Note from June 18, 2021:

In Fabrication Mode

Hi Folkies,
I feel like I am very much over the Covid spell. Since the beginning of the Spring term in ’21 I’ve been busy… hip deep in the process of fabricating 3 new pillar designs. Diversity, Veterans, and The Daughters, are the themes that I (and Tayvia Ridgeway) are getting all the art work ready for installation in September this year. Here is a picture of the ‘Diversity’ pillar, in progress.
Usually, a lot of this fabrication is done in the spring by my Art 291 ‘Mural Painting’ class. And then I finish off the new entries in the summer and with the order of LSUTL faithful…we install them in late July. Then we have a dedication for the new pillars in October. Well…Covid changed this.
This summer, with Tayvia’s help, I am effectively reversing my usual procedure, painting 3 of the 4 that normally get produced. Then having my fall Art 291 students help me install those three, and start fabricating a fourth. The fourth will be dedicated to Covid, and the students views on the illness. I hope to finish that one off after the Fall term.
Did I mention Tayvia Ridgeway? Tayvia is someone that I believe will make her own way in Public art one day. She was in my Discover Chicago Public Art and Murals class in 2019. What impressed me about her is that when she found that this particular class was closed, she did not let that stop her. She insisted on being in the class. I have to say, it did make me notice.
She helped install Women’s Athletics this past summer in 2020. Certainly I will be watching her progress in the next few months. Thank you Tayvia!

LSUTL in Progress Videos: