Daniel A. Siedell is Assistant Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He was previously Curator of the Sheldon Museum of Art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where for over ten years he organized exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Siedell has an M.A. from SUNY-Stony Brook and a Ph.D. from The University of Iowa. His most recent book, God in the Gallery: A Christian Embrace of Modern Art, appeared this fall from Baker Academic. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife of seventeen years and three children.
LeAnne: Tell me about your book, God in the Gallery.
Dan: It's a very personal attempt to reconcile my professional interest in art with my Christian faith in an honest and authentic way.
LM: What are three or four tips that you can offer Christians viewing a work of contemporary art?
DS: Keep an open mind. Look closely. Don't expect a work of art to 'mean' something to you right away. Look at art first before you read what Christian writers, including me, have to say about it. Be free to dislike anything but also know that looking at art takes work and practice.
LM: Who are some contemporary artists that we should know? Why?
DS: Enrique Martinez Celaya, Robyn O'neil, and Conrad Bakker. These are artists whose work reveals the world to be transcendent, porous.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Daniel Siedell, Part 1: On Contemporary Art
Daniel A. Siedell is Assistant Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He was previously Curator of the Sheldon Museum of Art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where for over ten years he organized exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Siedell has an M.A. from SUNY-Stony Brook and a Ph.D. from The University of Iowa. His most recent book, God in the Gallery: A Christian Embrace of Modern Art, appeared this fall from Baker Academic. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife of seventeen years and three children.
LeAnne: What draws you to contemporary art?
Dan: I am fascinated by its diversity; it can be quite traditional, it can be quite radical. I'm fascinated with what is or can be art.
LM: For ten years, you served as curator for the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. What was that like?
DS: It was exhilarating and frustrating. I loved working with a very strong permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American art on a university campus. I also enjoyed working with contemporary artists on projects for the museum, and I enjoyed talked to diverse audience groups about art. I became frustrated with the increased focus on marketing and fundraising.
LM: You are now Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. What three things would you like for your students to know or understand before they leave your instruction?
DS: I want students to be able to look closely at art. I want my classes to help students understand the historical and theoretical development of modern art. I also want them to understand that modern and contemporary art are practices that require work to do and to understand.
More from Daniel Siedell on Thursday.
LeAnne: What draws you to contemporary art?
Dan: I am fascinated by its diversity; it can be quite traditional, it can be quite radical. I'm fascinated with what is or can be art.
LM: For ten years, you served as curator for the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. What was that like?
DS: It was exhilarating and frustrating. I loved working with a very strong permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American art on a university campus. I also enjoyed working with contemporary artists on projects for the museum, and I enjoyed talked to diverse audience groups about art. I became frustrated with the increased focus on marketing and fundraising.
LM: You are now Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. What three things would you like for your students to know or understand before they leave your instruction?
DS: I want students to be able to look closely at art. I want my classes to help students understand the historical and theoretical development of modern art. I also want them to understand that modern and contemporary art are practices that require work to do and to understand.
More from Daniel Siedell on Thursday.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Screwtape a Success in Chicago
It seems that the devil has taken a Chicago stage by storm. The stage adaptation of CS Lewis' Screwtape Letters, produced by and starring Max McLean, is a "scorching" success. Read more about it in this WORLDNETDAILY article:
Devil hits success on Chicago stage
Christians, non-believers flock to see C.S. Lewis' 'Screwtape Letters'
A play about devils has become a "scorching" success in Chicago, where even Christians are flocking to the theater to witness the stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters."
Max McLean, producer of the show and the original actor to portray ol' Screwtape himself, says the play's popularity lies in its appeal to both Christian and secular audiences.
"Lewis is huge with both the Catholic and the evangelical Protestant audience," McLean told the Chicago Tribune. "For everybody else, the devil always captures the imagination."
Read the rest at http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=88852.
Coming soon: a new feature
Devil hits success on Chicago stage
Christians, non-believers flock to see C.S. Lewis' 'Screwtape Letters'
A play about devils has become a "scorching" success in Chicago, where even Christians are flocking to the theater to witness the stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters."
Max McLean, producer of the show and the original actor to portray ol' Screwtape himself, says the play's popularity lies in its appeal to both Christian and secular audiences.
"Lewis is huge with both the Catholic and the evangelical Protestant audience," McLean told the Chicago Tribune. "For everybody else, the devil always captures the imagination."
Read the rest at http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=88852.
Coming soon: a new feature
Monday, February 16, 2009
Gene Crosby: Arts Enthusiast
Lately, I've been featuring arts enthusiasts and today's post is the last in this series. Arts enthusiast Gene Crosby is Chief Operating Officer of Jackson Spalding, where he is responsible for monitoring and directing all aspects of Jackson Spalding’s operations including general office management, financial operations and human resources.
