State of North Carolina

Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium

Visual Arts Abstracts

Student Author(s):	Adams, Jeremy
Dept & College or University:	Art, UNC-Pembroke
Research Mentor(s):	Janette K. Hopper/Art, UNC-Pembroke
Title of Presentation:	Figure Drawing + Ceramics = ?

Ever since I began taking Ceramics seriously as a concentration of fine art study, I’ve come against the problem of justifying it as “art”. This dilemma stems from the distinction between “art” and “crafts”. Though the definition of art is widely debated and has been toyed with over the centuries, I believe one of the main principles of art is the expression of the human condition, or some form of emotional communication. That’s a tall order to fulfill with just some clay bowls and cups. One way I’ve recently addressed this problem is by the application of drawing on the surface of the work. In this, I’ve taken experiences with figure drawing, and applied them to the bowls, experimenting with several different techniques. I’ve found some that work better than others, and new directions I plan to explore with further experimentation. Among these are glaze pencils applied to bisque-ware, under-slips on green-ware with a clear glaze, and black slip over shino glazed bisque-ware. Recently, I’ve tried applying slips to green-ware with an ink pen, which hasn’t been successful. In the future, I plan to do more glaze-testing with glazes over the pencil work to find solid techniques to apply artistic imagery to these forms.

Student Author(s):	Anders, Megan Anthony, Amber Owensby, Elizabeth Jafari, Mojgan Pridgen, Cindy Nixon, Sara Waggoner, Nicole Jadney, Karin Almond, Sarah Lloyd, Jami Flinn, Jessica Kraynock, Lyndsey Tripp, Lauren Adams, Agape
Dept & College or University:	Interior Design and Merchandising, East Carolina University
Research Mentor(s):	Hunt McKinnon/Interior Design and Merchandising, East Carolina University
Title of Presentation:	The Unplugged Office Building

The Voice of America ( V.O.A. ) Site “C” facility located near East Carolina University in Greenville, NC was a listening post and was active in intelligence gathering up to the Persian Gulf War. Since it was decommissioned and deeded to the University, it has been underutilized. A major challenge for the University in making use of the facility has been determining the best use of the space and the land that surrounds it. This project addresses this challenge by proposing several options for redesign focused on keeping the building “unplugged” and creating a home for The Center for Excellence research group and a showcase for their special project related to reducing the use of fossil fuels and utilizing “green design.” Redesign efforts will focus on maximizing the use of Solar Daylighting without creating additional cooling or heating load and with as few electric lights as possible. It is anticipated that energy efficiency will be noticeably improved in the redesigned areas compared to the remainder of the spaces in the building. Design efforts incorporated the existing central courtyard to even out the interior illumination, skylights and other structural design solutions as well as interior functional design solutions.

Student Author(s):	Barnett-Robisheaux, Anna
Dept & College or University:	Landscape Architecture, NCSU
Research Mentor(s):	Arthur Rice/Landscape Architecture, NCSU
Title of Presentation:	Evolution of the Urban Waterfront

Many cities were established based on proximity to water. In the early development stages of a city, industries relied heavily on water as a mode of transportation and a center for industrial activity. As technology advanced and industries moved away from cities, it has become necessary for cities to rethink their waterfronts. The image of a city is becoming more important in a world with a global marketplace. As a result, there has been a movement in landscape architecture to redesign and reclaim urban waterfronts. Designers are called on to rethink urban waterfronts, which have historically been located in the downtown area of a city. Those wishing to redevelop waterfronts are faced with an array of problems that have arisen as a result of the historic industrial use of the water, including environmental deterioration, contamination and questionable land ownership. As an organized field of expertise has developed around waterfront development, projects have become more sophisticated. The first waterfront redevelopment project in the 1960-1970’s attempted to save decaying inner city areas. More recent projects have aimed to create new social and cultural centers, while also developing a brand or an image for the city. A case study was conducted examining the Brindleyplace development in Birmingham, England, which was completed in 2004. Brindleyplace falls into the most recent category of waterfront redevelopment, striving to create a new social and cultural center for the city of Birmingham.

