Page 4 | Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Daily Kent Stater
University mourns death of emeritus professor Exceptional faculty honored Ben Wolford and Thomas Gallick Record-Courier
Friends and family of Craig Lucas, local artist and art professor, are confident his impact will be seen for years to come through his work and the work of his students. The painter and Kent State School of Art professor emeritus, well known in Northeastern Ohio’s art community but also among various groups in Kent, died in his sleep April 1 at his home in Kent. He was 69. “Kent’s just such an art community,” his son Ian Lucas said. “Any gallery around town, any music, any film. He was there.” Longtime friend Roger Thurman said it was hard to live in Kent without running into and becoming friends with Lucas, who began teaching at Kent State in 1969. “He sort of defined that period in the late '60s when Kent was really taking off artistically,” Thurman said. Heidi Shaffer, Lucas’ yoga instructor, said he had just started taking lessons again on Wednesday. “I just have this wonderful memory of Craig being healthy and able to do the exercises. It was not an easy class,” Shaffer said. “At least I got to say goodbye to him in a sense.” Lucas was active in several facets of Kent society as member of the Unitarian Universal-
ist Church of Kent and the Kent Environmental Council. He practiced yoga, gardened and stayed active in the contemporary art world. A friend of more than 40 years, sculptor Brinsley Tyrrell of Freedom Township, went to school with Lucas at the Kent State School of Art in the late 1960s and later worked with him there as a professor. He called Lucas a “fixture of the school” who was always devoted to his art.
He’ll always be there. His art is going to live on. ROGER THURMAN | FRIEND “It doesn’t seem possible Craig’s gone,” Tyrrell said. Lucas retired from teaching in 2004 but continued creating works for display. His art was often abstract and toyed with artistic ideas like “networks and systems,” according to a 2008 Plain Dealer article about Lucas winning the Cleveland Arts Lifetime Achievement Award. Lucas wanted to be an artist from childhood, drawing from the encouragement of a high school art teacher, and once hitchhiking to New York to see Jackson Pollock’s work. “Most of Lucas’ art was sort of very contemporary but somewhat abstract,” Tyrrell said. “It would be a little difficult to categorize.”
In 2008, his massive piece “Surge” went on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland — one of the rare works that speak to Lucas’ views on peace and social justice. Using images of combat veiled by stars and stripes, Lucas reacted against the war in Iraq. “He just hated the war and hated the ideas behind going to war,” Ian Lucas said. Ian Lucas said his father saw parallels between the war in Iraq and the Vietnam War. Lucas had also witnessed the shooting at Kent State on May 4. The Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, said Lucas once delivered impassioned remarks on the intersection of the justice issues that shaped his spirituality and his art. “Certainly he was involved through his art,” Carvill-Ziemer said. “He’s had his art on display in the sanctuary, and he’s donated art for our annual service auction.” Thurman said he is the proud owner of three works by Lucas. “I go over to his painting on the wall and there’s Craig,” Thurman said. “He’ll always be there. His art is going to live on.” A memorial service for Lucas will be held at a later time. Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory are handling the arrangements. Ben Wolford and Thomas Gallick are staff writers.
Jessica Costello
jcostel4@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Seventeen faculty and staff members were awarded Tuesday for their willingness to go above and beyond what is required in the classroom. “We believe all of you are like starfish; you have the ability to give a piece of yourself, your compassion, your understanding to students for their benefit,” said Laura Lansinger, member of Ability Unlimited. “Not everyone is given a starfish, this is exactly what this reception is about. We would like to accredit you, cherish you and honor you for the unique faculty that you are.” Student Accessibility Services and Ability Unlimited hosted the annual awards ceremony. Ability Unlimited is a student organization that is focused on promoting awareness that everyone on campus has the ability to contribute to the university. Office of the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs also contributed its time and resources
to this event. Faculty and staff were nominated by their students through letters they wrote to the selection committee. Students wrote why they f elt their teacher should be nominated. “I nominated Michele Wollenzier because she actually cares about her students and makes it easier to learn,” said Marvin Patten, sophomore public health major. “She has a true passion for her job and she has a big heart.” Wollenzier, an English professor, said she was touched. “It means a lot for a student to take the time to write something up and nominate me,” Wollenzier said. Art teacher Linda Hoeptner Poling was also honored at the ceremony. “I am overwhelmed, honored and humbled,” she said. “We are all here for the students.” Jessica Costello is the undergraduate and graduate reporter.
KENTWIRED.COM Go online for a full list of the faculty and staff honored.