• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1996-09-12_Vol62_No05_03

(Mje Ifestern Carolinian Features Thursday, September 121996 3 New Sculptures on WCU Lawn What They Are and Where They Came From This summer, four new pieces of outdoor art have appeared at key sites on the WCU campus. They are the winning entries in Western's annual Outdoor Sculpture Program. In its fourth year, the program is designed to draw attention to public sculpture as an art form, according to J.C. Alexander, associate dean of WCU's College of Arts and Sciences. "The addition of outdoor sculpture to our campus is a good way to introduce all of us— faculty, staff, students and the surrounding community—to art in ways we may not normally experience it. Our campus itself becomes a gallery where we can learn to appreciate the value of an individual's creativity," Alexander said. "While I may not always fully understand the artists' intent, I can appreciate the commitment to artistic expression and what artwork brings to our common pursuit of universal values," he said. "That seems to me, a professor of communication, to be a very good reason to support this program." Alexander is on the faculty/staff committee that selects new sculptures from entries received in an annual competition. That committee is composed of a diverse group of people using a democratic process, a selection method designed to ensure that the sculpture displayed on campus represents the eclectic aesthetic values of the university community. The process distinguishes Western's program from other outdoor sculpture programs in the region, which rely on commissioned jurors from art circles or in-house art professionals, organizers say. This year's winners are: •"Sometimes Love Comes Wrapped in the Smell of Bitter Almonds" by Be Gardiner of Creston. A marble statue of a woman's armless torso with a pair of serpents emerging from within, the work is sited in the courtyard between Killian and Coulter buildings. A past winner of the program, Gardiner is the artist whose twin sculptures "Guardian Angels" at the H.F. Robinson Administration Building are a permanent addition to campus. •"Cyclical Stupidity" by LeeAnn Mitchell of Watkinsville, Ga. A structure of aluminum and steel, "Cyclical Stupidity" depicts two skeletons—one black and one white—on opposite sides of a green merry-go-round. Located at Dodson Cafeteria, it is "a piece that metaphorically deals with racism in that the black and white skeletons go around and around without ever seeing each other, not realizing that they are on the same ride," Mitchell said. •"Sky Blade" by Michael Maxson of Lexington, Ky. This aluminum sculpture towers 25 feet above the sidewalk between Speedwell Road and the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The piece is based on the structural pattern of a particular species of grass familiar to the artist. "Taking things out of their original context and reintroducing them at an incredible scale challenges the way in which people perceive their surroundings," Maxson said. •"Utility Pole" by Tim Glover of Houston, Texas. A 14- foot steel sculpture which may remind viewers of an evergreen tree that has lost its needles sitting atop a tall pole, it is sited at Centennial Park. The internally lit piece comes from Glover's recent body of work combining industrial materials with forms from nature. "I am interested in exploring themes that affect our relationship with each other and nature," he said. The art will remain on campus for about a year, and the winning sculptors will give public presentations about their work during the 1996-97 academic year. The program is sponsored by the WCU department of art in conjunction with the annual Cullowhee Arts Festival, A.K. Hinds University Center, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Office of Academic Affairs. Information provided by OPI. Ex-Locals Bring Hollywood to Western North Carolina CHRISTY HICKS STAFF WRITER "Paradise Falls" isn't just the name of a great place to swim. It's the name of a film that crews began shooting in the area on August 6,1996. The film was written by former WCU student Sean Bridgers and directed by former Sylva resident Nick Searcy. "The script is very powerful and poetic," said Terry Nienhuis, a WCU professor who acted in the film and helped produce it. "There are compelling characters and situations." Bridgers graduated with a degree in theater arts and was discovered by filmmakers between his junior and senior years. Since then, he has had parts in 19 films, including a small role in the Jodie Foster blockbuster "Nell." He currently has a role in John Grisham's "The Chamber," which will be released this fall. Bridgers, in his second leading role, plays Henry Bancroft. According to Nienhuis, the idea for "Paradise Falls" came to Bridgers about three years ago when he was on his way home from an audition in Charlotte, N.C. The film, set during the Depression, is about a family in the mountains of western North Carolina. The family's teenage son, played by Bridgers, is persuaded by his friend that the family's problems can be solved by robbing a train. The son is convinced, beginning an exciting string of events that don't stop until the film is over. "Paradise Falls" utilized a large crew and props from the 1930s. It must have had a million dollar budget, right? Wrong. The movie was filmed on a budget of $300,000. That figure is hardly a drop in the bucket for some film makers who have budgets in the tens of millions of dollars. Nienhuis helped raise money for the film. "I found people who were willing to invest some money in this," he said. "They have the potential to get a big return on their investment." Just how did they make a film using so many people and props for such a small sum? Simple. Bridgers called on his friends. According to Nienhuis, Bridgers had a previous affiliation with everyone who worked on the film. They were either friends or people he had worked with on previous films. Extras in the film were people from the area, including many students and faculty from Western's campus. Several of WCU's own participated in the barn dance scene. Nienhuis plays the role of a gang member called Leroy. Bridgers approached Nick Searcy to be the director and Searcy agreed. "Paradise Falls" is his first time behind the camera, but he has considerable experience in front of it. Searcy has had major roles in "Days of Thunder," "Fried Green Tomatoes," and "Nell." Nienhuis, who has spent years analyzing films, says this is one of the most "nicely understated" films he has seen. The film was wrapped up in early September and Nienhuis says Bridgers hopes to have it edited and printed by November 1 in time for the Sundance Film Festival. Festivals are important for independent filmmakers because distributors like New Line Cinemas and Miramax Films are on hand to see the new products from up- and-coming writers and directors like Bridgers and Searcy. Return of the Mothership Vocal and Choral Groups' Fall Line-up KEVIN CASSELS STAFF WRITER On Thursday, September 5, at the International Ballroom in Atlanta, the original members of the P-Funk Mob reunited for the first time since the late 1970s. The name P-Funk stands for all musicians associated with the bands Parliament, Funkadelic, the Brides of Funkenstein, Bootsy's Rubber Band, and the P-Funk All Stars. P-Funk is the brainchild of George Clinton, who has been composing and touring since the mid-60s. P-Funk is by far the most sampled music in hip-hop today. Virtually all of Dr. Dre's hits have been rehashed from old P-Funk songs. Artists such as Digital Underground, MC Hammer, Snoop Doggy Dogg, De La Soul, and En Vogue have had major hits with songs recorded by either Parliament or Funkadelic in the 1970s. Since the early 80s, Clinton has toured with various musicians under the name George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars. At the September 5 show, the All Stars were joined by bass extraordinaire Bootsy Collins, keyboard great Bernie Worrell, vocalists Fuzzy Haskins and Shady Grady Thomas, and other P-Funk legends. At times, there were as many as 25 musicians on stage, some dressed in diapers and wedding gowns, others in neon spacesuits and Halloween costumes. Through out the night, Clinton, dressed in a silver robe and sporting trademark multicolored dreadlocks, conducted the band through some of the most classic songs in black music history. During a 25-minute version of "Give Up the Funk," best known for the lines "We want the funk!" and "Turn this mutha out," Bootsy Collins jumped into the crowd, only to be mobbed by fans who stole his star-studded sunglasses. Collins left the stage upset, but returned an hour later for a hair-raising "Atomic Dog," later known to listeners as "Snoop Doggy Dog." The key to surviving a P- Funk concert, especially one of this magnitude, is patience. Each song was at least 15 minutes long, with the same beat throughout. The show was a free-for-all from the beginning, but the most amazing part of the show was the actual landing of the Mothership, which touched ground during "Star Child (Let Me Ride)." Six aliens jumped out and shot lasers into the air. Within minutes, the entire venue was engulfed in a cloud of dry ice. There were about three encores. The show began at 8:00 p.m. sharp and ended just after 1 a.m. The P-Funk reunion will also take place in Florida this month. However, George Clinton and the All Stars will be touring this fall throughout the southeast. KEVIN CASSELS STAFF WRITER The 1996-97 school year will present several opportunities for students to check out the vast array of talent within the university's vocal program. The relatively new Catamount Choir will kick things off on Mountain Heritage Day with a brief performance at the old Ramsey Center skating rink as part of the day's festivities. Conducted by Reg Pittman and choreographed by Kathy Pittman, the Catamount Choir has been active since the spring of '95. The Catamount Choir is a show choir made up of students from all academic majors. The group includes 14 singers along with a bassist, guitarist, and drummer. This year, the choir will be specializing in choral jazz composition, standard pop songs, and Appalachian folk tunes. The group has several upcoming dates, including a November 5 performance with the University Chorus, featuring a mixed ensemble of about 60 vocalists, as well as a show with the WCU jazz band on November 19. The Catamount Choir will also be performing at the music department's annual Christmas Program on December 8. The WCU Concert Choir, whose specialties range from choral miniatures to masterworks with orchestral accompaniment, contains approximately 40 singers. The Concert Choir will be touring in the fall, performing at churches and high schools from Cullowhee to Orlando, Fla. The choir performs not only in English, but in Latin, French, German, and Italian as well. Several students are featured as soloists and accompanists throughout the year. On October 14, the Concert Choir will be featured here at WCU along with the Early Music Ensemble. Conducted by Dr. Robert Holquist, the Early Music Ensemble specializes in Renaissance music from the 1500 to 1700s. The ensemble presents the annual Madrigal Dinners on December 7, featuring a colorful combination of trumpet fanfares, recorder ensembles, and other sacred music, all tied to a story line. The spring semester will include the March Choral Fest here at Western and an April date with members of the Asheville Symphony String Section. PHOTO MARK HASKETT/OPI "Sky Blade," a new statue in front of the Ramsey Center. I I I I I I I I I I l( Nominations 1996-1997 College of Arts & Sciences Teaching Award Deadline: October 3 @ 4 p.m. Ballots and Ballot Boxes may be found in the lobbies of Natural Science, Coulter, Belk. Stillwell, and McKee Buildings: Hunter Library, Dodson and Brown Cafeterias. Any WCU student or faculty can nominate any full-time faculty member from the College of Arts and Sciences who has taught at WCU for three years or more European Ambience Gracious Lodging Genial Hosts Nestled in a mountain cove with fabulous views from private balcony or great room with fireplace. 22 acres with brook, trails, picnic area & lawn games. Secluded, but only 18 minutes from WCU. 4 rooms & 2 suites. Please call for a reservation: 586-0251

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1996-09-12
  • Date digitized: 2019-12-04
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.5" x 14"
  • Pages: 12 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1996-09-12_Vol62_No05
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library