glenn hild

I received word from EIU last week that Glenn Hild's health was declining and that EIU was planning on doing something to honor Glenn for his dedication to his students and EIU. I honestly was taken back by the news. Glenn was my advisor (and chair of the Art Department) while I was an undergraduate student at EIU. I would meet with him each semester to discuss classes and plan my career at Eastern. Later when I was in the Master of Arts program at EIU, I took drawing credits with Glenn and we would meet each Friday to discuss the drawings I was doing along with my Metal work. I was taken back by the news and immediately contacted David Griffin (my former Metals professor at EIU) to make sure he was aware of Glenn's declining health; he confirmed. It was such sad news to hear that Glenn was battling cancer. I received word on Monday when I got to my office that Glenn had passed away on the evening of April 8th. This has really rocked me.

I remember Glenn as a tough but fair professor. I know I always did my best to try and work to the standard that he set. I remember Glenn telling me about always attempting to create at least one drawing or painting a day as a way to always keep working; consider this as he was serving in the role of a very busy administrative position. Glenn was a super positive force in his own quiet and calm demeanor. I had such respect for the things he taught me and he was always a professional in the way he conducted himself. Glenn later took on other higher level administrative roles that I know have made a major impact on the quality of education in the Arts at EIU. I know that Glenn had a direct effect on my personal career first through his initial advising, and then as a graduate level professor and one of a select few that were excellent mentors to me. He played a pivotal role in keeping me on track in my studies at EIU and always encouraged me. I mentioned this fact to Glenn when I was honored with an alumni award at EIU in 2013. I wrote about this in a blog post and mentioned that in typical Glenn fashion he exemplified the humbleness that he always displayed. 

Please allow me to recount the story...

In talking with Glenn I told him how much I appreciated his guidance and the effect that he had in motivating me to do my best. His response struck me. He told me that my accomplishments were my own and that he had very little, if anything to do with how my life unfolded. He followed up by saying that we're all "replaceable" in the positions that we have and we need not worry about our future legacy.

I beg to differ. Glenn Hild is NOT replaceable and he NEVER will be. Glenn will be deeply missed by the EIU and Charleston, IL community for certain and his impact on the campus will be felt for quite some time. Glenn's legacy will continue through his former students, colleagues, and family. I am eternally grateful for his service to education and the arts. Thank you, Glenn.

eiu faculty exhibition

The faculty show was up in another part of Tarble. I enjoyed checking the work out.

copper clad concert hall

I was moving pics off of my phone and came across this shot of the copper clad concert hall at EIU. Wonder how much this cost to make?

eiu outstanding graduate alumni

I received a letter from the Dean of the Graduate School at Eastern saying that I have been selected as one of 14 graduates who received the Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award for 2014.

I can honestly say that I would not be a professor and practicing artist/metalsmith, had not been for the support and education that the faculty in the Department of Art provided me during my time there. The knowledge gained at Eastern has served me well and I will forever be in debt to those faculty who opened my eyes to what the future could hold.

eiu alumni magazine

I was featured in Eastern Illinois University's Alumni magazine this month. Daphne Griffin interviewed me a few months ago for the article and I had a great time talking to her and catching up on things that are happening at EIU. She wrote the article, did the graphic layout, and used photos that Jay Grabiec had taken when he visited my studio and classroom at UWM. I was glad to be able to share some of the insight that my first Metals professor, David Griffin, had shared with me during my time at EIU. I can honestly say that Dave changed my life with his teaching and that he had one of the largest impacts on me becoming a teacher. I am forever indebted to him. 

Thanks to Daphne and Jay for making this article happen!

dounda fine arts center

Doudna Fine Arts Center Charleston, Illinois 2000/2009

Amidst the fields of soy bean, corn, and alfalfa, Eastern Illinois University emerges; and, at the core of the campus, one finds the site for the renovated and expanded Doudna Fine Arts Center.

The crystalline formation that crosses 7th Street at Hayes Street is a new arrival point and gateway that both unifies the arts and reaches out to the community. A place of celebration and encounter, the crystalline formation is the public concourse for the Doudna Fine Arts Center. The concourse sequentially evolves, folds, and merges one moment to another as classes, exhibits, critiques, rehearsals, performances, and concerts spontaneously interact.

