2020 THE LASTING LEGACY OF JULIAN T. WHITE ......QUAD · LSU COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN CONTENTS FEATURES 06 14 + + “Nature vs. Nurture” by Chayse Sampy, Black Men in America seriesTHE

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THE LASTING LEGACY OF JULIAN T. WHITE

DIVERSE EXPERIENCES

Summer 2020

Q U A D · L S U C O L L E G E O F A R T & D E S I G N

CONTENTSFEATURES

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+ “Nature vs. Nurture” by Chayse Sampy, Black Men in America series

THE LASTING LEGACY OF

JULIAN T.WHITE

+ Photo by Micah Viccinelli

S P R I N G / S U M M E R � � � �

02 LETTER FROM THE DEAN

03 DID YOU KNOW?A Line in the Land, with Kevin Benham

04 FOUR MINUTES ON . . .Visualiz ing Genet ic Relat ionships , with Courtney Barr

1 8 FROM GREAT HEIGHTSRestorat ion Architect Elyse Marks

24 WHY LSU ART & DESIGN?Ti ge rs Share W hy

26 I MADE THAT!De s i g ning the Brain w ith Madelyn R iche

30 FIELD NOTESTravel Snapshot s

32 CLASS NOTESAlumni News and Updates

36 EQUIPPEDFor the Doctor of Design in Cultural Preservat ion

CREDITS

E D I T O R I A L

E D I T O R / W R I T E R

Elizabeth Mariotti

C O N T R I B U T O R S

Courtney Barr, Associate Professor

Kevin Benham, Assistant Professor

Madelyn Riche, BID candidate

Erika Witt, DDES candidate

C O P Y E D I T O R

Ellen Mathis

D E S I G N — G D S O

A R T D I R E C T I O N

Luisa Restrepo

F A C U L T Y A D V I S O R

Lynne Baggett

D E S I G N & I L L U S T R AT I O N

Lindsey Henriques, BFA candidate

Gabrielle Trupiano, BFA candidate

P H O T O G R A P H Y

P H O T O G R A P H E R S

Kevin Duffy

Cover photo by Micah Viccinelli,

BFA candidate

2 Q U A D · L S U C O L L E G E O F A R T & D E S I G N

This issue of the Quad explores the LSU College of Art & Design’s rich history, and celebrates change – in our own institution of education, and in the fields of art and design.

You will read about the life of Professor Julian T. White, the first African American professor at Louisiana State University and the second licensed black architect in the state of Louisiana. The following pages give a glimpse of the many lives that he touched, as an educator and highly regarded member of the architectural community. We honor him with the unveiling of the Julian T. White Atrium Mural, which celebrates his illustrious career.

The College of Art & Design has been a leader in many ways, from welcoming diverse faculty, to adopting new technology, to challenging the status quo in art and design disciplines, which

inherently question what is, and what could – or what can – be.

Meet some current students who are working to change the worlds around them through their craft, and find yourself inspired by alumni who fearlessly embark upon less-tread-upon career paths. They all show us how meaningful it is to be included in the classroom, on campus, and in the chosen field of their dreams.

Alkis Tsolakis, Dean

Letter from the Dean

Dean Alkis Tsolakis instructs students in the Design Paris program in France, fall 2019. Photo by Willie Goliday II, MArch candidate.

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Q: What is the language of a line?

A: A line in the land is one of the simplest of gestures, yet it is empowered with the capacity for meaning and significance. A line suggests the human act of possessing the land, claiming ground, and marking territory. A simple line traversing topography is also imbued with the possibility of travel, discovery, hope, and opportunity. It holds within it the memory of past actions: as a recording of a physical act imprinted upon the surface of the earth.

In the past few years, my work has capitalized on the power of the line as a datum and mark in the landscape through simple interventions of erasure that exploit the line as a temporal, transitory phenomenon and as a catalyst for advantageous ecosystem change. Broken Kilometer, a kilometer-long cut in the earth near Harlösa, Sweden, completed in con-junction with the EU project Sandlife and managed by the Swedish Fortifications Agency, acts simultaneously as land art and as a stimulus for increasing biodiversity in the area by exposing nutrient poor soils that foster the growth of rare plant species, which in turn attract extraordinary species of insects and birds.

Did You Know?W I T H K E V I N B E N H A M

Kevin Benham holds the Jon Emerson/

Wayne Womack Design Professorship at

the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape

Architecture. His research and work focuses

on landscape phenomena and the temporal

qualities inherent in the discipline. To that

end, he produces temporal and ephemeral

installations that elucidate phenomena requiring

careful observation through space and time. He

has exhibited his conceptual work throughout the

world, including exhibits at the Royal Institute

of British Architects, London, England; Zurich,

Switzerland; and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Mile Long Burn, a more recent temporal land art project with the National Park Service in the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve of Kansas, was conducted to maintain the health and vitality of endemic species in the prairie landscape. This particular project, developed over a three-year period, consisted of a controlled burn exactly a mile in length along the eastern edge of the Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve. The burn was allowed to naturally extinguish itself as the fire came into contact with natural fire-breaks, wet vegetation or gurgling streams. As a result, the act of burning left an artifact of the natural processes and forces that shaped the final work. The piece will continue to evolve as the seedbed is exposed and new plant material germinates and thrives.

As my work and practice continues to evolve, I continue to think about actions to disrupt ecologies as a means of diversifying the complexity of species in the landscape through the use of unorthodox maintenance strategies that include the manipulation of soil surfaces, grazing, burning and other potential mechanical and natural means of alteration.

Broken Kilometer, by Kevin Benham

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Four Minutes On...V I S U A L I Z I N G G E N E T I C R E L AT I O N S H I P S

W I T H C O U R T N E Y B A R R

We are familiar with textbook visualizations of scientific information, most often represented through carefully labeled diagrams and charts. We experience these diagrams in a scientific context—their purpose is to explain purely factual information about biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, and so forth.

What if a visualization can provide more than facts? What if it can provoke an emotional reaction or be persuasive in some way? The answer to this question is where art and science converge.

Arguably the most widely recognized and significant scientific diagram of the last 100 years, Odile Crick’s drawing of the DNA double helix structure stands out as one of the few that provokes contemplation in a general audience. This elegant diagram stimulates self-reflection and a deep curiosity in our human origins, and it is this kind of impact that I seek to achieve in my own work. I create visual explanations that reveal insights and about human relationships, such as intricate genealogical and genetic connections. My intent is to transform the scientific diagram into a creative visualization that crosses the bridge between science and art; resonating beyond the scientific audience.

This line of inquiry grew from my long-term research into my own family genealogy. I have traced some of my ancestral lines beyond the 1700s, while other ancestral lines come to a dead-end after one or two generations. To fill these gaps of information, much of my research has been conducted using online genealogy communities such as Ancestry.com. Affordable and fast access to

personal DNA sequencing has only been made available to the general public in the past few years; people can now utilize a variety of online services to collect a DNA swab and learn about their genealogical connections, ethnic heritage, and genetic health risks. In fact, through DNA testing I was united with a relative who had been adopted and never knew her biological family until now.

