Dear Friends, Students, Alumni, and Community Members,
Welcome to the very first edition of the Department of Art Newsletter! Whether you’re a new student embarking on your artistic journey, a faculty member shaping creative minds, an alum nourishing your lifelong connection to art, or a friend of our department supporting our shared vision, it is with immense pride and excitement that I extend this greeting to you.
At UTC Art, our mission is to create an accessible, rigorous, and supportive learning environment for our students. We invite students to explore creative processes and critical models essential to contemporary practice, and we’re committed to guiding everyone as they pursue their unique artistic goals at the University and beyond. Our vision is clear: to lead the way in undergraduate art education by nurturing distinct and varied voices through pedagogy, curriculum, and extracurricular programming. We believe in mentorbased instruction, personalized guidance, and cultivating inclusive environments where every creative expression is valued.
This newsletter is born of that same spirit of inclusion, creativity, and connection. In future issues, you can look forward to:
• Spotlights on student and faculty work: exhibitions, thesis projects, and studio highlights
• Announcing upcoming events: gallery openings, artist talks, workshops, and collaborative initiatives
• Behind-the-scenes: glimpses into our vibrant studios, facilities, and classrooms
• Alumni features: celebrating our community’s achievements and sharing stories of artistic growth
And more!
cover image:
Students work on portraits in Prof. Christina Vogel’s Figure Painting class. Photograph by Angela Foster.
As you explore this first edition, I hope you feel the energy and promise of our department. Our spaces are where ideas flourish, risk-taking is encouraged, and transformation happens through hard work.
With warm regards and creative optimism,
Katie Hargrave Department Head UC Foundation Professor of
Art
Faculty Focus
Introducing Júlia Pontés
We are delighted to welcome a new Photography and Media Arts (PMA) Assistant Professor to the Department: Júlia Pontés, a Brazilianborn, Argentinabased, and USbased photographer, visual artist, and mining researcher whose work primarily centers on mining explorations and extractivist practices. Originating from the Iron Quadrangle in Minas Gerais, Brazil—a region famous for its rich mineral deposits—Júlia holds a personal connection to the mining industry.
Since 2014, she has employed photography, video, performance, installation, and sculpture to highlight the ecological and human rights violations perpetrated by largescale mining companies. Her artistic practice is not just a profession but a heartfelt mission to illustrate the challenges faced by societies dependent on extractivism. This commitment resonates in her extensive community engagement and strong connections with the individuals she collaborates with.
As part of a group of Brazilian researchers investigating the impact of mining in Brazil, Júlia’s work often intersects with social movements, universities, and independent exhibition spaces, aiming to raise awareness about the repercussions of extractive industries. Her mining
visual survey has garnered recognition in the form of grants, prizes, and honors from organizations such as Anonymous Was a Woman, New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Geographic Society, Harvard University’s Planetary Health Alliance, Visura, and Blue Earth Alliance. It has been featured in international museums, galleries, and media outlets across Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, Uruguay, the US, Slovakia, and Guatemala.
Academically, Júlia specialized in Law and Economics at the Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Argentina and holds a photography certificate from the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. Before UTC, Júlia was a photography professor at Montclair State University in New Jersey and Columbia University, where she earned her MFA in Visual Arts.
Júlia is teaching Photography I and Survey of Time-Based Art this semester. Next semester, she will teach Expanded Media Art and a section of our newly redesigned BFA Studio with students from across PMA, Painting and Drawing, and Sculpture. We look forward to highlighting her teaching in future issues of this newsletter.
E Pontés during interviews for her project MG-129, supported by National Geographic Society COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Photograph by Ana Cortat.
H Exhibition My Land, Our Landscape at the Museum de Congonhas (Congonhas Museum) in Brazil. Courtesy of the artist.
Faculty Awards
Congratulations to Assistant Professor of Art History Bart Pushaw for being named the Early Career Researcher of the 24–25 academic year. We are so proud of Bart and excited for how their research is developing. Some highlights include a prestigious convening grant ($25,000) from the Terra Foundation of American Art to implement communitybased art programming in the US Virgin Islands. They were also named AmericanScandinavian Foundation and Loos Roth Foundation Fellow ($7,000) to complete research in Greenland.