LeAnne: Tell me why you support the arts.
Gene: When I was growing up, my parents were always supporters of the arts. I now carry on that tradition for my own reasons. I find great joy in watching and even participating in some forms of the arts. It can be a great escape from what can be a crazy world to live in. I also find the arts to be a great educational tool for all. What better way to learn something and have fun at the same time? I think everyone should have that opportunity.
My favorite type of art to support is live theater. I love the theater because it brings me great pleasure to sit down and be taken away to another time and place, even if just for a little while. To watch an actor work his magic, making you feel like you are a part of what is going on up on stage. To laugh, to cry, to learn, to feel uplifted, and to feel convicted in such a short period of time. That's why I love and support live theater.
LeAnne: Tell me why you support the arts.
Gene: When I was growing up, my parents were always supporters of the arts. I now carry on that tradition for my own reasons. I find great joy in watching and even participating in some forms of the arts. It can be a great escape from what can be a crazy world to live in. I also find the arts to be a great educational tool for all. What better way to learn something and have fun at the same time? I think everyone should have that opportunity.
My favorite type of art to support is live theater. I love the theater because it brings me great pleasure to sit down and be taken away to another time and place, even if just for a little while. To watch an actor work his magic, making you feel like you are a part of what is going on up on stage. To laugh, to cry, to learn, to feel uplifted, and to feel convicted in such a short period of time. That's why I love and support live theater.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Glen Jackson, Part 2: Arts Enthusiast
Arts enthusiast Glen Jackson co-founded Jackson Spalding in Atlanta where he provides leadership for the firm and many of its clients, as well as in the community.
LeAnne: You are a big arts supporter. What is your favorite type of art to support and why?
Glen: Well, this is not an easy question to answer. There are so many art forms I respect, admire and appreciate. I just wish I could support them all! Claire (my wife) and I have tried to help Theatrical Outfit here in Atlanta when we can. It is such a marvelous venue for theater in Atlanta; the vision cast by Tom Key is inspiring. Tom has a real gift, and what I love about Tom is he shares his gift so naturally, graciously and professionally.
One area of deep interest for me is poetry. In today's text-message world where the word "you" is now spelled "u", it is important that we not lose sight of how the English language was meant to be written. Poems from Tennyson to Langston Hughes to Sandburg to Frost catch my eye and force me to look at the world with a fresh perspective. I was reading a Sandburg poem over the weekend about fog. It is a simple poem, and the words surfaced in my mind this morning as I was looking out my office window at the thick clouds hovering over Peachtree Street:
"The fog comes on little cat feet.
It sits overlooking harbor and city.
On silent haunches
And then moves on."
LeAnne: You are a big arts supporter. What is your favorite type of art to support and why?
Glen: Well, this is not an easy question to answer. There are so many art forms I respect, admire and appreciate. I just wish I could support them all! Claire (my wife) and I have tried to help Theatrical Outfit here in Atlanta when we can. It is such a marvelous venue for theater in Atlanta; the vision cast by Tom Key is inspiring. Tom has a real gift, and what I love about Tom is he shares his gift so naturally, graciously and professionally.
One area of deep interest for me is poetry. In today's text-message world where the word "you" is now spelled "u", it is important that we not lose sight of how the English language was meant to be written. Poems from Tennyson to Langston Hughes to Sandburg to Frost catch my eye and force me to look at the world with a fresh perspective. I was reading a Sandburg poem over the weekend about fog. It is a simple poem, and the words surfaced in my mind this morning as I was looking out my office window at the thick clouds hovering over Peachtree Street:
"The fog comes on little cat feet.
It sits overlooking harbor and city.
On silent haunches
And then moves on."
Glen Jackson: Arts Enthusiast
Arts enthusiast Glen Jackson co-founded Jackson Spalding in Atlanta where he provides leadership for the firm and many of its clients, as well as in the community.
LeAnne: Why do you support the arts?
Glen: My abiding love for the arts began my sophomore year in college when I spent a semester studying 18th century literature and architecture in London. It was in London, a formidable city culturally, that I first discovered the beauty of a J.M.W. Turner landscape painting, witnessed the wit of a Tom Stoppard play, heard the melodious sounds of the London Symphony and absorbed the architectural brilliance of a Sir Christopher Wren church. These experiences took my breath away and sparked something inside me to learn more about artistic expression --challenging me to see further how God expresses Himself to us in the artistic process.
The cool thing about the arts is God truly speaks to us in sonnet and song and in performance and paintings. What a gift! He changes lives this way and helps people discover their often latent gifts this way. Through it all, He allows us to take in the holy hues of His light and absorb it, learn from it and illuminate it for the rest of the world to see.