Due to public pressure, these online services have released previously inaccessible raw DNA data to their customers. Individuals can now download their raw DNA data, a spreadsheet of more than 700,000 lines of chromosome base pair positions of the human genotype. Without the assistance of a genetic consultant or analysis service, this data is relatively meaningless to the average user. However, when most see meaningless data, I see an opportunity. I began to explore how this dense information could be transformed into something both aesthetically fulfilling and informative.

Visualizing Genetic Relationships is a series of creative information displays that makes visual comparisons of genetic data between individuals. I am currently working with the DNA sequences of my own family members; comparing my own sequence with that of

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the “SciArt” community. The SciArt movement is propelled by a growing community of artists that are inspired by scientific concepts. Organizations, art museums, and galleries that recognize the merit of science-inspired and data-driven art are growing in number and influence. One such entity, The SciArt Initiative, is a New York-based group that produces SciArt Magazine and offers programs, grants, artist residencies, and facilitates a community network for collaborations. In 2018 I had the opportunity to exhibit my work in a SciArt related exhibition at Northern Illinois University Art Museum.

In 2014, I began teaching a special topics course on information design in the LSU School of Art. This interdisciplinary course included junior, senior, and graduate level students from graphic design, landscape architecture, and architecture. This course was originally developed for graphic design majors, but opening it to multiple areas gave me the opportunity to format an interdisciplinary course that met the needs of students with varying interests and creative goals. The fundamental principles of information design are relevant to students in all design disciplines. Teaching a course directly related to my area of research was extremely rewarding and allowed me to fine tune my approach to information design as a focus of investigation. I hope to convey through teaching that a creative visualization has the potential to reveal accurate and emotionally compelling scientific information.

Courtney Barr is an associate professor of graphic design at LSU who uses visual explanations to reveal new understandings.

my family members reveals where we share genetic matches, offering a visual affirmation of a connection only visible on the molec- ular level.

To create this work, I had to develop a tool for efficiently translating the thousands of characters in a text-based genetic sequence into color-coded symbols. I created a custom color font called DNA Loops, which allows a user to transform the base pairs A (Adenine), C (Cytosine), T (Thymine), and G (Guanine) into a set of visually compelling graphic symbols. This tool facilitates experimentation with a variety of visual forms. The potential for this visualization method is exciting; I envision the possibility of developing a system of DNA visualizations that can be uniquely customized to the individual, for a multitude of end-products, from fine art prints to custom DNA textiles. Recently I have expanded my subject matter to include animal DNA, in order to bring attention to extinction threats.

How and where should this kind of creative work, that straddles art and science, be shared? This has been a challenging question to resolve. By seeking opportunities to share my investigations and exhibit my work, I discovered


THE LASTING LEGACY OF

JULIAN T.WHITE

+ Photo by Micah Viccinelli

7S P R I N G / S U M M E R � � � �

First black student to earn a degree from LSU (Charles E. Harrington, Masters of Education)

First black student to graduate from LSU Law School (Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial)

First black undergraduate student enrolls at LSU (A. P. Tureaud Jr.)

First black female student to graduate from LSU (Pearl Andrews, Masters of Education)

In 1953, when Julian Thaddeus White was nine

years old, on a drive with his family along

Louisiana’s River Road, he spotted Louisiana

State University’s campus from the car.

“I’m going to go there one day,” he informed his family. “I’m going to LSU.”

“No you’re not,” replied his grandmother. As an

African American, he would not have been

accepted to the state university at the time.

Ultimately Julian was right, and though he went

to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, he

later came to LSU as a professor of architecture.

Julian White was the first black professor at LSU

and the second licensed black architect in the

state of Louisiana. In 1971 he joined the faculty of

the LSU Department of Architecture, where he worked for 33 years.

After a long successful career in education, he retired in 2003. He

passed away from cancer in 2011. This year the LSU College of Art

& Design unveiled the Julian T. White Atrium Mural in his honor,

memorializing his incredible legacy at LSU.

It was not an easy road, relayed Loretta White, Julian’s wife. The

question Julian asked her repeatedly throughout his life was: “do

you think they will accept us?” The answer was not always yes.

When Julian took the Louisiana state architecture license exam,

held on LSU’s campus in the 1960s, a white man taking the

exam that day asked the instructor that Julian sit in a different

room to take the test. He was segregated from the other test-

takers – all white men – and was told to take the exam upstairs.

Incredibly, that room became part of his life again when he

returned to LSU as a faculty member.

“That very same room, where he was told he had to take the

exam, became his office for many years,” Loretta said with a grin.

“It was actually a great office, in my opinion. It had a good view

of the campus.”

“That very same room became his office for many years.”

Julian became the second licensed black architect in the state

(the first being Dickie Thurman, his cousin by marriage.) He worked

for the renowned architectural firm Caudill Rowlett & Scott (CRS)

for 3 years, and taught at Tuskegee University in Alabama, and

at Southern University in Louisiana. He started his architecture

practice in Baton Rouge, which he maintained throughout his life.

LSU Board of Education enrolls first black student at LSU (Roy S. Wilson, Law School)


+ THE LASTING LEGACY OF JULIAN T. WHITE

First black student to earn her Ph.D. from LSU (Pinkie Gordon Lane)

First black LSU baseball player (Henry LeBoyd)

First meeting space for black students was established (Harambeé House)

First black LSU varsity football players (Lora O. Hinton, Jr. and Mikell Williams)

First black LSU Student Government President (Kerry Pourciau)

There were times when he didn’t feel comfortable

as the only black professor on campus, Loretta

said. “In the early years he never went to campus

by himself at night,” she shared. “If he needed

to go get materials from his office after dark, I

would come with him – we would take the kids,

pile into the car, all go over there together. He

didn’t say it, but I understood that he didn’t

want to go alone.”

Even as a professor who proved to be an ex-

cellent instructor and garnered respect from

his students and fellow faculty members, there

were still times living in Baton Rouge in the

1970s when he was rejected because of race.

“One time I remember, a country club wouldn’t

allow him to give a talk there, Loretta said. “His

students were so upset. They tried to show him

how much he meant to them, that he was so

much more.”

Julian, however, always carried himself with

tremendous dignity, and over time became

well-respected by his peers at LSU.

“He was kind, but tough as a faculty member,”

said Ken Carpenter, professor of architecture.

“Yet I think his students all understood that he

cared about them. He knew them individually.”

Today, Professor White’s former students are in architectural firms

throughout Louisiana and across the country. One of his many

students, Steve Dumez (BArch ’82), a partner in the New Orleans

architecture firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, remembers Professor

White as an engaged and demanding professor. “He required our

best work and challenged us to produce just that,” Dumez said.

Dumez said Professor White had a formative influence on his career,

but also a subsequent influence as a mentor. “I would continue to

seek his opinion on my work when he was no longer my teacher,”

he said.

“Julian was the most ethical, self-possessed man I have ever known,

and has always been an inspiration to me,” former LSU architecture

instructor Cymbre Raub said. “I was profoundly fortunate to be

able to teach with him at LSU in the 1990s. He was always honest,

often funny, and kind beyond words while holding to clear and

unassailable principles.”

