Arts at the University of Dayton

The Pride of Dayton Marching Band, better known as POD, is a student group consisting of over 130 students from not only UD, but also other area colleges such as Wright State, and Sinclair. POD includes a wide variety of instruments, as well as featuring an outstanding color guard, baton twirling line, and the Flyerette dance line. 

As a feature twirler in POD, I have experienced how wonderful this community of students is! POD brings together students who share interests in the performing and musical arts, acting as a creative, physical, and mental outlet, as well as an opportunity to get to know each other while doing what we all love. Students come to POD from a variety of majors, including not only music majors, but also business, education, visual arts, and so much more! POD performs at every home football game, along with one away game, cheering on the football team, and pumping up the crowd with our energy, music, and performances.

One thing that makes the Pride of Dayton such an outstanding experience is the fact that everyone in the band is there to have fun, and to enjoy the activity that we love. This intent for fun, and appreciation for the arts, creates a quirky charm that is unique to POD. Each and every member of the band and auxiliaries works actively, bringing energy and excitement to each rehearsal and performance. The constant outpouring of energy is and inspiration, not only to myself, but also to spectators everywhere we go.

POD serves as an ambassador for the University of Dayton, performing at every home football game, and one away game each season, as well as at several area high schools and band competitions. We are constantly working to represent our university and our activity with passion and pride, and encourage everyone to get involved!

The Pride of Dayton will be closing the Celebration of the Arts performance at the Schuster Center as part of the University’s annual Stander Symposium. We are so excited to once again represent our University as well as the Department of Music department, at this Tuesday’s performance.

Check out this video for an inside look at POD’s preparation for Celebration of the Arts:

Text by Megan Althaus, a sophomore Visual Communication Design – Graphic Design major, and Marketing minor at the University of Dayton. She is from Sidney, Ohio, and works as an Art Happening Assistant at ArtStreet. She is a baton twirler in the Pride of Dayton Marching Band, and enjoys being involved in the arts around the Dayton area.

Video production by Maria Delgado, a Communications: Electronic Media major from Rockledge, FL. She enjoys writing about films and music, as well as original songs and scripts. She is an employee at ArtStreet as well as the Director of Multimedia for Flyer News.

Kappa Pi is the art fraternity at UD.  It is a relatively new organization- the first members were initiated in the fall of 2011.  Though it is new, the group is growing fast and has initiated members each semester following its inception.  In order to be a part of this group, you must have completed 12 credit hours in Visual Arts courses, as well as hold a “B” average in your art classes, and a “C” average overall. If you meet these requirements and would like to join, you go through a portfolio review process.  The portfolio needs to include a minimum of five pieces of work and is reviewed by a committee based on work, content, craftsmanship, and presentation.  Currently, Kappa Pi is in the beginning stages of painting a mural for Stuart’s Landing (Stu’s).  

As a new group on campus, they are working to get more involved with the arts, participate in on and off campus service projects and collaborate on events with other organizations.  There are many opportunities for members to use their “creativity and experience with the visual arts to help promote the arts in Dayton,” according to Lauren Ebbert, VP of the UD chapter.

Allison Gallucci is a Photo major from Columbus, OH. She is a member of the Ebony Heritage Singers, an officer for Life Itself Dance Club, and a student leader of Navigators. Allison enjoys fashion photography and fine arts photography.

During their visit to UD as part of the Arts Series, students and faculty were treated to an intimate visit from world-renowned wind quintet, Imani Winds.  The event, which took place in Kennedy Union’s Torch Lounge, was part of a series called Career Conversations.  The event was more than your typical Q&A about how the artists chose their instruments or why they wanted to be musicians.  Sure, there was some of that, but the focus of the dialogue reached beyond that.  The members of the quintet themselves were surprised and pleased that a forum had been set up that focused on making a career out of one’s passion. 

Between short excerpts from their repertoire (which were amazing entirely in and of themselves), the members took turns leading and engaging in dialogue with the audience  about what it means to pursue one’s passion with their whole being.  The applicability of the dialogue was by no means bound to musicians or performing artists.  The quintet made a conscious effort to query the audience, which consisted of students and faculty alike, about their past, present and future professional plans allowing the discussion and message to spread across disciplines.  The event culminated in a final piece, arranged by the quintet’s own, Jeff Scott, drawing a sustained ovation from the audience. 

Check out the below interview with members of Imani Winds by Flyer Radio member Caroline Drennen, as they cover everything from the integration of faith in their music to facial expressions while performing! 

