May 2018 - Academy Center of the Arts

Sarah Raessler, the current artist featured in the Up Front Gallery of the Harrington Building, and her pastel teacher Christine Rooney joined us this week to share insight on Sarah’s history with art, what inspires her, and her process towards creating new work. Sarah began her journey with art in September of 2003 when she joined Christine Rooney’s pastel class. “She came up with her own color combinations and what she wanted to draw,” said Rooney. “She knew right away what colors went together, and it was extraordinary the way she would put them together.” All of the colors were a part of a family, to Sarah. “Sometimes I would give her a pastel that I knew wouldn’t be a part of that combination, and she’d say ‘no, no, that’s not it’.” “I think in abstract ways, and [putting colors in families] helps me understand that,” said Raessler. When asked about how she felt after finding out she would be showing at the Academy’s galleries, Sarah told us that she “was scared.” “I’ve never been shown in the Up Front Gallery before.” But now, after selling 17 of her 25 pieces, she says “it’s […]

In April, Brian Reed visited the Academy Center of the Arts’ Warehouse Theatre to discuss all things S-Town, as well as his work on Serial and as Senior Producer on This American Life, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Medi and delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange. During the event, fans learned more about Reed’s storytelling process, particularly with regard to S-Town, but a special group of students from Lynchburg College’s Communications Studies department nabbed an intimate hour-long workshop with Reed prior to the event where he delved deeper into his process. “The Communication Studies Department at Lynchburg College is committed to exposing its students to experiential learning,” said Ghislaine Lewis, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Lynchburg College. “We were thrilled to have the opportunity through the Academy Center for the Arts for our students to have an intimate conversation with Brian Reed.” Prior to their workshop, students in Dr. Lewis’ course listened to the entire S-Town podcast, and came prepared with questions about the podcast itself, Reed’s process, and modern journalism as a whole. In a casual setting, Reed engaged these questions which ranged from how he approaches interviews, to the medium of podcasting, […]

Archives for May 2018

Creativity in Pastels with Sarah Raessler

A Session on Storytelling with Brian Reed

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