The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residencies in the UC Davis Department of Art and Art History will welcome acclaimed painter Jennifer Packer to campus in February. Packer currently has solo exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. She will work with students and give a public talk.
The UC Davis Department of Art and Art History solidifies its place as a premier hub for artistic innovation and fine arts education with the launch of The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residencies. The department’s three-year program starts this fall with a lineup of internationally renowned “spotlight” artists Raúl de Nieves, Jennifer Packer and Ann Hamilton; and teaching artists-in-residence Tamar Ettun and Beatriz Cortez.
John Lopez, assistant professor of art history, has received an award from the American Council of Learned Societies to complete research and write a book on Aztec and Spanish efforts to combat flooding in Mexico City.
After more than 40 years of teaching and service at UC Davis, centenarian Wayne Thiebaud continues to create art and inspire others. His influence will be felt by many future generations thanks to a $500,000 endowment from the Wayne Thiebaud Foundation.
Julia Koerner, who worked on the Black Panther movie and is at the forefront of 3D printing and sustainable design, will be the guest for the UC Davis Alberini Family Speaker Series in Design. Koerner, whose creative endeavors include architecture, fashion, sculpture and product design, will give a presentation titled “Models & Models” on April 22 at 4 p.m.
The UC Davis Creative Writing Program in the Department of English will present online readings March 2 and 3 — one by a star of the literary world, and another by three UC Davis alumni with newly published books. In April, three lyric and narrative poets who create long-form works will take part in a conversation and give readings. All the readings are co-sponsored by the UC Davis Library.
Alumni share new novels
Three graduates of the Creative Writing Program will return to campus virtually March 2 at 4:30 p.m. to read from their books published last year.
The 2021 Templeton Colloquium in Art History will examine the long and often fraught history between museums and African American and African art, artists and audiences. The Feb. 19 event will include presentations by two scholars on the subject that as been at the forefront during the last year.
Award-Winning Authors, Faculty Readings, Interdisciplinary Student Works on Tap
The UC Davis Creative Writing Series kicks off 2021 with readings by acclaimed visiting writers Jess Arndt and Carmen Maria Machado, a collaboration between music and writing students, and a showcase of new works by faculty members. All events are at 4:30 p.m., free and accessible on Zoom unless otherwise noted.
The Creative Writing Program is part of the English department in the College of Letters and Science.
A new program,SHAPE, brings together classroom collaborations between arts and sciences with a performing arts component by visitings artists. The first class was launched this fall.
Each October, students from across campus gather to celebrate publication of their work in the University Writing Program’s (UWP) Prized Writing. The event is an acknowledgement of the students’ talents and the importance UC Davis places on writing, regardless of major. Due to COVID-19, the event honoring the writers has been postponed until spring when the print edition will be released.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby, whose art negotiates the cultural terrain between her adopted home in the United States and her native Nigeria through collage and photo transfer-based paintings, will give the seventh annual UC Davis Betty Jean and Wayne Thiebaud Endowed Lecture on Nov. 12 at 4:30 p.m. This year’s free online lecture celebrates art professor emeritus Wayne Thiebaud’s 100th birthday on Nov.
Lesley-Ann Noel, an innovator in design education, research and practice who is known for her work on “emancipatory design,” will be the speaker for the fourth annual Alberini Family Speaker Series in Design at UC Davis.
Ryan Suleiman, a doctoral student in music composition at UC Davis, has long been concerned with the environment, nature and climate change. Over the past few years, Suleiman has written works titled Drought, Skies of Smoke and Burning. In the spring he reached out to other musicians to see what they had to say about music that explores the natural environment, with an emphasis on climate change, for a series of YouTube interviews.
Albert J. McNeil arrived at the UC Davis music department in 1969 and, during his 21 years as a faculty member, transformed the music program, students and the campus. McNeil celebrated his 100th birthday in February.
Concerts honoring Albert McNeil
Concerts by UC Davis, Pomona College and the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers earlier this year celebrated McNeil's 100th birthday. All can be viewed online.