Photos courtesy of the White family

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First black LSU professor (Julian T. White,

Architecture)

First black female undergraduate to attend LSU (Freya Anderson Rivers)

First group (6) of black students enroll at LSU

9S P R I N G / S U M M E R � � � �

First black quarterback

for LSU (Carl Otis Trimble)

[1974-76]

First black LSU

basketball player

(Collis Temple, Jr.)

First black LSU female tenured professor (Christine Minor)

First black LSU female tennis player (Kyle Copeland Muse)

First black LSU dean of an academic college (Carolyn Collins)

Over the years, Professor White was a major

influence in the lives of his students.

“Professor White was an outstanding teacher,

and a phenomenal mentor,” said Kasia Zaruska

Gallo (BArch ’97, MLA ’00) when she learned of

his passing. “My son is named Julian in his honor.”

“I remember very few professors in the same

cherished way as I remember Professor Julian T.

White,” said John Radionoff (BArch ’80). “He was

kind and treated students with the utmost dig-

nity. I am very thankful that he represented LSU

and that he will always be such a huge part of

the university.”

Julian taught countless students over three decades, and over

the years saw the program evolve and grow into its own School

of Architecture in the College of Art & Design.

“Young people want to see themselves in their professors, want to believe that their dreams are attainable.”

As an architect he designed buildings with social purpose,

including educational facilities and churches across the country.

His clients included the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and

Park Commission, Baton Rouge Medical Center, East Baton Rouge

Parish school system, and both Southern University and LSU. He

was a member of the American Institute of Architects and served

numerous years on the regional board of the National Council

of Architectural Registration Boards and the Louisiana Board of

Architectural Examiners, ensuring that future architects received

fair treatment during review.

He leaves behind a legacy through buildings around the region

that he designed, and in the many architects he taught. “He

holds an important place in the university’s history by breaking

the color barrier as its first black professor,” LSU Chancellor Mike

Martin said upon Julian’s death. “He also leaves behind a strong

impression with his fellow educators and the students who he

taught, as well as a lasting legacy in the architectural community.”

First black Golden Girls (Paula Jackson and Saundra Mims)

First black LSU female gymnast (Debra Ross)


Minority Services is established (In 1993, it becomes the Office of Multicultural Affairs)

Establishment of the LSU African American Cultural Center

Establishment of the LSU Women’s Center

First Vice Provost of Campus Diversity is appointed (Gregory Vincent)

First black LSU Boyd Professor is named by the LSU System (Isiah Warner)

Safe Space Campaign begins

First black LSU female soccer players (Fallon Buckner and Somalia Lindsay)

“Young people want to see themselves in their professors, want to

believe that their dreams are attainable,” said Casey Phillips, The

Walls Project Director, the firm the College partnered with to man-

age the mural’s implementation. “When you see someone who

looks like you, that you can identify with, that’s powerful. By simply

being their teacher, he inspired students of different backgrounds,

showed them they could achieve their goals.”

Julian’s painted image seems to look down on everything – and

everyone – in the Design Building below. The atrium is the bustling

hub of the college, filled with students and faculty members day

in and out, who glance up at the colorful mural on the walls with

keen interest. It’s breathtaking.

“There were those who would have liked to push him out, simply

because he wasn’t white,” Loretta said. “But it didn’t work.” She

laughed, glancing with pride toward the mural honoring her

husband. “And now they get to look at it.”

Above all, Julian was a family man. He had five children, 13

grandchildren, and was married to Loretta for over 50 years. As

dedicated as he was to his life’s work, he did it all for his family.

“All I want is for my grandchildren to know I have been here,” Julian

told Loretta before he died.

Now we all do.

The Julian T. White Memorial Scholarship Fund supports full-time

bachelor of architecture students, considering financial need. The

fund will help future students for years to come.

+ Mural plan illustration by artist Robert Dafford.

JULIAN T.WHITE

+ THE LASTING LEGACY OF JULIAN T. WHITE

First black female

president of the LSU

Union Governing Board

and Programming Council

(Nicole Moliere)

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First LSU student to be named as a Morris K. Udall Scholar (Nita Anne Clark)

Black Faculty Association forms

First black (male or female) to complete the LSU MBA/JD joint program (Natasha U. Francis)

First black LSU Women’s Basketball Head Coach (Dana “Pokey” Chatman)

First black Miss LSU-USA (Courtney Rawls)

First black female Corp Commander for the LSU Corp of Cadets (Daphne LaSalle)

First black (male or female) British Marshall Scholar at LSU (Ebony Spikes)

First black Dean of the E.J. Ourso College of Business (Eli Jones)

First black LSU Men’s Basketball Head Coach (Trent Johnson)

The three-story mural honoring Julian White is

painted in the atrium of the LSU Design Building,

1,075 square feet and visible from numerous

vantage points. Renowned muralist Robert Dafford

was selected to execute the project, and site

installation was directed by The Walls Project, a

nonprofit that implements large-scale murals

across Baton Rouge. The College of Art & Design

mural serves as a testament to Julian, symbolizing

how his perseverance paved the way for racial

equality at the university.

“Julian White is the person that opened the doors,

led the way to free LSU from segregation,” said Alkis

Tsolakis, Dean of the College of Art & Design. “In this

sense he is an icon to our community.”

The mural depicts Julian leading a procession of

students and faculty through stately live oaks that

evoke the LSU campus. Those following behind him

are individuals of different races, men and women,

people from all walks of life. Among them walks

Isiah Warner, the Boyd Professor and Philip W. West

Professor of Analytical & Environmental Chemistry.

The mural draws inspiration from a diverse variety

of sources, from street art in New Orleans to the

“Procession of the Magi” fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli at

Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence,

Italy. The mural artist Dafford worked

with Julian’s family to capture his

likeness, sharing family photographs

and stories. The painted scene is

joyful, a celebration of his life.

The artistic aim of the mural is to

portray how Julian opened the

doors for all those who followed,

according to the artist Dafford. It’s

a story, a narrative of the steady

march of progress over time.

Interspersed among the figures

are images that have personal

meaning to Julian’s life, such as the

scene of Professor White teaching in a classroom, looking out from the

balcony window of his infamous office, and buildings that he designed

layered along the promenade. The piece revels in the evolution of LSU.

“In photographs, Julian has a kind intensity in his eyes from a young

age,” said Casey Phillips, Director of the Walls Project. “That kindness

is captured in his rendering in the mural.”

“This project means everything to me,” said Dean Tsolakis. “It means

another step in freeing LSU and making a home for everyone.

Another step in what Julian White did for LSU, for Louisiana, and for

the world.”

ATRIUM MURAL


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Fifth year architecture student Tayler Harrison had the internship

of a lifetime: working at the Smithsonian National Museum of

African American History & Culture (NMAAHC). The monumental

museum in Washington, D.C., which opened in fall 2016, is the only

national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of

African American life, history, and culture.

“It was inspiring to work in the presence of the people who

helped to build the museum,” Harrison said. The building itself

is amazing: the physical space reflects the messages that the

exhibitions convey, she noted.

“It felt like the internship was tailored to my experiences as a

black design student,” she shared. “Working at the museum

strengthened my interests, and now I have a clearer lens of

what I want to do.”

Harrison interned with Michelle Joan Wilkinson, PhD, a NMAAHC

curator and acting associate director for curatorial affairs, where

she is expanding the museum’s collections in architecture and

design. She co-curated two inaugural NMAAHC exhibitions: A

Century in the Making: Building the National Museum of African

American History and Culture and A Changing America: 1968

and Beyond.

In 2018, she served as lead organizer for the

museum’s three-day symposium, “Shifting the

Landscape: Black Architects and Planners,

1968 to Now.” Wilkinson holds a 2020 Harvard

Loeb Fellowship.

During the internship Harrison had the opport-

unity to research and write an article for the

Smithsonian website, prepare a grant proposal

for the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, and

visit local sites of interest such as NPR’s head-

quarters and the Glenstone Museum.

“The internship was such a meaningful exper-

ience,” she said. “I was able to genuinely contribute and learn more about the history of

black architects in the U.S. I studied drawings

of the works of black architects, such as the

work of Julian Abele who was born in the late

1800s and became one of the chief designers

of Duke University’s campus.”

EXPLORING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH DESIGN: TAYLER HARRISON

“It felt like the internship was tailored to my experiences as a black design student.”

+ Smithsonian interns. Image courtesy of Tayler Harrison.

+ DIVERSE EXPERIENCES

The Smithsonian internship was an inspirational

experience, working with influential people in

the nation’s capital, she said. “One day Colin

Powell came to a staff meeting! I felt I was in

the midst of greatness,” she shared.

She also enjoyed working with other student

interns with interests in different areas of study,

who came to Washington, D.C. from universi-

ties across the country. She interned alongside

students of art history, engineering, music, and

design disciplines. “It was interesting to see the

work other students are doing, and how we were

all able to tell the story of the journey of African

Americans through different lenses.”

In Washington, D.C., she also had the opportunity

to observe professionals trained in architecture

that are using their degrees in different ways,

providing inspiration for potential career

possibilities after graduation. In the future

Harrison would love to go into curation and

bring together her interests in black architecture,

urbanism and museum education.

Throughout her studies at LSU, Harrison has

found herself drawn to the intersections of

design, art, and history. “I want to use my

architecture education in a way that explores

art, culture, and communities,” she said. “I’m

interested in curating, and am drawn to exhibit

and museum design. I’m exploring urbanism now

in my research, and my internship experiences

are influencing the work I’m creating now

in studio.”

+ Tayler by the the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Harrison, who is originally from New Orleans, is focusing her

final project on urban design in her home city. “I’m translating

what I’ve learned, and bringing it back to New Orleans,” she said.

“I’m passionate to work on solving problems in my home city.”

Reflecting on her internship experience: “I’m so grateful for the

opportunities I’ve had so far.”

15S P R I N G / S U M M E R � � � �

BFA student Chayse Sampy is an artist dedicated to creating art-

work that both entices and challenges her audience. Originally

from Houston, she came to LSU to study art and hone her craft to

communicate about pressing issues in American society.

“I got into art at a very young age, drawing silly family portraits

and on the walls, as most children do,” she said. “But no one could

have predicted how big this passion would grow over the years,

which has led me to LSU to pursue a BFA in studio art.”

She chose to study art at LSU because “it was the only thing I

could envision myself doing,” she explained. “I didn’t want to have

to force myself to get up every morning and go to a job that I hate.

I was lucky enough to have a mother that believed in me enough

to fund my art education.”

Sampy aims to bring to life societal woes, racial issues, and key

aspects of the urban culture in realistic, pop art style paintings

and drawings. “I give a voice to those that have yet to find their

own.” Her mediums range from pencil and acrylic paint to lino-

leum carving.

She has had her work featured at the Museum of Fine Arts,

Houston and displayed in local and national art shows. She won

the second place prize in the LSU Discover Day

2019 Juried Art Show contest for her series Black

Men in America.

In her current work, Sampy confronts issues that

she describes as disregarded in the past, which

have become a catalyst in recent years. She

aims to focus on racism, xenophobia, a lack of

environmental consciousness, mass violence,

patriarchy, and a flawed education system.

Children are the primary figure in this series.

“Placing children in unbelievable situations and

odd places that seem to juxtapose modern-day

reality,” she said. “I intend on this series being

my senior project, and I believe it will commu-

nicate issues that unite us all as Americans, as

well as exhibit the skills I have acquired in my

academics at LSU.”

“My primary goal with my artwork is to force uncomfortable but necessary conversation.”

Her work aims to confront the realities of rac-

ism and stereotypes. “I would describe my art as

necessary,” she said. “Most people don’t want to

talk about politics, most people don’t want to

talk about racism — most people don’t want to

talk about anything negative. I think that it is

the job of artists to make art that reflects on the

times that we live in.”

“My primary goal with my artwork is to force un-

comfortable but necessary conversation,” she

said. “Early on, we are taught that America is

this global superpower, a safe-haven where

anyone is welcome and offered a chance to

prosper. As I grew up, being a black female,

CONFRONTING CHANGE: CHAYSE SAMPY


+ Chayse Sampy with piece “Modern Day Lynchings”

+ DIVERSE EXPERIENCES

I realized that there were structural flaws in the

foundation of my country. My work is simply a

reflection of the issues I see in my community

and America as a whole.”

“My work is simply a reflection of the issues I see in my community and America as a whole.”

Her paintings are inspired by racial justice

and social justice — any issue, she says, that

has a social consequence. Sampy asserts that

because racism in particular is such a deeply

entrenched, underlying issue in American society,

it’s a challenge to get people to pay attention

to it over time.

In her piece “Modern Day Lynchings,” a tree

grows out of a police car. Three black men hang

from the tree. Sampy made the painting in the

immediate aftermath of the deaths of Alton

Sterling and Philando Castile, both of whom were unarmed black

men shot by police officers; Sterling was killed in Baton Rouge.

“The fact that police officers can get away with it,” Sampy said in

an interview Study Breaks, “and that there are no repercussions

and it’s happening so frequently — it’s kind of like a modern-day

lynching. These people can go back to their regular lives after.

There’s no accountability.”

Throughout her work made at LSU, Sampy intends to keep

challenging the status quo, sparking conversations with her work

to ignite a crucial dialogue about change needed in the United

States. “I believe we inherited this glorious country but forgot to

address its dark side. So as a ‘millennial,’ I will question everything!”

In the future, Sampy wants to bring about societal change by

creating spaces in urban communities for children to discover art and develop their own abilities. And, of course, she intends to keep creating. “There are so many issues out there, I’ll probably never run out of things to paint.”

+ “Beware” by Chayse Sampy Black Men in America series


From Great HeightsElyse Marks studies the façade of a historic building, inspecting the walls for cracks. Hundreds of feet below her, the city streets of New York buzz, a distant blur. Tethered to the side of a skyscraper, Elyse scales a window many stories above the ground, trusting her harness and ropes.

