April 25 - May 1, 2022 Newsletter

Good news...

Austin Peay unveils online database to give public more access to university’s vast art collection

For more than a year, the director of Austin Peay State University’s art collection has worked with several students to make the school’s vast collection more accessible to the public.

This week, those efforts have culminated with a newly unveiled online database that allows people to search for and see the university’s collected artwork.

“Even though we’re a public university and our campus is open to the public, it can be difficult for people to see our collections,” said Michael Dickins, Austin Peay’s director and curator of The New Gallery and University Collections. “Our gallery assistants have been working hard this semester to get selections from the collection into the database, allowing more people to see the incredible that we have here on campus.” 

The database will launch with more than 300 pieces listed. Dickins and his students will continue to add pieces from a collection of 3,000 paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, drawings and historical objects.

Read more apsu.edu/news/april-2022-art-database

Scott Raymond announced as 2021-2022 CoAL Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient

The College of Arts & Letters is thrilled to announce that Scott Raymond, Associate Professor of Art, is the 21 - 22 recipient of the CoAL Excellence in Teaching Award. Professor Raymond has an MFA from the Academy of Art University and teaches animation and special effects in the Department of Art + Design.

Before coming to Austin Peay, Professor Raymond spent eight years at DreamWorks Animation, first as a crowds artist and then as an animator. He has worked in feature & tv animation, live-action visual effects, gaming, web series, theme parks, and commercials - the latter winning several National ADDY awards for animation. He is proud to have worked alongside the industry's top animators and artists on shows featuring mutant pumpkins, zombie penguins, dragons, pandas, and a certain green ogre.

Here is an example of what Professor Raymond's colleagues had to say about his work as an educator. "Scott is an admirable example to all our majors by his professional life as well as his teaching. He is among the most active of our colleagues, maintaining a rigorous freelance practice including national clients (recently Samsung via Loom.ai, Planet Blue, The Highway Rat produced by the BBC, and Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards), and clearly employing the work ethic and dedication he demands of his students. Students work harder for him than for many of the rest of us. They would be hard-pressed to find a better role model."

Faculty are nominated for the CoAL Excellence in Teaching Award by their peers, and the 6 Department Chairs select the winner within the college. It is open to full-time faculty of all ranks. 

For his dedication to excellence in the classroom, Professor Raymond will receive $1000 from the College of Arts & Letters to further his teaching and research in the 2022 - 2023 academic year. He will also receive a keepsake award, and his name will be added to the perpetual plaque in Harned Hall celebrating all winners of this award.  Congratulations, Scott!

thescottraymond.com.

APSU Associate Professor of Music, Dr. Spencer Prewitt performs in Columbia

Professor Prewitt said, "Tonight’s performance of Ofer Ben-Amots Klezmer Concerto with Orquesta Sinfónica de Caldas was such a special way to end a wonderful week of teaching and playing in Manizales, Colombia. Thanks to Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at APSU and Austin Peay State University for making this possible!"  Congratulations, Spencer!

CECA Events

This week...

Student Exhibition Reception This Wednesday!

Details HERE

Did you know...

Did you know that CECA proudly awarded 51 student scholarships last academic year? The APSU Scholarship Donor Dinner last week was a wonderful celebration of the ongoing impact that scholarships have the lives of APSU students.