Sean Kaschak is a graduate student at the University of Dayton and the graduate assistant at ArtStreet. He graduated from UD in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Teacher Education. Born and raised in extreme northeast New York, Sean is a photographer, graphic designer, outdoor enthusiast and guitarist.

Earlier this month, residents of ArtStreet, as well as members from the university and larger Dayton community, had the opportunity to interact with a number of phenomenal visiting artists as part of a collaboration between the University of Dayton and CityFolk.  Drummer LaFrae Sci and Garrett Coleman and Jason Oremus of Hammerstep are partnering with CityFolk as part of the Culture Builds Community program which partners “with community-based agencies and Dayton’s Neighborhood School Centers (NSCs) to bring community residents together by sharing music, food, storytelling and other cultural traditions” (cityfolk.org).  This particular collaboration is called Soul Rhythms: Traveling Land and Heart through Music and Dance and “will engage…five Neighborhood School Centers (NSC)[,] Fairview, Ruskin, Edison, Cleveland and Kiser”, in collaborations with rhythmic artists culminating in a massive collaborative performance of over 125 students and artists on April 22^nd at the Masonic Centre. 

Those in attendance were treated to demonstrations by each artists followed by a dialogue about the project and a general Q&A.  Local and nationally acclaimed artist Rodney Veal, who is coordinating the Soul Rhythms project, introduced LaFrae Sci, a Dayton native now residing in New York City, who talked about her work as a an accomplished jazz drummer and arranger.  Hammerstep followed with a demo of their Irish step/Hip-hop fusion and actually did an improvisational piece with LaFrae on drums taking turns between the three of them soloing to a constant rhythm.  Rodney Veal interjected afterward to reveal that two members of Washington, D.C. troupe Step Afrika, who are also part of the Soul Rhythms project, were in attendance.  After some pleading from the crowd, the two members demonstrated a short excerpt from one of their unique step routines drawing a raucous applause from the audience.  Opening up the floor to questions, all three groups and artists fielded myriad questions about the project, their work and their influences.  Everyone was genuinely impressed by the candid nature and accessibility of the artists particularly with regards to the Soul Rhythms project.  Visit Cityfolk.org to learn more about the artists, Culture Builds Community and the Soul Rhythms project.

Sean Kaschak is a graduate student at the University of Dayton and the graduate assistant at ArtStreet. He graduated from UD in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Teacher Education. Born and raised in extreme northeast New York, Sean is a photographer, graphic designer, outdoor enthusiast and guitarist

Alone in a world as the last person alive, one man struggles to survive, incessantly striving to preserve his memories.  That is the premise behind Cincinnati-based artist, Christian Schmit’s, exhibit; A Memory Rocket.  Schmit’s second iteration of this exhibit (titled A Memory Rocket: Second Launch) is currently on display in ArtStreet Studio D.  A twisting structure of tunnels and capsules, the exhibit is constructed largely of cardboard and other found materials.  The exhibit is currently being displayed in collaboration with “the Sustainability, Energy and the Environment (SEE) Initiative at the University of Dayton [which] seek[s] to provide interested students with a deep appreciation of the complexity and inherent multidisciplinarity in all discussions of sustainability, energy and the environment”. 

The interesting thing about this exhibit is the degree to which visitors can interact with the work.  Unlike most exhibits, Schmit’s is ever-changing.  Little pieces of furniture, miniature books and myriad other tiny objects work their way into and through the sculpture as the protagonist struggles to preserve his memories.  What’s more is that visitors to the sculpture are invited to fabricate items and leave them on a display of shelves in the gallery called “the staging area.”  Visitors can return to the sculpture on separate days to find their works incorporated and the entire piece different from their last visit.  The vivid artistic narrative combined with the interactive nature of the exhibit is really what makes this work as incredible as it is. 

Recently, the ArtStreet residents got the chance to work with Christian Schmit in a workshop where they discussed the themes of community interaction through art and also had the chance to create their own pieces for the exhibit.  Students’ creativity was flowing as little ladders, clocks, books and even an infinitesimal drafting table were constructed.  This semester, the residents have focused on the theme of community interaction with the artists that have visited and they were really captivated by Schmit’s mission and work.  Treat yourself to a visit to ArtStreet Studio D until March 9^th and experience A Memory Rocket: Second Launch.

Sean Kaschak is a graduate student at the University of Dayton and the graduate assistant at ArtStreet. He graduated from UD in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Teacher Education. Born and raised in extreme northeast New York, Sean is a photographer, graphic designer, outdoor enthusiast and guitarist

More fun with the award-winning experimental percussion ensemble, So Percussion! As part of their Arts Series residency, the group presented a Career Conversations program and worked with UD and DECA (Dayton Early College Academy) students. Students from DECA and UD as well as So Percussion’s own Jason Treuting speak about their collaboration at local musician/artist Michael Bashaw’s studio. The students from DECA spent two evenings working with So Percussion at Bashaw’s studio as the first part in a semester long partnership that will culminate with a community event and performance at the Dayton Art Institute. During the sessions, the students and So Percussion explored the themes of improvisation and communication. For more information about So Percussion: http://sopercussion.com. For more information about arts programming at the University of Dayton, visithttp://arts.udayton.edu. Video produced by Sean Kaschak.

An award-winning experimental percussion ensemble based in Brooklyn, So Percussion was on the University of Dayton campus in late January 2012 for an Arts Series residency. As part of their visit, the group presented a Career Conversations program and worked with UD and DECA students. ArtStreet residents Amy Love and Phil Titlebaum sat down to talk with Eric Beach and Adam Silwinski, two of the members of So Percussion. Video produced by Bobby Trick, Street Sounds Recording Studio. For more information about So Percussion: http://sopercussion.com. For more information about arts programming at the University of Dayton, visit http://arts.udayton.edu.

Over the last month, gallery 249 has been host to the Built Exhibition, which contains the work of printmaker’s Julia Goospence, Kevin Haas, and Erik Waterkotte. The exhibition is made up of prints utilizing various printmaking techniques and styles. Built pertains to the work of these artists in various ways; these prints depict representations and abstractions of landscape and built environments. Each artist strived to identify relationships between the cultures and their environment. The artists evaluate and examine the relationships from a historical, psychological, and societal point of view. Each print displays a representation of architecture, landscape, and the overall environmental appeal of the culture. Built also pertains to the idea of printmakers constructing or building up their prints.

The pieces in this exhibition are created by compiling layers of various images, plates, and mixed medias. The prints are constructed or “built.” When first viewing these prints, one may feel overwhelmed and quite confused as to how they were created and which printmaking techniques were utilized. I know when I first saw the exhibit, I couldn’t even begin to decipher which layer came first or how it was created, or even which medium was used to create the print. I am currently taking Printmaking I, where so far we have learned only silkscreen printing and are now working with woodcut. Seeing this exhibition opened my eyes up to the possibilities one could achieve and explore with printmaking. I had questions and curiosities about these prints and luckily for me and other students, some of those questions were answered on November 3^rd, when Erik Waterkotte came to my printmaking class to lead a demonstration and workshop for collagraph prints. 

Mr. Waterkotte began his demonstration by talking a little bit about himself and the five prints he brought to the workshop. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art at Minnesota State University, in Mankato, MN. In his words, his work is “an exploration of popular culture, myth, and fantasy as conveyed through print and mixed-media.” He discussed how he takes inspiration from disasters and cultural events such as 9/11 and conveys them through the use of imagery and color. One of his main printmaking techniques is collagraph.  A collagraph is essentially a collage board where materials are assembled on a flat base or plate to form a relief block with different surface levels and textures. The plates are printed using a flat bed intaglio press. The beauty of this technique is you can establish different levels, textures, and designs all with just one plate.

After explaining a little bit about the technique, everyone in the room got a chance to have a hands-on experience. We each were given two illustration boards and were told to create something linear and geometric on one board, and on the other, something chaotic and organic. Mr. Waterkotte demonstrated each step, first showing us how to prep the boards, and then how to create a design. He showed us how we could carve away areas and how to add layers and textures on top to create a complex collage. I was a little nervous and caught off guard that we were expected to create a collagraph. However, sometimes the best way to learn a new technique is to dive in and get your hands dirty. We spent some time each creating our plates and building up dimension.

Afterwards, Mr. Waterkotte proceeded with his demonstration, showing us how to apply the ink to the plate. This process was time consuming and took some elbow grease. When applying the ink he told us that it was important to have a very thin layer and with that there is a long process of applying the ink, and then using cheesecloth and cloth towels to wipe some away. After a solid 10 minutes of wiping down the plate, he then rolled his second color of ink across the plate. The color was a range from fully opaque red to fully transparent. Once the plate was prepped he ran it through the press.  The print was a beautiful mix of colors, values, and textures. One plate had so much detail and intricacy; after the demonstration achieving this level of detail seemed much easier than before, when I did not know the techniques of collagraph. After the demonstration was finished, students got the chance to print their plates.