Sharing a concourse address, the College of Arts and Humanities and its Music, Theatre, and Art Departments will inhabit the renovated and expanded facility. The program includes: a new Proscenium Theatre, Studio Theatre, Lecture Hall, The School of Music, Art Studios, Theatre Shops, Faculty Offices; a renovated Concert Hall, Recital Hall, and auxiliary functions. Concourse tributary routes lead to communal/nodal points: critique galleries, studios, shops, and laboratories. Carved out of the building masses are performance courtyards, ceramics yards, sculpture gardens, and a terraced deck. Internally, bridges and catwalks connect and cross-pollinate the individual departments.

Similar to the grain elevators and silos found throughout the Midwest, the copper-clad Proscenium Theatre punctuates the endless horizon. Other building masses are grounded, finished in stained brick masonry and pre-cast concrete. Enveloped in facets of colored, reflective, and clear glass, the experience of the concourse evokes the feeling of inhabiting a chandelier.

-via Predock's website

eiu: perspective

The Fam all went to EIU this weekend as I was in an invitational exhibition put on by my Sculpture professor from EIU, Jeffery Boshart. It was good to attend the closing reception at Tarble Arts Center and to see several familiar faces; people I went school with and professors I had for various courses. It was super good to connect with David Griffin, my Jewelry and Metals professor for my BA and MA. I've posted about Dave before, but it's worth noting again that he had the single largest influence on me becoming a teacher and for following my dreams of being a Metalsmith. It was so good to be able to thank him in person after all these years. 

Dave was kind enough to walk us around the new Dounda Fine Arts Center building (built by Architect Antoine Preduck). The building is simply stunning. I don't think I could imagine coming to work everyday and working in a space like this. It's just magnificent! I am so thrilled that EIU/Charleston has a building such as this and that my mentor gets to call this place home. He deserves it, that's for sure. During our tour, I was a complete idiot as I forgot my camera in the car and I was so shocked by the metals facility that I forgot to take my phone out of my pocket. I was simply in awe at the studio space Dave has built. He also walked us through the rest of the building and I have to say that each studio is of the same caliber as the Metals studio. Dwain's ceramic studio is superb and Jeff's Sculpture studio is ridiculously awesome (complete with overhead chain hoist and extremely tall ceilings)! I have attached some pics of Dave in the Metals studio and some pics of the Sculpture studio that I found online. The spaces are amazing.

I also got to talk to Dwain, Jeff, Mike Watts (Tarble Arts Director), Susan Braun (my fibers instructor), and Glenn Hild (my drawing instructor). In talking with everyone, I was reminded of how incredible kind most of my interactions were with these people and how encouraging most of them were. In talking with Glenn I told him how much I appreciated his guidance and the effect that he had in motivating me to do my best. His response struck me. He told me that my accomplishments were my own and that he had very little, if anything to do with how my life unfolded. He followed up by saying that we're all "replaceable" in the positions that we have and we need not worry about our future legacy. I think for the first time I realized the difference between my education at EIU and that of the U of I. The humbleness of the people at EIU is their greatest asset along with their perspective on what matters in life. Perspective is everything.

EIU's teaching strengths remind me of  what it takes to be a good parent: it's the day to day interaction and ability to show love that creates a good child. It takes being there all the time, even on the bad days: only being present on the good days or when there is something exciting or special happening is pointless. The people at EIU encouraged you to do your best for your own well-being as a person; not for acclaim, not for wealth, not for ego, not to belong, and certainly not to continue their own legacy. Staying true to why we do what we do is important; it becomes our internal compass that guides us in the right direction and leads us into new territory.

I so much appreciating Dave spending some time with us. It's so good to connect with the people that made a difference. It reminded me of why I'm interested and passionate about teaching, making, being a good husband, a good father, and contributing to society in a positive way.

eiu alumni

Cool! I made EIU's alumni page and newsletter today. 

eiu photo 01

Photo by Jay Grabiec via EIU

eiu photo 02

Photo by Jay Grabiec via EIU

eiu photo 03

Photo by Jay Grabiec via EIU