I Inspire: teaching the next generation
Media, such as board games, shape our cognition. We make and design what we know and what we are used to. The worlds and artwork we create are influenced by the culture in which we live, work, and play. This sets the standard for our media. Because of this, there is little female and POC representation behind the artwork and creative teams of many games.
This exhibition celebrates the artwork of a game and creative team that specifically chose to buck that trend and be a catalyst for conversation. A game that celebrates the power of culture and representation, the Factions: Battlegrounds project is co-created by Concordia-WI alum Jason Crayton and Peter Ferry. The exhibition highlights the artwork, artists, and underrepresented African, South American, and Native American cultures that influence the game.
This exhibition will run from October 26th to January 15th.
Artists
Jason Crayton
Biography
Jason Crayton is an art teacher at Milwaukee Lutheran High School and designer from Milwaukee, WI. A Concordia University -WI alum (08), Jason focuses on helping students understand the power that artwork has in their communities and the opportunities it can provide. He has helped establish an art club, art academy (to connect students with and to help them learn from professionals), taken students abroad, and created a 12x36 ft mural with former students to help fight for social justice.
Jason has also served as the creative/art director for the Factions: Battlegrounds project the last 3 years where he was able to hire former students and work with artists around the world from Kenya to Australia to build towards changing what representation looks like in gaming. Hopefully through this project, he can inspire others to challenge what representation looks like.
“If we have more creators from a variety of cultures and experiences this will lead to a greater sense of creativity and inclusivity that will only make our media and art better. ‘Cultivation Analysis’ matter and the way people are represented matters. All of my work with my students and other artists is centered around that. To give them a voice and to empower them. This matters to me as both a Christian and a black educator.”
Peter Froehlich
Biography
Pete Froehlich has over 15 years of teaching experience in clay, which includes his current position as the head of the art department at Martin Luther High School (Greendale, Wisconsin). He has had work on display at various shows, including 2016 KC Clay Guild Tea Bowl National, 2016 Annual Cup Show (Lynden, Washington), 2017 Serve It Up (Las Vegas) and 2019 Earth: Vessel (Mequon, Wisconsin). Originally from Dix Hills, New York, he graduated with a B.A. in Art Education, History from Concordia (WI) University. He has also taught in Houston and Kansas City.
Artist Statement
Objects of Facilitation.
In his speech at the March on Washington in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”
This quote really resonated with me as we witnessed civil unrest throughout the United States this past summer. The question I asked myself was, ‘How can what I do with functional ceramics help the people of this country heal?”
Sitting around a table and sharing a meal and a conversation offers an intimate opportunity for people of different ethnic, geographic and/or socio-economic backgrounds to create a shared experience.
Shared experiences create community.
Passing a bowl or a platter and sharing the food that was brought together and prepared for a community covers that piece with the memory of laughter, tough love or even tears that are associated with the gathering.
The conversations we share while passing the potatoes take on a different tone, encouraging genuine communication. Bringing people together while breaking bread can create a space for the difficult conversations we so often avoid, yet need to engage in.
It is these pieces that I sought to create when I began this series. Pieces that are designed for a variety of traditional ethnic foods, facilitating the flavors of the culture.
These items may look like simple place settings, but the possibility they hold to embody the relationships, experiences and community who use them is limitless.
Homework
Concordia University Graphic Design Students have participated in a co-operative with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) for the last 23 years. This exhibition highlights some of the work of our current Senior Graphic Design Majors work from MIAD.
Artists: Allie Stoltz, Joe Michaletz, Brett C Veehendaal and McKenzie Carter.
Art Just Becuase
This is a new exhibition of work by Peggy McDowell. Art Just Because.
A growing number of people are getting even more creative with their coping skills. They are making Art, painting, photography, music, poetry and more to help relieve the stresses of Covid-19. Art does not just unify us, it physically benefits us too. Studies show that spending just 45 minutes a day on an art project can relieve stress and stress, strengthen critical thinking skills and improve and sustain memory. This work by Peggy McDowell is just a small sampling of the work that she has created during he quarantine.
The Wednesday Review
Many of you have used this time at home to learn new skills or practice old ones. Some of you may have worked on drawing, painting, sculpture or other visual arts endeavors. It’s often difficult to work in isolation, so the Art Faculty at Concordia University Wisconsin would like to offer an opportunity for you to show us your work and receive some commentary and feedback. Every Wednesday this summer, from 12:00 noon until 1:00, we will be available via Zoom on the following link: (https://cuwaa.zoom.us/j/2622432611).
At least one faculty member, and sometimes more, will be available. Please take advantage of this opportunity to improve your work. For questions or additional information, please contact Dr. Gaylund Stone (gaylund.stone@cuw.edu). Have a productive and creative summer!
About the CUW Art Gallery
Over 30 years ago, the CUW Art Gallery was founded with the hope of educating, challenging, and inspiring the students, faculty, staff, and community of CUW as well as the public through exposure to the vast world of art. Our mission is to encourage appreciation and understanding of art and its role in society through direct engagement with original works of art. Combining fresh, object-based scholarship with broad accessibility, the CUW Art Gallery aims to provoke and affirm accepted meanings of art objects and to suggest new ones to its patrons. We aspire to excite the imagination, and present opportunities for our patrons to look into the study of art and culture.
The goals of the CUW Art Gallery are to:
- Bring excellent contemporary and historical art to the CUW campus community
- Reflect the diversity of the university and Southeastern Wisconsin community
- Connect the university and the public through relevant art and cultural programs
- Support student, emerging and established artists by providing opportunities for the creation and exhibition of cutting edge visual art
- Development of self-knowledge inherent in artistic activity for the personal growth and development of the CUW Gallery students, faculty, staff and patrons