This workshop was incredibly beneficial for myself and I’m sure the other students who were present. I had a wonderful time learning a new printmaking technique, especially after initially thinking that I could never achieve something that Mr. Waterkotte could create. It was great to see how something that is so beautiful and complex can actually be quite simple and easy to make. The demonstration was fun and lighthearted, and Mr. Waterkotte seemed to feel very comfortable to joke and laugh with us and share his insight about is craft. He is an incredible artist who clearly has a deep intellectual understanding of printmaking and each of the techniques. He seems to be a professional at what he does while also exploring ways of building and assembling various styles of imagery and mixed media together.  I feel that our department was honored to have this visiting artist who brought our class new insight into the incredible world of printmaking.

Kelsey Russell is a 5th year senior, Visual Communication Design major graduating from the University of Dayton this December. Originating from Columbus, Ohio, Kelsey is also the captain of the Women’s Rugby Club. Photos by Annie Gerker and Adrienne Niess. 

Taylor Mali, teacher and acclaimed spoken-word poet, visited the University of Dayton in early November as part of the Arts Series. Mali also held workshops with two “Writing in the Arts” first-year English classes before his final evening performance in Boll Theatre.

1. Many people are familiar with Mali’s work through his poem, “What Teachers Make,” that went viral on YouTube.

2. During the classroom workshops, Mali named what he considers to be the components of good writing. It must be honest, musical, and artful. To be honest, it need not be factual, but merely convey some sort of truth. Mali says you’re allowed to change the facts to make the writing more memorable, “that’s called poetic license.” Musicality can be conveyed through repetition, pauses, and phrasing. And artfulness refers to both the beauty of the language and the tricks you turn with it. 

3. He is growing out his hair until 1000 students pledge to become teachers, at which point he will donate his hair to Pantene’s “Beautiful Lengths” campaign. The “Quest for 1000 Teachers” is a continuing mission that says, “If you are someone who can legitimately claim that my work helped you decide to become a teacher, then go ahead and add your name to the list.”

4. Mali sees the writing experience as “cathartic,” saying, “We write to heal the wounds that being human inflicts upon us.” He says he has no definition for poetry anymore, only that it is “language that has been framed”.

5. “Poetry is not like NASCAR.” People aren’t waiting for you to crash, they want you to be awesome! Check out the below video to hear more from Mali on tips and tricks about the writing process!

Chelsea Wilkinson is a Political Science and Electronic Media major from Fairfax, VA. She is the content coordinator for Offbeat and a social media assistant for ArtStreet. Email: chelsea.b.wilkinson@gmail.com

This semester, the residents of ArtStreet have teamed up with installation artist Migiwa Orimo for some exciting exploration and  projects surrounding the theme of communication.  Migiwa Orimo, who was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, has settled down in Yellow Springs, OH and has been working as an installation artist for the last 20 years.  Through her connections to Susan Byrnes, director of ArtStreet, Migiwa has been able to connect with the residents and the complex as a whole. 

Her work with the residents began this September through the installation of her exhibit “Slippage” in the Studio D Gallery.  In early September, Migiwa was a special guest at the ArtStreet Experience class and spoke with the residents about herself and her work as an artist.  The students really were fascinated by her work and the way in which she approached  it.  One piece in particular caught many students’ attention - it was a large drawing that Migiwa did of her mother’s face while she was caring for her mother who had suffered a stroke.  The shading in the piece was done using pencils of varying degrees of softness that Migiwa used to pour out her thoughts in writing within the piece. While all of the writing was in Japanese, the residents really resonated with the raw honesty of the concept.

Migiwa returned to the class later in the month to explore the concept of “communication” with the residents.  By this time, the residents had had a chance to experience Migiwa’s exhibit “Slippage” which explores the various ways in which communication is lost or confused in society.  One of the central pieces in the exhibit is a phone booth that plays a jumbled mess of dial tones and automated messages mixed in with the sound of the ocean. 

Josh Westermeyer Artstreet Sound Project by ArtStreetUD

This phone booth is one of the biggest aspects of Migiwa’s partnership with ArtStreet and the residents because after her gallery installation was over, she lent the booth to the class and worked with the residents on their own sound installation project. The project focused on how we exist simultaneously in an internal (thoughts etc.) and external (street noise etc.) world.  The exhibit, which is currently being exhibited in the phone booth in the LTC rotunda, features one minute recordings done by the residents that overlay sounds from their houses and recorded internal dialogues. Check out the above and below tracks for a sneak peak into two of the houses’ projects and be sure to listen to the complete work in the phone booth in the LTC!

105 LV House Project by ArtStreetUD

Sean Kaschak is a graduate student at the University of Dayton and the graduate assistant at ArtStreet. He graduated from UD in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Teacher Education. Born and raised in extreme northeast New York, Sean is a photographer, graphic designer, outdoor enthusiast and guitarist.