Showcase 2019-2020
Digitally-enhanced scholarship, pedagogy, and creative work produced by or under the direction of DHRG-affiliated faculty
Dr. Andrea Davis: Capstone Project in Digital Humanities
The goal of the Capstone course was to build a digital presence for the Digital Humanities program at Arkansas State University. To do so, Joseph Brown, Abigail Gatewood, Samantha Hostetler, and Sam Meurer conducted an environmental scan to assess Digital Humanities capacity and interest on campus, and situate A-State’s program within its broader regional and national contexts. They then co-authored a report to share their findings with the university and make formal recommendations for continued program development. The report, in turn, shaped the critical and creative decisions they made as they developed a website and social media plan for Digital Humanities at A-State.
Cameron Buckley: Virtual Exhibit
The Virtual Exhibit showcases the work of graduating seniors in the Department of Art + Design: Easton Adams, Landon Bates, Kaly Beede, Ashton Brown, Madison Donaldson, Xing Grubbs, Dale Hindman, Nichole Johns, Emily Richards, and Zhuoyan Yao.The exhibition was developed by Cameron Buckley in Unity using Autodesk Recap Photo's photogrammetry system. Due to the COVID-19 crisis in the US, students at Arkansas State University were not able to hold their typical BFA Senior Exhibitions at the Bradbury Museum of Art. We created a virtual recreation of BAM and asked students to remotely submit work, including photogrammetry models of 3D pieces, and incorporated them into the space.
Nikki Arnell: Advertising Design
Throughout Spring 2020, a small group of graphic design majors enrolled in GRFX-3603 Advertising Design developed their marketing and advertising awareness to be able to talk the talk and walk the walk of an art director in the advertising field. Autumn Harris, Lauren Rose, Sara Liepe, Beth Ann Shadwick, Kayli Lumpkins, Ashlyn Garrett, Lauren Bunting, Wackerly, Jill Lewis, and Yubin Lim began this project at midterms, just before all classwork shifted to online. During the first weeks of April, they gathered for their first in-depth research workshop that culminated in a conference call with FOA Executive Director, Kristi Pulliam. Students then continued to meet virtually as a class and communicate in the online Slack and Zoom environments. Twice a week, students posted completed work and then typed up thorough critique – and encouragement – for each other. Each student developed her/his own campaign Big Idea to deliver a strategic message to a target audience that would work over multiple platforms and through a series of print advertisements, social media posts, and even merchandise. If the idea weren’t “big” enough, this would become increasingly difficult to grow; therefore, the time spent developing this portion of the project was not one to be taken lightly. Adding to this heap of challenges, this Big Idea had to answer the objective of asking for donations, which is always the most difficult – but always necessary – task when it comes to the arts.
Dr. Ed Salo: Public History Internship
As part of a public history internship, Drew Calhoun used his extensive knowledge of his hometown of Corning, AR to prepare a tour of the historic sites in the tour using Clio, “an educational website and mobile application that guides the public to thousands of historical and cultural sites throughout the United States.” Drew has been exploring the history of Corning since he was in High School, and we thought this was a great way to use his local history knowledge with his digital skills. Drew prepared a list of possible sites to document in Clio, then prepared an entry for each one. Using those entries, Drew developed a tour of the town that was published on the site. This project will serve as an example for other students who want to explore loal history and use digital tools to express their research.
Dr. Leah Long: Bulgarian Spirit: A Preview of the Pardew Art Collection
The website, Bulgarian Spirit: A Preview of the Pardew Art Collection, was created as part of the Museum Fundamental II: Museum Exhibits course at A-State during the Spring 2020 semester. This online exhibit previews the personal art collection of James Pardew, an alumnus of A-State, who was the former U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria and key player in the diplomatic and peace efforts in the Balkans during the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Mr. Pardew plans to give his collection of art, acquired throughout his career in Europe and the U.S., to the Bradbury Museum of Art. In exploring a selection of contemporary art by Bulgarian artists, key themes of cultural heritage and appropriation, nationalism, and identity emerged as the focal points for student research. Artists who lived through Communist rule and enjoyed a state-supported art scene (including several artists in the collection responsible for Bulgaria’s most visible public monuments) were then forced to reinvent themselves during the country’s transition to democracy. What is clear from the paintings, sculpture, and photography in the Pardew collection is that these artists have developed a unique sense of aesthetics and identity deeply rooted in what it means to be Bulgarian. Under the direction of Dr. Leah Long, Department of Art + Design, students collaborated on all aspects of research, writing and design, and include Marti Jo Boren, Mackenzie Dodds, Laurel Gaither, Avery Hodges, and Sydney Randolph. Originally intended to be an in-person exhibit at the Bradbury Museum of Art, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the class quickly regrouped to build this website.
Nikki Arnell: Graphic Design Senior Show
While other disciplines in the Dept. of Art + Design show their work in the gallery, the graphic design bunch was set to have its show in the Fowler Center lobby on May 8th. This site – and ALL of the student work contained within – takes the place of the huge annual one-night BRANDED: Graphic Design Senior Show. Take a look and spread the word about this amazing group of young designers!
Dr. Andrea Davis: Digital History Seminar on Critical Archives
Critical Archives is a Digital History Seminar that examines archives as sites and sources of history. During the first half of the Spring 2020 semester, Joseph Brown, Drew Calhoun, Alexis Cox, Samantha Hostetler, and Sam Meurer worked with community members and specialists across campus to develop the foundations for a collaborative digital collection tentatively titled the Arkansas World War II Correspondence Project. Due to the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the collection could not be completed. Instead, the class worked together remotely to develop an alternative project that uses experimental methods of peer-review, collaborative writing, and iterative design to communicate their collective understanding of Critical Archival Studies to public audiences.
Marc Williams: Theater I and II
Marc Williams’ Theatre History I and II classes studied performing arts iconography as cultural artifacts to be displayed in an imagined theatre history museum. Each student was assigned an artifact depicting a historic performance or theatrical event. Students analyzed and interpreted the artifacts, then characterized the artifacts theatre-historically. The students finally summarized their findings on small cards, as one might encounter in a museum exhibit.
Dr. Kristin Leitterman: A-State Double Reed Virtual Studio Recital
A-State Oboes and Bassoons Virtual Double Reed Recital. Streamed live April 19, 2020 and hosted by Dr. Leitterman. The repertoire will include Barret oboe & bassoon duets as well as a piece for all oboe and bassoons, and Dr. Leitterman, playing... bassoon!!
