Northwest art department expands offerings
By Darrin Devault
Director, Public Relations
7/8/04
The art department at Northwest Mississippi Community College has added depth to its teaching staff with the hiring of graphic designer Lawayne House of Olive Branch.
House has 28 years of professional experience as a graphic designer for numerous companies, including Hallmark Cards, which included design work for the U.S. Postal Service, and Memphis-based gift wrap manufacturer Cleo, Inc.
He has served as an adjunct instructor at Northwest for the past two years.
"Mr. House brings to his new position not only the educational background appropriate for the position, but also a wealth of professional experience in the field of graphic arts," said Dr. Ken Sipley, director of the Fine Arts division. "He has also distinguished himself as an outstanding teacher and mentor of students during his time here."
House joins veteran art instructors Terry Pegram of Sardis and Lane Tutor of Senatobia.
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Art instructor Lawayne House takes students Laura Reinhardt (left) of Horn Lake and Vanessa Gilpin of Water Valley through the design process in his computers in art class. Students use Macintosh computers to create art and study methods and applications utilizing the computer in this class. Photo by Darrin Devault
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"Having three distinguished artists and instructors on our faculty full-time will allow us to increase both our course offerings and our services to students," Sipley said.
Pegram has distinguished herself as a painter, especially in the use of watercolor, while Tutor is recognized regionally for his pottery and paintings.
"Terry and Lane are terrific," said House, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in fine arts at Memphis College of Art. "It's a great little family to be a part of."
One course that House will teach this fall, Computers in Art, gives students a basic introduction to the Macintosh computer using three software packages: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and QuarkXPress.
Computers in Art also prepares students for the Advertising Design course.
"I teach from a fine arts perspective rather than a technical point of view," House said. "Technical aspects in using the computer in graphic design such as page layout will come, but students need to be able to draw and paint and conceptualize.
"I'm more interested in getting them to think about how they can creatively use their talents in a graphic design arena.
"My philosophy falls in line with how Terry and Lane teach, which is providing students with whole fundamentals of fine arts principles," House added.
Dr. Marilyn Bateman, academic dean, says the hiring of House enhances what she says is already an exceptional art department.
"It really takes our traditional art department to another level," Bateman said. "Students can now combine their talents in the traditional fine arts of painting, drawing and pottery with the high-tech world of graphics."
Other art courses on tap for the fall semester on the Senatobia campus include painting, ceramics, beginning drawing, art history and art appreciation.
In response to community requests, Tutor will teach Ceramics for credit for the first time at night this fall. The course will meet Tuesdays from 3 to 9 p.m.
Pegram says her Drawing I and II classes are popular with art majors and non-art majors alike. Students in the drawing courses learn to draw in pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, ink wash, pastel and color pencil.
Art students can showcase their work each year in the campus Art Gallery through Les Fauves, the student art organization which hosts two art exhibitions and sales, and the Sophomore Art Exhibition.
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