist, in collaboration with Ashland, OH female survivors of sexual assault and/or sexual harassment: Anamarie Coors, Emma Daugherty, Andrea Dennison, Devereaux Diaz, Mary Jean Ferretti, Kaylin Henry, Alicia Jones, Ellyn Kilpatrick, Keeleigh Myers, Abigail Nye, Caitlin Ann Rayburn, Samantha Rhonemus, Janice R. Richards, Rachael Santee, Randi Schimmoeller, Danielle Smith, Hannah Thome, Helen Weber, Emily M. Wirtz, and Kiana Ziegler.

I Am, I Will, I’m Afraid (Ashland) is a digital print made in collaboration with 20 female survivors of sexual assault and/or sexual harassment that attend Ashland University in Ohio. The print utilizes photographic and digital processes. The figure does not exist – it is a constructed composite portrait of the young participants. Individual photographs were taken of all the participants and then layered together to form one collective likeness. The female co-collaborators determined the pose. The surface text depicts personal, anonymous handwriting generated by the women in response to the three prompts: I Am, I Will, and I’m Afraid.

The following statement is from the female participants’ perspective:

To be heard – not just one of us, but all of us. There is power in our voices, in our stories. We are strong, brave women. We’ve gone through difficult experiences, thinking we are alone in our suffering, but this art piece shows that we are not alone. We hope this project inspires other survivors to stay strong and to be empowered.

Molloy’s visit is made possible by the generosity of AU’s Art Department, Coburn Gallery, Ashland Center for Nonviolence, Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology and Student Activities.

"I AM-Ashland" Unveiling Tuesday April 19th 5:30pm

UPCOMING EVENT TUESDAY April 19th-

The unveiling of the Traci Molloy collaborative art project, titled “I AM, I Will, I’m Afraid – Ashland,” is scheduled for 5:30 pm on April 19 in Ashland University’s Hawkins-Conard Student Center and will be followed by a community forum in the Student Center Auditorium at 6 pm.
The Art Department’s visiting artist Traci Molloy will be leading the forum and the event is free and open to the public.

The "I Am, I Will, I'm Afraid (Ashland)," is a piece Molloy made in collaboration with 20 women from Ashland University who have experienced sexual assault and/or sexual harassment. It is currently on display in Iowa City, Iowa, at PS 1 (Public Space One) in "We Are Survivors," a show featuring works of art by female survivors of sexual assault. The piece is traveling to Portland, Ore., to be part of Chronodrift at the Lumber Room, which will be up concurrent with the SGCI print conference.

This piece could not have been made without the help, tremendous courage and trust of Molloy’s co-collaborators. This is their statement: "To be heard – not just one of us, but all of us. There is power in our voices, in our stories. We are strong, brave women. We’ve gone through difficult experiences, thinking we are alone in our suffering, but this art piece shows that we are not alone. We hope this project inspires other survivors to stay strong and to be empowered."

Molloy has exhibited her work in over 130 different venues, including Taller Boricua (New York City), SPACE (Pittsburgh), Ruby Green Gallery (Nashville), IPCNY (New York City), The Shore Institute of Contemporary Art (Long Branch, New Jersey), Triple Candie (New York City), the Kansas City Artists Coalition, The Contemporary (Atlanta), Artemisia (Chicago), SPACES (Cleveland), and the Columbus Museum of Art (Columbus, Ga). Her artwork has been reviewed in national and regional publications, including Art Papers, Review Magazine, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Reader, and Creative Loafing. She has been interviewed on NPR in Atlanta and eHarlem TV in New York.
Her collaborations have been exhibited in Johannesburg, New York City, Tokyo, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Cleveland, and featured on Good Morning America, WPIX Channel 11 News (New York City), WCVB Channel 5 News (Boston) and CBS Evening News (Atlanta). Molloy has participated in residencies at the Lower Eastside Printshop, the Newark Museum, and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art.
Molloy’s visit is made possible by the generosity of AU’s Art Department, Coburn Gallery, Ashland Center for Nonviolence, Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology and Student Activities.

In conjunction with the "I Am, I Will, I'm Afraid" event, Ashland also will be bringing the Duke Breaking Out Project to campus. Student-survivors of sexual violence may volunteer to be photographed holding posters with quotations said by their perpetrators, family, friends and/or themselves. Each poster tells a story that illustrates their journey of survivorship, highlighting the particular issues surrounding sexual assault on Ashland University’s campus. Photographs will be taken after the forum held at 6 pm in the Student Center Auditorium with student volunteers taking small groups around campus to be photographed. The images will be shared through the art department’s social media with the intent of raising awareness and facilitating healing for students.

Those wanting more information can contact the Coburn Gallery at: 419.289.5652/coburngallery@ashland.edu

URCA Symposium Coming Up Next Week

Upcoming Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium -Features AU Art Majors

2016 Ashland University Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium

Tuesday April 12, 2016 from 9:00am-4:30pm

Participating Art Majors:

Alicia Jones-The Bruise

Emma Daugherty-Graphic Designers are Problem Solvers

Kaylin Henry-Design is Personal

Janice Richards-Inner Waking

Abigail Nye-Leaving OSU

Hannah Thome-Do I Have to Be Naked to Get Your Attention?

Rachel Yaeger-Challenges of Change

Dylan Moats-MEDUSA: Monitoring Environmental Data Using Software Applications

‪#‎URCA‬ ‪#‎AUArt‬ ‪#‎CoburnGallery‬ ‪#‎StudentResearch‬ ‪#‎AshlandUniversity‬

Senior Art Awards Announced

The 2016 Senior Art Exhibition awards were presented by Daniel McDonald, chair of the art department, on Thursday April 7 at the Coburn Art Gallery opening reception.

Hannah Thome was selected as the senior art award recipient by the AU art department faculty. Hannah’s artworks use art forms traditionally associated with woman’s work to emphasize the gap that still exists in the hierarchy of the fine arts. I am responding to the idea of women as “inferior” artists. Such art forms that can sometimes be considered “lower” include domestic crafts such as needlepoint, quilting, embroidery and decorative painting. By including forms of art that were sometimes the only appropriate expressive outlet for women Hannah is proving that a higher view of these skills should be the norm.  Hannah Thome is receiving a B.S. in Art Education, concentrating in Printmaking/Mixed Media and a minor in Art History and is from Amherst, Ohio. Hannah has been accepted into Ohio University’s history of art graduate program and has also applied to their museum studies program.

Kaylin Henry was awarded honorable mention for her senior art exhibition. Kaylin’s fine art pieces revolve around previous toxic people in her life and because of their prejudicial commentary, it resulted in questioning or doubting one’s of being and ego. In a way to counter the criticisms of others that affected the perception of herself, Kaylin uses self portraiture as a remedy to assist in the transition towards self acceptance by making herself the prime focus of the image. Kaylin’s graphic design style is polished, modern, and mechanical aesthetic to communicate an idea or brand creatively in a professional setting that will resonate with her clients and viewers. Geometric shapes and patterns are often composed to convey cohesion, solidity, and vitality within Kaylin’s designs to give each of the pieces their own presence since these elements also reflect the designer’s personality.

Kaylin is receiving a B.S. in Commercial Art- Graphic Design and Minor in Art History, and is from Circleville, Ohio. Kaylin recently accepted a graphic design internship position with Bendon Publishing International in Ashland.

Both Hannah and Kaylin will be participating in the Ashland University College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research and Creativity Activity symposium on Tuesday April 12, 2016.

The Senior Art Exhibition runs from April 7-May 14, 2016.