“I always get a rush of fear and excitement every time I go over the roof parapet of a new building – it is an incredible experience,” she shared. “The first time I went on a scaffold I remember being terrified the whole time, but at the same time I found it exhilarating. Over the years it has actually become one of my favorite parts of the job, because it means I get to see the city from a very unique perspective that not that many people get to experience.”

Elyse received a bachelor of architecture from LSU in 2010 with a minor in architectural history. She received a master of science in historic preservation from Columbia University in 2012. From there, she has worked in several architecture and engineering firms within the New York City area that specialize in the restoration and rehabilitation of exterior building enclosures. She is now Project Manager / Studio Head at CANY Architecture + Engineering, DPC. Over the past five years, her work has mainly been focused on exterior façade restoration of historic and landmarked buildings within New York City.

So far she has worked on several historically significant buildings in New York City, such as The City Bank Farmer’s Trust Building, The Plaza Hotel, The Coty Building, The Crown Building, and The Flatiron Building. △

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“I get to see the city from a very unique perspective that not that many people get to experience.”

“Contributing to the history of these significant structures has been a great honor to me, not only as a lover of architectural histo-ry with a passion for preserving the iconic New York City skyline, but also because it is extremely satisfying to see a project come to completion,” she said. “I know that I have participated in some small way to furthering the life of an existing building so that it may be appreciated by future generations.”

Her journey towards a career in preservation started when she was an undergraduate. “About three years into the architecture program, I started to realize that although I loved the freedom and creativity of designing new buildings, I wasn’t as in love with the idea of how much waste is created by new construction projects, not to mention the displacement within cities that can come from new development,” she said. “My grandmother was an antique dealer, and she instilled in me a great appreciation for antiques and historic buildings.”

For an undergraduate assignment at the LSU School of Architecture, students were tasked with designing a building of their own choosing, and Elyse asked a professor if she could pick an existing building on the proposed project site and create a new use. “It was my first exposure to the concepts of restoration and adaptive reuse,” she said. “Though at that point my understanding of the field was limited, the experience planted a seed in me and I began to look into alternative architecture careers outside the realm of new construction.”

“I was set to graduate in 2010, during the height of the recession,” she said. “I knew I wanted to pursue a master’s degree, but was unsure about what field of study would be best suited to my talents and interests. A teacher whom I greatly admire and respect advised me to look into Columbia’s historic preservation program. After a visit to the campus in the fall of 2009, I began to realize how many career paths could be open to me. Once I was accepted into the program and began attending classes, I was exposed to so many other people with different backgrounds who felt the same way I did towards restoration and historic buildings.”

“When I discovered the world of restoration, it was the first time I envisioned a career path for myself where I could provide a significant contribution to society.”

Projects generally begin when building dete-rioration is noted, posing public safety issues. Elyse and her team conduct a comprehensive building investigation, visiting all roofs, terraces, balconies, setbacks – “every nook and cranny of the building.” For the parts of the building that can’t be accessed on foot, such as the exterior

+ FROM GREAT HEIGHTS

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façade, investigations are typically conducted via rope access, which must be performed by a SPRAT or IRATA - certified rope access technician.

As a SPRAT-certified rope access technician, Elyse is able to gain access to all areas of a building to perform close-up inspections, with the purpose of identifying and evaluating deteriorated components of the structure’s façade. From there, she can develop a repair scope to address the deficient building con-ditions before they become hazardous.

Elyse has received recognition as a female suc-ceeding in a formerly male-dominated field. Last year, she was the subject of a weekly career profile as part of a series published by Madame Architect, an online platform profiling and cele-

brating women in architecture from different generations, coun-tries, and corners of the industry. “I was interviewed on such sub-jects as how I got my start in architectural restoration, my path towards becoming a licensed architect, and on my experiences with trying to successfully navigate a male-dominated industry.”

She was also featured on The Today Show, along with several of her female colleagues, on her experiences as a SPRAT-certified Level I rope access technician.

“One of my proudest moments was finishing the first full facade restoration campaign where I was involved in every step of the process from initial investigation through closeout,” she said.

“Being able to witness and have a hand in bringing a beautiful historic building back to its former glory was a revelatory expe-rience for me — it really confirmed that I had chosen the right career path and that I could see myself doing this kind of work for a long time.”

+ Photos courtesy of Elyse Marks.


New York City may seem a world away from Louisiana, but Elyse said she always knew that she wanted to go to LSU, and it ulti-mately led her to the “city that never sleeps.” “What it really came down to was picking a field of study that was both interesting and challenging to me, which is where LSU’s architecture program came into the picture,” she said. “After visiting as a senior in high school and falling in love with the welcoming and diverse atmo-sphere of the program, as well as the passion of its teachers and students, I knew it would be a good fit for me.”

“My architecture degree was invaluable towards giving me a head start when I got to Columbia and started the gradu-ate level curriculum,” she said. “Because my LSU professors had given me a strong foundation of knowledge on build-ing systems, structures, and architectural history, I already understood the fundamentals of building and design – so it wasn’t like I had to start from scratch, as many of my class- mates did.”

“My career thus far has been a world away from what I even knew was possible when I started out, and I am so grateful for that!”

Though her particular focus is in the pre-servation of historic buildings, there is actually much more to the field of building restoration than meets the eye, Elyse explained. “Though the opportunity to work on these well-known buildings has been important to my career, many of the smaller, less ‘impressive’ buildings I have worked to restore have provided me with more opportunities to learn more about various repair trades and methods of restoring various architectural elements than I ever expected. At this point in my life, I am still acquiring new skills and advancing my technical knowledge almost every day. In that way, every project has defined my work in some small way, which I am sure will continue to be the case throughout my career.”

“While in architecture school, I had a hard time envisioning the type of career I wanted to have because I figured out pretty early on that I was not particularly inspired by the traditional career path of new construction, so I worried about how I would find my place in this indus-try,” she said.

“In fourth year, we were assigned to read Jane Jacob’s The Death and Life of Great American Cities. This book really opened my eyes to the importance of investing in the existing built en-vironment, and from there I just never looked back. The evolution of my career path has been organically driven by my primary interests in history and in the continued preservation of our existing building stock for future generations to enjoy.”

+ Female team members featured on The Today Show.

+ FROM GREAT HEIGHTS

+ Elyse at work inspecting historic building façade in New York City.

“I am interested in the continued preservation of our existing building stock for future generations to enjoy.”


?+ Why did you choose LSU? I chose LSU originally due to my family connection. Both of my brothers attended LSU, which meant we spent many weekends

up here visiting them and going to football games. I fell in love with the campus and the whole atmosphere surrounding it. When I later decided I wanted to pursue architecture, I was happy to hear that LSU had a well-respected program with so many opportunities and meaningful connections.

+ Why did you choose the College of Art & Design?Architecture is the study and creation of meaningful spaces. The idea of being able to create a space that can both physically and emotionally move someone has always been something I wanted to study and professionally pursue.

+ Why did you choose LSU? I am from California and I was looking to branch out and find a school that not only provided great academics but great student life as well, and LSU showed me that.