Illustrating a Point
Associate Lecturer Mark BradleyShoup recently curated Illustrating a Point, an engaging exhibition at Stove Works, a local exhibition venue and artist residency. The exhibition explores the powerful influence of animation, cartoons, and comics in contemporary art. The show brings together a diverse group of artists ranging from recent UTC alumni to established professionals, all of whom use an illustrative approach to tackle themes such as environmental degradation, social injustice, racial inequality, body image, and absurdity.
In addition to the exhibition itself, four current UTC students—Trinity Anthony (BA Art History), Cam Clark (BFA Painting and Drawing), Bea Lomax (BFA Graphic Design), and Laura McDevitt (BFA Graphic Design)—contributed their talents to the promotion of the show and the design and production of an accompanying exhibition catalog (funded in part by UTC Art and URACE, UTC’s undergraduate research office). Illustrating a Point not only highlights the depth and range of illustrative art but also underscores the collaborative efforts between faculty and students at UTC in supporting the arts.
E Dr. Bart Pushaw with students at the UTC Library. Photograph by Angela Foster.
The selected artists include (* indicates UTC Art Department Alumni): Bill Thelen (NC), Juan Logan (NC), Fend (TN)* Jeremy Seth Taylor & Allyson Mellberg Taylor (VA), Brady Haston (TN), Amy Cutler (NY), Sarah Emerson (GA), Will Sutton (TN)*, Amy Pleasant (AL), Pete Schulte (AL), Olivia Tawzer (TN)*, Mary Laube (TN), Michael Scoggins (NY), Ed Templeton (CA), Jules Jackson (TN).*
We are delighted to have so many alumni and current students engaged in the exhibition, as this is an exciting evolution in the ongoing relationship between UTC Art and Stove Works. At right are current students and alumni
UTC ART + STOVE WORKS
PROGRAMS FELLOW
Riley Younger (BA Art History, 2025)
Naomi White (BFA Sculpture, 2025)
Olivia Tawzer (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2021)
EXHIBITION FELLOW
Evan Bruce
(BFA Photography & Media Art, 2025)
RESIDENCY FELLOW
Dean Azzouz (BFA Graphic Design, 2024)
Kate Greenwell (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2024)
Nico Wilcher (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2024)
Savannah Hodges (BFA Sculpture, 2023)
Rainn Jackson (BFA Photography & Media Art, 2020)
Victoria Sauer (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2020)
INTERN
Aspen Sanderson (current BFA Graphic Design student, Art History Minor)
Cam Clark (current BFA Painting & Drawing student)
Logan Rushford (current BFA Photography & Media Art student)
Jackson Hussey (ArtsBuild Opportunity Fellow; current BFA Sculpture student)
Dean Azzouz (BFA Graphic Design, 2024)
Evan Bruce (BFA Photography & Media Art, 2025)
Maddie Benefield (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2024)
Riley Younger (BA Art History, 2025)
Zoe Rye (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2024)
Naomi White (ArtsBuild Opportunity Fellow; BFA Sculpture, 2025)
Kate Greenwell (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2024)
Emma Womble (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2024)
RESIDENT
Will Sutton (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2022)
Kirby Miles (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2017)
Olivia Tawzer (BFA Painting & Drawing, 2021)
E Alumni Will Sutton and Olivia Tawzer in the panel discussion for Illustrating a Point.
H Illustrating a Point with work from (l to r) Sarah Emerson, Amy Cutler, and Will Sutton.
Collaboration and Collage
Professors Rowan Buffington (UC Foundation Professor of Painting and Drawing) and Matt Greenwell (UC Foundation Professor of Design Research and Practice) have developed a sustained collaboration rooted in the shared language of collage.
Their newest installation integrates large-scale digital prints with discrete framed pieces that seamlessly merge digital and analog processes, including using the laser cutter we maintain in our Sculpture facilities alongside letterpress printing. The resulting work will be included in a solo exhibition titled Book of Monsters, which opens at Ditch Projects in Eugene, OR in October 2025. The exhibition draws its imagery from two sources: the exhibition’s namesake, written by botanists David and Marian Fairchild and published in 1914 by the National Geographic Society, featuring a series of close-up black and white images of insects; and naturalist Henri Fabre’s iconic Book of Insects, published in 1921 by Dodd, Mead and Company and featuring exquisite illustrations which position its subjects—dung beetles, wasps, mantises—in idyllic circumstances. These images serve as backdrops for imagery associated with the historic avant-garde, including works by Kasmir Malevich, El Lissitzky, Hendrik Nicolaas Werkmann, and others. Modernist visual vocabulary sought to reimagine human social and political activity, marking a rupture that led directly to utopian projects which are arguably failing us today.
