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Rotunda Gallery exposes
UNL student body to art
By Christopher Heine
Staff water
It is not easy getting your artwork,
seen by hundreds if not thousands of
people. Especially in Nebraska.
But that's just the opportunity sev
eral University of Nebraska-Lincoln
undergraduate art students will be
afforded during the next two months.
The Student Art League will pre
sent two exhibits in
the Nebraska Union's
new Rotunda Gallery,
located directly
across from Imperial
Palace Express. The
show is juried by
member^ of the
Society of Art
Historians, a student
art club.
Traditionally,
U1>L dl I M UUClilb
have been limited to
showcasing their tal
ents on the outskirts
of city campus at Richards Hall.
Larry Griffing. one of the fea
tured painters of the exhibit, said
the foot traffic of the union will
benefit the artists.
“I like the high-profile aspect
that comes with the student
union.” Mriffing said. "1 bet the
walk-by effect is 10 or 20 times higher
than it would be back at Richards Hall."
Art League acting President Jason
Merritt agreed that the new location for
exhibits will give art students better
exposure.
"We feel great about having the
show' in the union,” Merritt said. "So
many people either hang out or pass
through the building. It will not only
give a lot of the students their first hang
ing in a professional atmosphere, but
also good exposure.”
Merritt said the exhibit will be
divided into two shows. The first show,
which officially runs from Jan. 15 to
Jan. 26, will include ceramics, pho
tographs. paintings and graphic
designs.
The opening will be held Friday
from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. However, the art
might be displayed as early as today,
Merritt said.
The second show, featuring works
of sculpture, drawing, prints and art
books, is slated to open Feb. 5 and will
run through Feb. 19.
Merritt said the Art League collects
several types of media for the show.
“The idea is to bring together as
many forms of media as possible," he
said. "The forms of
media designated to
each show are divid
ed up in more of a
formal manner than
for any conceptual
reasons.”
Merritt de
scribes the work as
“subtle yet cathar
tic."
-
&tjftigh-profile
aspect that comes with
the student union.”
Larry Griffing
painter
'"Approaching art on an emotional
lev el is an important part of understand
ing why people make it.” Merritt said.
"The most provocative thread that
seems to run through the best student
work here is catharsis. When you can
get a sense that these young artists are
working on knowing themselves better
regardless if they ev er become
famous - you can really experience
their deepest sense of reality.”
Merritt said that most people in
Nebraska don't understand how to
approach art and that is why it isn't as
popular here as in other places.
He said Griffing's painting, “Blue
Dress,” is a good example of the por
Please see ART on page 20
Art Courtesy of Amy Martin
“SILENCED,” an oil painting by senior art major Amy Martin, was selected to appear in this month’s Student Art
League exhibition.
Art Courtesy of Larry Griffing
(ABOVE LEFT) LARRY GRIFFING, an undergraduate art student, submitted three pieces to January’s art league show in
the Rotunda Gallery. “Equis,” one of several abstract pieces, is likely to be selected from among his entries.
Theater department casts new faculty member
By Liza Holtmeier
Senior staff writer
In the acting profession, gauging the success of
ones work by the amount of money earned can be
self-defeating.
“Acting is a really perverse thing to do for a liv
ing. You’ll do one job and get paid $100, and then
you do another job, do less work and get paid
$3000,” says Andrew Sutherland. “There’s no way
to equate your work with money. The only reason
to be an actor is because you love it.”
Sutherland, a new professor in the UNL
Theatre Arts and Dance Department, wants to
teach his students how to survive in the sometimes
distorted but exhilarating profession of acting. He
hopes to give students practical advice on how to
make a living acting, while helping them find self
fulfillment in their work.
Sutherland replaces former University of
Nebraska-Lincoln Theatre Professor Paul Steger.
Steger, who joined the faculty in 1991, moved to
Los Angeles after the fall semester. He plans to
tour for 10 months in a show written by two of his
friends and to teach stunt and stage-fighting work
shops in Seattle and Las Vegas.
Sutherland comes to UN L
from Sacramento City College
in California. There, he taught
classes in movement and chil
dren’s theater while serving as
production manager for the
college's theater.
This semester, Sutherland
will take over stage combat,
acting and movement classes at
UNL. At the end of the semes
ter, the department will hire a permanent replace
ment for Steger.
Sutherland said his first challenge at UNL is to
build on what the acting students have already
accomplished. He wants to provide the students
with a certain level of continuity in their training.
To get to know the students and their abilities,
Sutherland plans to immediately dive into the
department by helping with the university’s first
spring play “Childe Byron.” Sutherland will coor
dinate the sword fighting for the show, which fol
lows the scandalous life of the renowned poet Lord
Byron through the eyes of his only legitimate
daughter.
66 —
I’m just hoping he has a lot of energy and
enthusiasm and is willing to take us to
different places ”
AmyRafa
theater graduate student
“The best way to get to know actors is to watch
them work,” Sutherland said.
Sutherland's involvement in the show will also
give his students a chance to adapt to his technique.
Students compared the arrival of the new pro
fessor to the experience of working with a new
director.
“There's an amount of time where you’re just
sort of getting to know each other,” said Amy Rafa,
a theater graduate student. “You’re trying to feel
out his approach, and he’s trying to figure out
where you’re coming from. That's sort of what you
have to do with a director.”
However, the rehearsal process doesn’t provide
the luxurious amount of time a classroom
situation does, Rafa said. As a student,
Rafa said, she would have more time to
adjust to Sutherland’s methods.
“I’m just hoping he has a lot of energy
and enthusiasm and is willing to take us to
different places,” Rafa said.
Sasha Dobson, a graduate student in
theater, said the students realized the
adjustment could take awhile.
“I think it’s going to be especially hard
for him comine into the department in the
.middle of the school year ... and replacing Paul
Steger because he is so loved by this department
and is such a great friend and teacher,” Dobson
said.
“Whatever (Sutherland) brings in, that will be
great,” Dobson said. “I think my class is always
eager to learn anything and take whatever someone
can offer.”
Shirley Carr Mason, an associate professor of
theater arts and dance, said Sutherland would
instantly impress the students with his confidence.
“They'll immediately recognize that he knows
exactly what he’s talking about,” Carr Mason said.
“1 think they’ll be willing to trust him.”