When I returned home to Atlanta from London, I decided to stay connected with the arts and support excellence in the medium when I could. This commitment has broadened my mind and emboldened my spirit. Some of the most treasured memories of my life have been related to the arts -- along the way experiencing a soulful closeness to God who created it all.
More from Glen Jackson on Thursday.
LeAnne: Why do you support the arts?
Glen: My abiding love for the arts began my sophomore year in college when I spent a semester studying 18th century literature and architecture in London. It was in London, a formidable city culturally, that I first discovered the beauty of a J.M.W. Turner landscape painting, witnessed the wit of a Tom Stoppard play, heard the melodious sounds of the London Symphony and absorbed the architectural brilliance of a Sir Christopher Wren church. These experiences took my breath away and sparked something inside me to learn more about artistic expression --challenging me to see further how God expresses Himself to us in the artistic process.
The cool thing about the arts is God truly speaks to us in sonnet and song and in performance and paintings. What a gift! He changes lives this way and helps people discover their often latent gifts this way. Through it all, He allows us to take in the holy hues of His light and absorb it, learn from it and illuminate it for the rest of the world to see.
When I returned home to Atlanta from London, I decided to stay connected with the arts and support excellence in the medium when I could. This commitment has broadened my mind and emboldened my spirit. Some of the most treasured memories of my life have been related to the arts -- along the way experiencing a soulful closeness to God who created it all.
More from Glen Jackson on Thursday.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Caroline Duffy, Part 2: Arts Enthusiast
Arts enthusiast Caroline Duffy is Director of Marketing at Jackson Spalding in Atlanta
where she tries to inject art into her work on a daily basis.
LeAnne: What is your favorite type of art to support and why?
Caroline: Money is an unfortunate barrier these days, so I spend as much time as I can at local arts festivals where I can stroll through, jot down ideas, meet with artists and begin percolating my own ideas. Even if I buy nothing, I leave happier. Even if I'm alone, I am drawn to it. Artists tend to support one another and I have felt welcomed in that community even though I haven't yet begun to display anything.
Theatre is my first love in the arts and I never tire of studying the actors and the nuances they bring to their roles.
One of my favorite sounds is the orchestra tuning up before a musical performance. In that moment I feel a rush of excitement, a wave of appreciation for their professionalism, and a certain jealousy for the energy that is about to be unleashed on stage.
where she tries to inject art into her work on a daily basis.
LeAnne: What is your favorite type of art to support and why?
Caroline: Money is an unfortunate barrier these days, so I spend as much time as I can at local arts festivals where I can stroll through, jot down ideas, meet with artists and begin percolating my own ideas. Even if I buy nothing, I leave happier. Even if I'm alone, I am drawn to it. Artists tend to support one another and I have felt welcomed in that community even though I haven't yet begun to display anything.
Theatre is my first love in the arts and I never tire of studying the actors and the nuances they bring to their roles.
One of my favorite sounds is the orchestra tuning up before a musical performance. In that moment I feel a rush of excitement, a wave of appreciation for their professionalism, and a certain jealousy for the energy that is about to be unleashed on stage.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Caroline Duffy: Arts Enthusiast
Arts enthusiast Caroline Duffy is Director of Marketing at Jackson Spalding in Atlanta
where she tries to inject art into her work on a daily basis.
LeAnne: Why do you support the arts?
Caroline: I support the arts because I honor the gift, the commitment and the
creativity inherent in them. I gravitate to artistic people because they are open and generous with their souls.
I have dabbled in acting, singing, poetry, drawing, crafting and writing and I know the heart that goes into a piece well crafted. I love the exhilaraton of hitting the perfect pitch in an ensemble, making an audience believe in a moment or evoking a smile when an art piece connects with the viewer.
God is the Great Creator and I think he chooses special people to channel His vision. Art inspires me, uplifts me and gives me new perspectives. Artists feel like my friends before I even meet them. They deserve to be appreciated, loved and supported.
where she tries to inject art into her work on a daily basis.
LeAnne: Why do you support the arts?
Caroline: I support the arts because I honor the gift, the commitment and the
creativity inherent in them. I gravitate to artistic people because they are open and generous with their souls.
I have dabbled in acting, singing, poetry, drawing, crafting and writing and I know the heart that goes into a piece well crafted. I love the exhilaraton of hitting the perfect pitch in an ensemble, making an audience believe in a moment or evoking a smile when an art piece connects with the viewer.
God is the Great Creator and I think he chooses special people to channel His vision. Art inspires me, uplifts me and gives me new perspectives. Artists feel like my friends before I even meet them. They deserve to be appreciated, loved and supported.
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