Student Author(s):	Correll, Michael T.
Dept & College or University:	Ceramics, UNC-Pembroke
Research Mentor(s):	Stephen Robeson/Art, Ceramics, UNC-Pembroke
Title of Presentation:	Hand Building as an Abstract Art

In the world of ceramics there are many different avenues to venture down, there is the wheel thrown utilitarian objects, there is the hand built abstract and utilitarian, etc. There are so many different areas that one could concentrate on that sticking to one area takes discipline. I have stuck with the Hand built abstract. I use techniques like coil building, slab, slump molds. I also like to incorporate these together. In doing abstract ceramics there are so many options to explore, like how positive and negative space interact, the types of glazes and slips and what happens to them during a firing. When doing abstract let whatever happens happen, that’s how I look at it everyday, and to show other students this venue and option would be an awesome experience.

Student Author(s):	Dean, Dylan M.
Dept & College or University:	UNC-Pembroke
Research Mentor(s):	Ralph L. Steeds/Printmaking, UNC-Pembroke
Title of Presentation:	A War-like Theme

As an artist, I often address things such as social problems and war in my artwork. However unlike many other artists dealing with this type of subject matter, my work tends to be less direct in content. I pride myself on this aspect of my work because it is so often that people turn their heads away from artwork that expresses views and ideals that differ from their own, i.e. political artwork. I feel that it is important for me not to preach to the choir about these important issues but, rather find ways to present my ideals in ways that will be received and not disregarded. However, I am in no way implying that I intend to compromise the artistic integrity of my work. This brings me to my goal as an artist, which is to convey my feelings on certain issues without immediately turning off the viewer. I feel that if I can present my ideals in a way that interests the viewer, then I may be able to further discuss these issues with them personally.

Student Author(s):	Padgett, Christine
Dept & College or University:	Art Education, UNC-Pembroke
Research Mentor(s):	Tulla Lightfoot/Art Education, UNC-Pembroke
Title of Presentation:	Reflections

In my presentation I will be talking about the development of my painting titled “Reflections”. This is the latest painting I have created in a series about firefighters. I spend much of my time photographing and sketching firefighters during training sessions, competitions, and at fires. I have witnessed the trust and brotherhood between them and I try to capture their passion, bravery, and dedication in my photographs. While watching training sessions, I sketch possible compositions and take notes on proper procedures, equipment and attire to keep my paintings as realistic as possible. I paint in a realistic style, but I like for my paintings to evoke emotions in the viewer. I began with acrylic paints, but I wanted to find a medium that allowed a softer line and easier blending so I tried oil paints. I was very happy with the result and have been painting in oils ever since. One of my biggest challenges is trying to accurately paint fire. I know it will be many years before I am successful at showing the temperature of the fire with the use of colors. Depicting the movement of the fire is also a challenge because of its nature as a living creature. In the future, I would like to try different media to express my ideas and continue to develop the firefighter theme. I plan to keep developing new compositions that are interesting and creative during my growth as an artist. I want to continue learning as much as possible about my subject matter, media, and different techniques.

Student Author(s):	Tran, Andy
Dept & College or University:	University Honors Program, NCSU
Research Mentor(s):	Jonathan C. Kramer/Music, NCSU
Title of Presentation:	Seeing the Holy See of Vietnamese Cao Daiism

To a Cao Daist, the Holy See in Tay Ninh, Vietnam is like the Vatican City for Christians, or the Mecca for Muslims. In 1920, a supernatural spirit appeared to the governor of Phu Quoc, the largest island in Vietnam, and revealed its identity to be “Cao Dai.” The name Cao Dai, or “High Tower,” was then accepted as the symbol for the Supreme Being and for worship. Since then, the Cao Dai religion honors the “All Seeing Eye” in the form of prayers, charity and traditional folk music. Since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, interest in the Vietnamese culture, people and music has become stagnant. This UHP creative research project consists of a collection of photographs and recordings taken from the Holy See. It is my attempt as a UHP creative researcher to introduce and revive an understanding of Vietnamese traditional music in the Cao Dai religion.

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