+ Why did you choose the College of Art & Design?I have been interested in design since I was young. First it was fashion design, then it was graphic design, and now it’s interior design. I have always loved the beauty of things as well as the

+ What drew you to your chosen field?My first exposure to architecture was through my oldest brother. While he was enrolled in LSU’s School of Architecture, I was exposed to all of his work; the drawings, models, and images, all of it fascinated me. When I started to look more into the field, the implications of these drawings and models and how they shaped what our built environment around us might look like, there was no going back.

beauty of places and the College of Art & Design will provide me with ways to turn my passion into a career!

+ What drew you to your chosen field?My mom actually owns an interior design studio back in California, and when I started working with her over summers, I became more and more interested in the process of turning an empty room into a masterpiece.

+

NICK BERTUCCI - Architecture

BLAINE SWANZY - Interior Design

Why LSU Art & DesignS T U D E N T S S H A R E W H Y T H E Y C H O S E T O C O M E

T O T H E L S U C O L L E G E O F A R T & D E S I G N

25S P R I N G / S U M M E R � � � �

+ Why did you choose LSU? It’s a great place for me to explore, go on various internships, and prepare for gradu-ate school.

+ Why did you choose the College of Art & Design?I chose the LSU College of Art and Design to do what I love most-create art. I’d rather spend my years learning/doing some-thing that truly makes me happy and constantly challenges me rather than settle for mediocrity.

+ Why did you choose LSU? When considering graduate programs, I weighed cost and scholarship opportunities, proximity to family and a support system,

and looked at the collaboration opportunities at the institution, in addition to the specific program I was considering. LSU made sense for a well-rounded life during graduate school for all these reasons, not just the stellar program to which I had applied. Not to mention it’s a beautiful, inspiring campus!

+ Why did you choose the College of Art & Design?I chose the College of Art and Design, specifically the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, for several reasons and am constantly uncovering more reasons why I am glad I ended up here. I initially was drawn to the program’s history of excellence (it tops the charts of the best landscape architecture programs in the country consistently) and the wide net of alumni that take pride in this institution. The thing I value even more, now that I know more about the profession, is the balance between preparing students for professional practice and pushing the bounds of design that this program offers. The staff come from various backgrounds and students truly get a breadth of exposure to this diverse field. Finally, the professors’ willingness to be here

+ What drew you to your chosen field?I love to create! After graduation I’d love to work as a story board artist for Disney anima-tions or Pixar, and / or go on to work at a small-scale design company, and once I gain years of experience, become an art director.

for the students, going above and beyond to give their time to students, to conduct research that pushes the field forward, and to constantly improve this program is incredibly unique.

+ What drew you to your chosen field?I had been drawn to issues of sustainability, community-building, and equity for a while and finally discovered landscape architecture, which grapples with all these issues and more. The field is a tangible way to shape spaces to improve the health of people and the environment, foster connections, and design inspiring spaces that offer rest or exercise for us. I think we are all hyper aware of our spaces at home and the local public parks and trails as we go through this quarantine / social-distancing period together. I’m thankful more people are realizing the value of these spaces and am hopeful we will continue to value them once we come out on the other side of this unprecedented time.

+

KAYLA HALL - Studio Art

BETSEY PETERSON - Landscape Architecture

+ Images courtesy of Madelyn Riche

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I Made That!M A D E LY N R I C H E

Interior design students in professor Matthew Dunn’s class created models of human brains that were displayed at TEDxLSU 2019, a day filled with interactive exhibits and talks across a variety of academic disciplines. The TEDxLSU theme was “illuminate” – a prompt that challenged students to “illustrate what you know and what you want to know within your ‘head.’”

There are some things we know, and others that appear only through a glass darkly to us, operating just beyond the forefront of our consciousness. How do we reach through that darkness to grasp new meaning and expand our understanding? We seek to illuminate that which is still only dimly within our grasp.

Illumination is a reciprocal process; what to you is fully illuminated can be only a spark of an idea to another person. To spread that idea, we take care to illuminate our own knowledge for others, and to receive and spread the spark of knowledge that those around us offer. With that illumination comes a deeper sense of clarity, and from there…

Illuminate il·lu·mi·nate /i’loom nāt/ Illustrate, embellish, throw light on, enlighten, elucidate — TEDxLSU 2019 Theme

Students were posed with the questions: “What do you know, what do you not know and what do you want to know? How do you illustrate / visualize knowledge or lack thereof? How would you visually differentiate between the two? How would you express what is most important and illustrate a hierarchy of knowledge?”

Using text cut from magazines, illustrate what you know and what you want to know within your “head.” You are not confined just to the “brain cavity”…


+ Step 1: Design ConceptThe first phase of this project involved mapping my brain and using words and short phrases to describe what my brain looks like to me. I created a visual collage of words clipped from magazines to quickly map the things that I thought took up the most space and “processing power” in my brain. I looked at other artists’ work to gather some inspiration, and the word collage evolved into an isometric drawing of the inside of my head, complete with rooms and circulation of information. I created a factory-like environment where information flowed in through the five senses to a “knowledge dump” in the base of the head. From there, knowledge and information flowed through pipes to the other specialized areas for processing and storage. Excess, unnecessary information found its way out through a release spout in the top of the head.

+ Step 2: Building the 3D HeadOnce I was happy with the concept work I had done, it was time to start building the thing. Using PDF templates, I cut out and assembled the head. I attached the templates to cardboard with rubber cement so that the paper could be cleanly removed once the pieces were cut out. Assembly involved cutting notches into interconnected pieces of the head and making sure they fit snugly with no noticeable gaps. I built the two sides of the head separately so that I could work on the interior space easily without having to disassemble the head.

+ Step 3: Designing the InteriorNow that I had my head built and knew precise-ly what the interior dimensions were, I could move on to designing the interior space. I decid-ed I would recreate the knowledge dump from the map of my head and got to work. To recreate the liquid information at the base of the space, I used a waffling technique with chip board. Much like the assembly of the head itself, the waves in the pool required precise measure-ment of curves and dips to make the model read as liquid in motion. The pipes coming from the nose, ear, eye, and up from the spine were also made of long strips of chip board which I formed around pencils and secured with tacky glue. Once they were sturdy, I made rings out of silver wire to attach at even intervals to give them an industrial look. Finally, I included a battery powered LED light that I wrapped in vellum to illuminate the interior space.

Here, BID candidate Madelyn Riche explains her design process:

+ I MADE THAT: MADELYN RICHE

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+ Step 4: Finalizing the ExteriorWith the interior done, I moved on to adding the structural and aesthetic elements on the exterior of the head that would clarify and secure my design. I added funnel shapes made of chip board and rimmed with the silver wire to represent the external inputs that feed into the knowledge dump. To allow people to see into the interior of the head, I installed a peep hole (like the one in your front door) into one of the eyes of the head. To secure it, I cut a circle out of cardboard and punched a hole into the mid-dle to feed the peep hole through. I was then able to attach the cardboard to the head and the flange of the peep hold to hold it in place. I finished it off by adding a silver wire monocle around the cardboard brace to add character. I used small hidden binder clips to hold the two halves of the head together, and was finished!

+ Photo by Heather McClelland Photography.


