April 6, 1976
A Report on the New York
Seminar
by Richard Ashley
New York City. Picasso.
Guilford. Skiles. Student.
Monet. What do all these
exotic things have in common?
Just one week in time, for
these are the experiences of
the New York Art Seminar,
held March 15 through 21.
Fourteen Guilford students
plus Professor Jim McMillan
explored the wonders of the
New York art world and
returned amazed if not
refreshed. Departing Greens
boro early Monday morning,
the 12 hour journey through 5
states terminated that evening
at John F. Kennedy Airport (a
minor city in itself) where the
Trans World Airlines build
ing, brainchild of Architect
Eero Saarien, received much
attention. Then back into the
vans for the trip into
Manhattan where for the next
week home would be the
microscopic rooms of the
Vanderbilt YMCA.
Tuesday morning brought
the beginning of visits to
various artists and museums.
First target - Architect Phillip
Johnson, who presented plans
of his latest undertaking, an
all-glass cathedral for some
Californian preacher. An
immense project, one of this
cathdrals attributes will be a
sixty-foot doors. Hmmm.
Interesting. After some ques
tioning it was off through the
snow to the Museum of
Modern Art, where whatever
one wished to see was shown.
Picasso's "Guernica"; Mo
net's "Water Lilies". A huge
quantity of wondrous paint
ings and sculptures much too
vast to be lingered over
delighted everyone. And so
after a few hours, we headed
for the subway for a ride to the
Greenwich Village loft of
Agnes Denes, a truly
phenomanal woman.
Ms. Denes' works trans
cend all boundries to embrace
all forms and techniques
necessary to materialize her
ideas and concepts. Photo
graphy and x-rays; primordal
pieces of Man and the carto
graphy of a polygonal Planet
Earth are just a few of her
mediums. Deeply personal,
her art is at times a philsophy
and science of a complex yet
logical nature. Agnes Denes
provokes much thought and
we were most impressed,
although somewhat perplex
ed. x
By this time it was early
evening. Casting the formal
schedule to the wind and the
rain. New York City became
our toy. Exotic foods (take
that Epicure), strange music
and bizarre theater were the
activities of the night during
the week. Lack of space
prohibits a full account, but
night time is fun time in the
City That Never Sleeps.
Wednesday brought visits
to the Guggenheim and
Metropolitan Museums. The
Guggenheim, designed in the
shape of a drum by the late
Frank Loyd Wright, is as
much a marvel as the works
inside. Progressing down a
winding ramp encircling a vast
airy space one is gently
presented the loving efforts of
Cezanne, Braque, Duchamp
and others. Highlight of that
week at the Guggenheim was
the sculpture of Aristide
Maillol. His figures of women
are subtle, graceful and
almost lifelike. Small ones,
huge ones; each and all
enticing a spectrum of
emotions from the viewer.
The Metropolitan was next
and it was necessary to
interruptthe Saint Patricks Day
Parade to get to it. The Met is
a monster. An example of
classical museum, it js gaudy,
ornate and HUGE! Centering
around period rooms one
quickly becomes exhausted
from walking and walking and
walking. Prime exhibit: the
World of Franklin and
Jefferson. The Bicentennial
creeps in to the art environs.
Too much-too much...
Thursday's agenda called for
two museum visits, the first
being the Whitney Museum of
Modern Art. The entire
museum was given over to a
major exhibition entitled 200
Yeacs of American Sculpture
which is a prodigious effort to
coherently present just that.
Whether it succeeds or not is
debatable. The many different
styles, ranging from neo
classical and Victorian mar
bles to the mobiles of Calder
are a reflection of the
progression of American
culture as seen through the
eyes of its artists. Examples of
American folk art are
displayed, such as Indian
carvings and a most fascinting
piece entitled Throne of the
Third Heaven of the Nations
Millennium General Assem
bly. Constructed of junk and
old furniture sheathed in gold
and silver foil it is the creation
of a black janitor named
James Hampton who worked
on it in a Wash. D.C. garage
from 1950 to 1964. Intended
for Jesus Christ at His Second
Coming, Time Magazine, in
its April 5, 1976 issue, calls it
perhaps the Finest work ol
visionary religious art produc
; cd by an American. It must be
seen to be believed.
Next we hopped on a bus for
a trip Uptown to the Studio
The Guilfordian
I 'V 1
Education Week
Offers Variety
rev . •'
A.C.E.'s Education Week
(April 5-10) offers a variety of
events and exhibits not only to
the Guilford community but to
Education Departaments and
interested people in the
Greensboro area. Activities
will range from an informal
talk with Guilford graduates
and student teachers to a
lecture on Epilepsy to a
presentation by students of
handmade teaching aides for
various subjects.