E The Prophet 22" x 30" digital and letterpress print, one of a series of 10 images to be exhibited at Ditch Projects in Nov. 2025.
H Professors Buffington and Greenwell working together in their UTC faculty studio. Photograph by Angela Foster
This exhibition models a liberalarts forward approach to studio research that we hope to model to our students, bringing together history of science, design history, and studio exploration.
In the upper-division course Drawing V, Rowan reimagines collage not just as a medium, but as a method rooted in subversion, experimentation, and the transformative power of remnants. The course is required for BFA Art students with a concentration in Painting and Drawing, but it is also popular with upper-division students across the curriculum, including BA Studio Art and BFA Graphic Design majors, amongst others. The course challenges students to engage collage as “both practice and critical inquiry.” Rowan draws inspiration from the provocative potential of collage, citing Italian curator and artistic director of the New Museum Massimiliano Gioni’s view of it as a “dirty medium” that thrives on leftovers, visual pollution, and cultural debris. Collage, in this context, becomes a tool for reworking narratives and infiltrating dominant visual systems with new, insurgent meanings.
Assignments range from Taxonomy (Person, Place, Thing), Chance Collage, and Serial Collage, pushing students to explore the method through multiple entry points. Collaborative projects further amplify the course’s emphasis on shared meaning and the power of recombination.
H Professor Buffington with students in Drawing V.
Photograph by Angela Foster.
New Initiatives
Content
Creators: A New
Residential Learning Community for Art and Communication Students
We are excited to introduce a new Residential Learning Community (RLC) designed specifically for first-year and returning students pursuing a BA in Art or a BS in Communication who are ready to take their content creation skills to the next level. Blending visual literacy with strategic storytelling, Content Creators is where passion meets purpose and creativity turns into impact.
At the heart of this RLC is an immersive experience that connects students with hands-on coursework, workshops led by industry professionals and professors, and interactive activities that bring the art of visual storytelling to life.
Whether an aspiring designer, filmmaker, social media strategist, visual artist, or storyteller, Content Creators offers a space to develop undergraduate students’ creative voices and learn how to share them.
The BA in Art is a uniquely flexible degree that empowers students to explore their interests across disciplines while developing a strong foundation in the visual arts. Content Creators is an ideal path within this broader framework: offering a structured yet creative environment for students who want to integrate their artistic skills with digital media.
This program allows BA students to connect their studio practice to real-world applications, providing practical experience in content development, audience engagement, and storytelling. Whether students are interested in visual design, photography, video production, or digital campaigns, this RLC supports a crossdisciplinary approach that aligns with the customizable nature of our BA.
We’re especially excited to launch this RLC as part of our broader efforts to support new, cross-disciplinary opportunities for BA students and to connect BA students with students in other connected fields like Communication.
E Professor Bradley-Shoup with students at the UTC Drawing Studio in Bretske Hall. Photograph by Angela Foster
CONTENT CREATORS IS AN IDEAL PATH WITHIN THE BROADER FRAMEWORK OF THE UNIQUELY FLEXIBLE BA IN ART.
Guiding this year’s cohort is Mark BradleyShoup, Associate Lecturer in Art, and Desirae Johnson, Lecturer in Communication.
Many of our students, alumni, and community members know and love Mark, an accomplished visual artist and educator. He is particularly well suited to lead this group, as he knows the opportunities at UTC inside and out. He is an alumnus of our own
department and is known for his meticulously crafted paintings and works on paper. He brings decades of experience from working with institutions like the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Creative Discovery Museum, and he’s passionate about helping students turn their ideas into impactful visual narratives.
We’re excited to get to know Desirae more through this RLC. Stay tuned for more!
PROGRAM GOALS
F Associate Lecturer in Art
Mark BradleyShoup with Lecturer in Communication
Desirae Johnson.
Photograph by Angela Foster using the UTC Library lighting studio.
GOAL 1
ENHANCE VISUAL LITERACY SKILLS
Through activities offered by both the Communication and Art departments, students will engage in handson learning and guided discussions designed to sharpen visual acuity. From analyzing visual culture to developing a personal aesthetic, participants will build a strong foundation in interpreting and creating visual content.