Field NotesS N A P S H O T S F R O M O U R T R A V E L S

ArchitecturePanama

Architecture students in the “At the Border in Panama City” interdisciplinary option studio traveled to Panama to explore infrastructure and investigate the geographic line that historically demarcated the eastern border of the Panama Canal Zone from Panama City, the apex of the isthmus that ecologically links North and South America.

“Being given the opportunity to travel back to my native land

of Panama, view my country of origin through an architectural

lens, and to also be able to work with fellow Panamanians has

been a highlight of my architecture experience at LSU. I was

given once in a life time chance to merge my love for architec-

ture with my national identity and I couldn’t be more grateful to

have had that chance.”

–Oscar Almengor, MArch candidate

Interior DesignChicago

39 third-year interior design students traveled to Chicago, where they visited Stantec and Cannon Designs, and toured DIRT, and OFS, Steelcase and Herman Miller showrooms.

“Having the opportunity to visit Chicago and

experience different parts of the design community

was valuable in reassuring our class as to who

we are as designers and who we want to grow to

become. Between firm visits and showroom tours,

I couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring trip.”

–Brannon Hardy, BID candidate

+

+

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ArtIceland

Andy Shaw, associate professor of ceramics, envisioned and launched the Mid-Atlantic Keramik Exchange in Iceland, which held its inaugural meeting in June 2019 at the studios of Myndlis-taskólinn í Reykjavík (MIR), The Reykjavik School of Visual Arts. Artists from Europe and North America participated, including LSU students and alumni.

“It was my first time ever visiting Iceland and I was blown away

by the landscape and the otherworldly feel of the scenery. The

experience of making work alongside other artists in another

country was inspiring and creatively very fruitful. It was a

chance to engage in conversation with other artists coming

from Europe and other parts across North America.”

–Jessi Maddox, MFA candidate

Landscape ArchitectureChina

In fall 2019 design students in assistant professor Brendan Harmon’s “Giant Panda Studio” designed a new national park for giant panda conservation and tourism in the wilds of Sichuan Province, China. They traveled to China to conduct fieldwork in the Fengtongzhai National Nature Reserve, and worked in part- nership with Sichuan Agricultural University (SAU)’s College of Landscape Architecture.

“I didn’t expect to experience a taste of what

it must be like to be a college student in China.

We lived on campus, had breakfast and lunch

at the school canteen, and went to class in

different buildings to learn Chinese language,

native plants, tea culture and ink painting. I

never thought that I would meet landscape

architecture students and teachers in a

different country, and in Asia.”

+

+


Class NotesK E E P I N G U P W I T H A R T & D E S I G N A L U M N I

PHILL EVANS BFA 1973 manages Phill Evans Sculptural Design in Carmichael, California. He has produced more than 75 sculptural chairs over the past 30 years.

STEPHEN PLUNKARD BLA 1977 FASLA, is senior principal at Q4! Associates PLLC in Cavendish, Vermont. He has practiced plan-ning, urban design, landscape architecture and public engagement for 40 years. The majority of his work has been in the United States, but on occasion he has worked on projects in the Middle East, Europe, Canada and Africa. Projects he has worked on have won awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects, American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. During his career, he has had a successful consulting firm and has been in leadership positions in international firms. He has been a lecturer and critic at more than a dozen universities and colleges. He was invited to the White House as SBA Small Business of the Year. Recently he completed a prototype master plan for the New Start school and orphanage in Waterfall, Zimbabwe. While living in Canada, he prepared a master plan for the First Nation, Blood Band of the Blackfoot Nation in Alberta. He is currently working on preparing plans for a Native American heritage river trail in southern Vermont.

CHRISTOPHER UPTON BArch 1977 is senior facilities program manager at Parkland Health and Hospital System. He specializes in hospital design with a focus on pediatric care, and has designed hospitals in multiple U.S. locations and many international sites.

Trahan Architects, a global architecture firm based in New Orleans with design studios in New York City and Chicago, founded by VICTOR F. “TREY” TRAHAN III BArch 1983, FAIA, was named as the #1 Design firm in the U.S. for 2019 by ARCHITECT 50, a national ranking of architecture firms published by ARCHITECT magazine.

MARY ELIZABETH CIAMBOTTI BFA 1985, sculpture concentration, is an OSINT Hunter/ OSINT For Missing Persons CTF Events/ Drone Pilots for SAR. She is based in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

MARK PREVOT BArch 1990 is president of Prevot Design Services, APAC and currently lives and practices in Shreveport, Louisiana. Upon graduation from LSU he launched his career in Dallas, TX to work on some large civic projects. Mark relocated to Shreveport, LA in 1992 and has practiced there ever since. The firm offers architecture, interior design, planning and graphic design across the United States. His practice is focused on commercial projects, but he has recently enjoyed delving into the residential world.

80s

90s

70s+ +

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PAUL MARTINEZ BFA 1991, graphic design concentration, is executive creative director for the travel + leisure brand and departures brand at Meredith Corporation, a media and marketing services corporation in New

York City. He was named to Ad Week’s 2019 annual “Creative 100 List: The Most Fascinating People in Marketing, Media and Culture” and won a 2019 Ozzie Award for Best Typography.

Le Museede Kaplan hosted exhibition “Making Architecture” by JAMES TRAHAN, AIA BArch 1993. He is the founder of 180 Degrees Design + Build, an architect-led design and construction firm specializing in modern architecture. 180 Degrees + Build’s work has been published worldwide and has won numerous design and construction awards. AIA honored them with the Contractor of the Year in both 2006 and 2016. He is a registered architect and a general contractor in Arizona.

MIKE LANAUX BLA 1994 was elevated to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) class of Fellows in November 2019; he received his nomination in “works” from the Louisiana Chapter. Early in his

career, he had the opportunity to participate in a work-study program at the Life Planning Office in Tokyo, Japan. His exposure to Asian sensibilities, reflected in ancient temples, landscapes, and contemporary Japanese residential work, has led to an appreciation of the power of simplicity in design. His awards include the Shangri La Botanical Garden and Nature Center in Orange, Texas; the Indian Springs School/ Landscape Laboratories in Birmingham, Alabama; and the St. Landry Parish Visitors’ Center in Louisiana. He is a partner, senior designer and project managerat CARBO Landscape Architecture in Alexandria, Louisiana.

ROB GRAY BLA 1997, PLA, EED AP, was made partner at Hoerr Schaudt landscape architecture studio. He directs business development firm-wide, and has a vast range of experience in large-scale urban planning in design, including streetscape design, campus and community planning, healthcare, public parks, botanical and zoological gardens, resorts and theme parks. He lives in Kansas City.

JOHNATHAN LEE TRAPP BID 2000 is owner of Lee Trapp, LLC in Marquette, Michigan on Lake Superior. He earned his MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. After working in exhibit design (interning at the Field Museum and AIA Chicago Firm of the Year Architecture Is Fun), he taught interior design at Central Michigan University and Indiana State University, and recently launched his own residential interior design practice.