The week begins Monday
with a teaching aides display
in the library which will be
open all week. These student
made aides will be scattered
over several areas of the
library, so be sure to look
around. A presentation by
students of some of these
Museum of Harlem. This
place is a great effort
undertaken by the artists of
Harlem to provide a conducive
atmosphere for creativity. It is
a studio for about eight
resident artists. It is a
classroom for young children
eager to learn about painting
and sculpture. It is a museum
for artists who have not yet
deciphered the intricacies of
curators and museums. It is a
haven in a place where mere
survival is a most hectic thing.
Small but intense, the Studio
Museum of Harlem is the
birthplace of some future
artists of importance.
Friday was another artists'
visiting day and at 10 a.m. we'
called on Jackie Skiles, an
activist concerned with the
equitable representation of
women both as creators of art
and as subjects in art. A
talented person whose efforts
are aimed at making the
bittersweet life of artistic
woman more tolerable she is
selfless in her efforts to make
the ignored art of women
known and to sec that present
day women artists receive
all due acclaim.
Continued on Page 7
teaching aides will take place
on Wed. 7th. at 3:00.
following an informal open
house for faculty, administra
tion. and interested people
which begins at 2:00. Both
events will be in the
Curriculum Materials Center,
downstairs in the library.
Also in the Curriculum lab
will be a panel discussion with
graduates of the Guilford
Education Dept. and this
year's student teachers,
sharing their experiences in
the world of teaching. This
will be Tues. afternoon at
3:30. Of interest to all, no
matter what their profession,
will be a lecture on Epilepsy in
Founder's Gallery, Tuesday
evening at 7:30. The speaker
will be Caroline Brockman
from High Point.
We hope to see you at many
of the events. Come and
enjoy the refreshments and
get acquainted with A.C.E.
and the Education Board.
ACE to Sponsor
Epilepsy Program
A program on epilepsy as
part of an Education Week
Observance?
Students in the Guilford
College Association of Crea
tive Education (ACE) say yes,
that it is part of special
education.
President Carol Cleaver, a
special education major from
Masonvillc, N.J., explained
that as future classroom
teachers they should know
what to expect of and how to
deal with epileptic children.
To help them learn they
have invited Ms. Carolyn
Brockmann of the High Point
Junior Woman's Club to show
a film and discuss the subject
at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April
8, in the Founders Hall
Gallery.
Education majors from
other colleges and all
interested persons are invited,
free of charge, Ms. Cleaver
said.
Page 6
God's Corner
as viewed by Rob Mitchell
(NOTE: If you are interest
ed in fellowship with other
Christians and with those who
are searching for Christ's
place in their lives, there is a
group who meets every
Thursday at 10p.m. in upstairs
Founders (203) and a Bible
study held in the same room
on Friday nights from 7-8 p.m.
If you have any questions in
any area, I am in, room 14 of
English, tely #294-1975.)
It is not easy to trust
another completely, especially
considering we do not trust
ourselves all the time. There
are times when we can be
certain that we will not meet
our own expectations and
ideals. We .see others not
meeting our own goals and
needs as well.
There is one who does not
fail, one who never leaves us
stranded. That one is Gocl.
God never deserts His own.
The Old Testament has a
continuous theme of God's
people turning from Him and
then coming back to Him. God
never leaves though, God is
always there. As an old school
teacher once said, "God is
closer to you than the air you
breathe." Always.
"I can't give up my
independence!" is the most
common reason I am given by
those who find it difficult to
commit themselves to God ans
(rust in Him. I can understand
(hat feeling and have felt it
too. I have found, though, a
greater independence by
trusting in God to lead me and
guide me. I have a direction, a
goal. Instead of floundering
around wondering where I am
headed and even if I am
headed anywhere, i find I am
going forward confidently. I
am sure that there is
something for me and I am
trying to follow God's leading
towards that. I have no idea
what I will find, but I am not
floundering about, at the
mercy of all the various forces
and influences on me, but
instead, I am at the mercy of
God.
The world changes percep
tion when you see it through
the eyes of God's love. It's
potential for good becomes
prominent. Sorrow and pain
Continued on Page 7
In addition to a week-long
display of teaching aids in the
library April 5-10, students
have scheduled an informal
meeting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday,
April 6, and an open house at
3:00 p.m. Wednesday, April
7, both in the curriculum lab of
the library.
All interested persons are
invited. ...