GOAL 2
CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT AROUND A CENTRAL THEME
Through workshops and coursework, students will learn how to develop a focused and strategic social media presence. They’ll create thoughtful and responsible content centered around a unifying theme, learning how to effectively communicate ideas across platforms.
GOAL 3
MASTER SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Students will participate in critiques, special activities, and discussions aimed at helping them generate meaningful and authentic content. These experiences will build the critical thinking and creative skills necessary to stand out in today’s media landscape.
F
Kate Greenwell, BFA Painting and Drawing, 2024
F Jules Jackson, BFA Painting and Drawing, 2023
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO UTC ART ALUMNI
BEGINNING MFA PROGRAMS THIS FALL!
Alumni Features
Kate Greenwell (BFA Painting and Drawing, 2024) will be attending the University of Connecticut to pursue an MFA in Painting and Drawing. Her delicate paintings and cerebral collage work continue to evolve in this fully funded, three-year program, which emphasizes theory, teaching, and rigorous studio practice. In addition to her graduate coursework, Kate teaches still-life drawing to undergraduate students and has opportunities to serve as a research assistant for faculty. The program culminates in a thesis exhibition at the Benton Museum of Art, where MFA candidates collaborate closely with museum staff to develop and present their final projects. One of Kate’s recent works is shown at right, reflecting the thoughtful and refined approach that continues to define her practice.
Jules Jackson (BFA Painting and Drawing, 2023) will be attending the University of Colorado Boulder to pursue an MFA with a focus in Drawing and Painting. He was admitted on the strength of his vibrant, autobiographical paintings, including “Let Me In,” a recent work currently on view in Illustrating a Point at Stove Works (pictured right). The threeyear program combines studio practice with teaching and academic coursework. This year, Jules holds a Graduate
Assistant position, supporting the Foundations and Drawing & Painting programs through materials management and classroom preparation. In his second year, he will step into a teaching role as instructor of record. This semester, Jules is enrolled in a Graduate Seminar, a Drawing & Painting Seminar, and an Art Writing course expanding his ability to respond critically and reflectively to both his own work and that of others.
We’re proud of you both!
The faculty at UTC Art love supporting current and former students interested in pursuing further education. It is not uncommon for faculty to spend time helping students understand the landscape of graduate programs, from assisting with research, reviewing applications, and writing letters of recommendation. If you’re an alum or a current student interested in pursuing the MFA, reach out to your faculty for support!
H Kate Greenwell untitled collage, 5" x 9", 2025
G Jules Jackson Let Me In, oil on canvas, 5' x 10', 2025
Connect With Us
UTC Art on Socials
We want to hear from YOU! The Department of Art is building a stronger connection with our amazing alumni community, and we’d love for you to be part of it.
Got a cool project? A recent show? Teaching, creating, curating, or innovating in any way? Tell us about it! We want to highlight the incredible things our graduates are doing.
Email Katie or fill out our alumni survey online: email: kathryn-hargrave@utc.edu survey: tinyurl.com/yzwf36tn
UTC ART INSTAGRAM
Instagram is your go-to spot for student work, faculty highlights, events, and alumni features. Help us grow our community by sharing it, tagging us in your work, or dropping us a DM! Reach out, reconnect, and represent what makes our community unique. We can’t wait to hear from you!
TAC is a studentled organization that promotes artists and art activities on campus. Upcoming events include: Collage Night (November 4) and Studio Day + Movie Night (December 2).
Instagram: @utc.artcollective
STRIKE MAGAZINE
The nation’s largest studentrun fashion, lifestyle, and culture publication. Instagram: @strikemagazinechatt Website: strikemagazinechatt.com
SEQUOYA REVIEW
Sequoya Review highlights UTC’s best undergraduate work, including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art. The publication is created in the ENGL 3780R course. Students gain practical experience with editing, layout, and production of the journal. The course is taught in the English Department, and Professor Matt Greenwell serves as the Art Faculty Advisor.
Instagram: @sequoya_review
F UTC Art students visit the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga. Photography by Angela Foster.
Imagine
Why your support matters:
• Fuel artistic growth and access. Contributions to the Friends of the Cress Gallery directly enable student exhibitions and public programming.
• Support hands-on learning. Gifts to the Art Gift Fund support studio supplies, exhibition materials, and creative tools. Your generosity ensures students can explore, experiment, and excel.
