DEPARTMENT Spotlight AWARDS & HONORS
campus, ironically, he focused on the theme of his work: loss. Under the guidance of Dr. Scott Meyer, he explored new techniques for his topic. After the loss of his grandfather, the poignance of his grandparents’ wedding picture made it the subject of his search: a search made more ironic staged on a deserted UM campus. Karen Graffeo and Dr. Catherine Walsh received a Green Fund award for their special project titled, “Blue Nature: A Colloquium.” Graffeo also received an award for her special project titled, “Reusable Metal Frames for Art Exhibitions.” Dr. Jay Cofield’s documentary “Aldrich, Henry’s Hometown” won Best Documentary Short at the Erie International Film Festival and an Award of Merit at the Best Shorts Competition.
UM Visiting Artist Tung Pin-Yuan experimenting with screened images onto clay surfaces. “My work is trying to talk about ‘disappearing,’ unknown and ‘the situation that we cannot catch.’” — Tung Pin-Yuan
COFA was honored to host Taiwanese visiting artist Tung Pin-Yuan during spring 2020. Pin-Yuan is a graduate student from the prestigious Tainan National University of the Arts in Taiwan. He is the second ceramics artist from the prestigious university. As COVID-19 forced UM into teaching classes remotely, Pin-Yuan continued his work on campus alone. Isolated on the empty
Dr. Sally Bennett Hardig and Dr. Sherry G. Ford, were awarded a 2019-2020 Joint Learning Agreement and a research grant from the Kettering Foundation to support their research project titled: “Exploring the Role of the Communication Studies Curriculum in Shaping Students’ Awareness of Deliberative Democracy.” This yearlong project will investigate how the communication studies curriculum can help students learn the proper, ethical use of rhetoric and interpersonal communication skills to positively affect the democratic processes. Dr. Raymond R. Ozley was selected by the UM Faculty Senate to receive the 2020 University of Montevallo Faculty Service Award. Continued on page 10
MEYER HONORED WITH SOLO EXHIBITION IN TAIWAN
Above left: “The Crucible As Iconic Vessel” solo exhibition by UM Art professor Dr. Scott Meyer at the Yingge Museum of Ceramic Art in Taipei, Taiwan, Feb. 21-June 1; above right: Meyer lining up one of his wall pieces during installation.
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In February, just prior to growing COVID-19 concerns in the U.S., Dr. Scott Meyer traveled to Taiwan for the installation of his solo exhibition at the Yingge Museum of Ceramic Art in Taipei. Each year the Yingge hosts between two and four international exhibitions. Selected by a panel of curators, Meyer’s “The Crucible As Iconic Vessel” presented 17 of his ceramic sculptures. Taiwan’s early detection of the virus and well-practiced response was impressive as Meyer lectured, critiqued graduate students and toured Taiwan on his two-week visit.