ANDREW FOX MLA 2001 was elevated to the ASLA class of Fellows in Novem- ber 2019. He received his nomination in “knowledge”

from the North Carolina Chapter. Among his many achievements during his distinguished career, Andrew received the prestigious 2016 Excellence in Teaching Award from the International Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture; established the award-winning NC State Design + Build Studio; and launched his department’s inaugural “Design Week” program, an exemplary educational engagement experience in keeping with the

00s

JILL TRAYLOR BID 1998 has been named director of interior design at architecture, interiors and urban design firm Eskew Dumez Ripple in New Orleans. Traylor was an associate and has more than 20 years of national expertise in the design of interiors, having practiced in Manhattan, Dallas and her hometown of New Orleans. She joined Eskew Dumez Ripple in 2014.

DAVID HOOVER BArch 1999 is an architect at Gasaway Bankston Architects in Hammond.

+


ZANE BUSBEE BLA 2011 has been promoted to associate principal at SWA landscape architecture, urban design and planning firm in Dallas, Texas.

QUINN MILLER BFA 2013, digital art concentration, is art director at SASSO branding & advertising agency in Baton Rouge.

SHELBY PRINDAVILLE MFA 2013, painting and drawing concentration, is director of the Helen Levitt Art Gallery, and associate professor of art at Morning-side College in Sioux City, Iowa. She completed an

invitational artist residency with BROTA in collaboration with the Buenos Aires Botanical Garden in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the summer of 2019.

land grant mission of NC State. His scholarship focuses on resilient design for coastal regions and green infrastructure, work that has had significant social outcomes for people in marginalized communities. Under his leadership, the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab, which he founded and co-directs, has become a national model for resilient design research and education. He is a professor of landscape architecture at NC State University College of Design, Raleigh, North Carolina.

SATISH RAO VAYUVEGULA MArch 2006 is practice leader at Arch Wert Planners & Designers in Pune, India.

WILLIAM DORAN BArch 2008, former LSU architecture instructor, is an architectural associate and community planner at Duvall Decker in Jackson, Mississippi. He received his architectural license with the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners in October 2019.

CAILAN MANG SILVA BID 2009 is an event coordinator in Nashville, Tennessee.

BRAD SILVA BArch 2005 is Territory Sales Manager for John Deere in Nashville, Tennessee.

DARREN SHARKEY BLA 2013 has been promoted to associate at SWA landscape architecture, urban design and planning firm in Houston, Texas.

TYLER DETIVEAUX BArch 2015 is an architect at Corgan in Houston, Texas. He began work at Corgan Houston in 2015 in the education studio. His specialization is in K-12 schools and has had the opportunity to design several schools for ISDs across the state.

MARCI HARGRODER SABOE BFA 2015 is senior graphic designer at Stuller, Inc. in Lafayette, Louisiana.

ANDREW LAYMAN BArch 2016 is a technical designer at Amento Group in Seattle, Washington.

ALEX MORVANT BLA 2016 is a landscape architect at Design Works in Charleston, South Carolina.

TINA NARAGHI-POUR BArch 2016 is an architectural staff member at Corgan Houston.

JUSTIN BRYANT MFA 2018, painting and drawing concentration, is a 2019 Interchange Fellow, awarded to southern regional artists whose work focus on social impact in the region. Bryant’s project Holman: A Living Archive is a community project that centralizes art and social engagement as a key component to the revitalization of the historically black Holman High School in Stuttgart, Arkansas.

MICHELLE JONES JAMES BArch 2018 is an intern architect at Labarre Associates in Baton Rouge.

10s+

+ CLASS NOTES

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1. ARTIFACT: Ngaady A Mwaash mask, Kuba People, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 20th Century.

2. COTTON GLOVES: necessary to wear white cotton gloves when handling artifact to prevent finger oils and salts from contacting the surface of an artifact that could result in damage. These are known as the symbol for museum professionals.

3. MICRON BLACK PEN: this archival-quality ink pen is good for writing on artifact tags because it is waterproof and fade-resistant smear when dry. Writing on the artifact tag should occur away from the artifact.

4. ARTIFACT TAGS: strung on the artifact to display the name, ethnic group, and accessioning number.

5. NO. 2 PENCILS: can be used for writing on archival labels but mostly used on writing condition reports to erase and amend the information when needed.

EquippedW I T H E R I K A N . W I T T D O C T O R O F D E S I G N C A N D I D AT E

Erika Witt is a doctoral candidate in the Doctor

of Design in Cultural Preservation program with

a research focus on traditional African art history,

Egyptology, museology, and African American

history and culture.

Erika is a curatorial specialist and museology

instructor based in New Orleans. She received a

Bachelor of Art in Museum Studies from Tusculum

1

2

University and a Master of Art in Museum Studies with a specialization

in the traditional Arts of Africa from Southern University at New Orleans.

Her doctoral thesis analyzes performativity of traditional African art

verses the normative views on the performativity of traditional African

art in museum exhibitions. Erika is a 2014 Fellow in the Shafik Gabr

East-West Art of Dialogue Initiative, a fellowship program for young

emerging leaders from the United States and Egypt to join forces to

discuss critical issues of their countries and develop projects addressing

those issues.

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4

5

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The photograph on the cover of this issue of the Quad, by BFA Micah Viccinelli, shows muralist Robert Dafford at work on the Julian White memorial mural on LSU’s campus, which honors the university’s first African American professor.

The College of Art & Design and The Walls Project recruited Dafford, a master artist with nearly 500 murals completed, to paint the mural in the Julian T. White Atrium of the LSU Design Building. Globally known for his murals, Dafford has painted in a variety of places across the United States, as well as some in Canada, Belgium, France, and England.

“When we were thinking about how to celebrate the naming of this space, we came upon the idea of doing a mural and not just a bronze plaque,” said Dean Alkis Tsolakis. “We thought that this man’s contribution that freed and opened the doors of LSU to everyone was great enough to be commemorated in a way just as exceptional as he - and his teaching – was.”

Dafford installed the mural on LSU’s campus in February March 2020, and students had the opportunity to watch the muralist at work, as he painted from a raised platform in the public atrium.

For the LSU art and design students who will see the mural every day, Julian T. White’s impact is still being made.

“This project means everything to me,” said Dean Tsolakis. “It means another step in freeing LSU and making a home for everyone. Another step in what Julian White did for LSU, for Louisiana, and for the world.”

ON THE COVER

Thanks to Mural Sponsors:Coleman Partners Architects

Buddy and Lauren Ragland

Gary and Lisa Gilbert

Dale and Diane Songy

Tipton Associates

Ken and Patricia Tipton

Trahan Architects

Trey Trahan

Kenneth Miles

Rachel Emmanuel, Ph.D.

Michael Robinson and Don Boutte

A.P. Tureaud Sr. Chapter of the LSU

Alumni Association

Laura Lindsay, Ph.D. and

Wendell Lindsay Jr.

RHH Architects

SOMA Design Consultants Inc.

Bryan Hudson


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Louisiana State University102 Design BuildingBaton Rouge, LA 70803-70101

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Documents

2020 THE LASTING LEGACY OF JULIAN T. WHITE ......QUAD · LSU COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN CONTENTS FEATURES 06 14 + + “Nature vs. Nurture” by Chayse Sampy, Black Men in America seriesTHE