Capturing the wild: VCUarts alumnus finds inspiration in Africa
By Anthony Langley (B.S.’16/MC) Wildlife artist Robert Caldwell (B.F.A.’00/A), owner of RL Caldwell Studio and Gallery, is known for his highly detailed, photorealistic paintings. His early works feature Northern American birds sprinkled with a few other types of animals he has observed on his travels around the country. In 2012, a trip to Africa sparked […]
Making sure the beat goes on
By Anthony Langley (B.S.’16/MC) Hannah Standiford (B.M.’11/A) picked up her first guitar at 13. Music has played an integral role in her life ever since. She studied classical guitar at Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating with a bachelor’s in music in 2011. Since then, she has performed as the frontwoman for a number of bands and […]
A covert operation: How alumna Eva Dillon learned a Cold War secret
By Anthony Langley (B.S.’16/MC) As a child, Eva Dillon (B.M.’82/A) moved all around the world. She and her six siblings would fall in love with a country, and a few years later, her father’s job would take the family somewhere new. “I was born in Berlin, Germany, four years before the [Berlin] Wall went up,” […]
Alumna transitions from blackhawks to block planes
By Anthony Langley (B.S.’16/MC) Alicia Dietz (M.F.A.’16/A), a former Army pilot, is a woodworker, craftsman and adjunct faculty member in the Department of Craft and Material Studies in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. If she’s not at her Richmond studio creating functional and concept art, she’s traveling up and down the East […]
Across the world
Guido Alvarez, Ph.D. (M.F.A.’04/A; Ph.D.’15/H&S), teaches typography, motion graphics, visual expression and studio skills at Wenzhou Kean University in Wenzhou, China.
A decade of searching: Hadeer Omar finds her sweet spot among cultures and art
By Anthony Langley “I’ve had a passion for art ever since I was a little girl,” says Hadeer Omar (B.F.A.’10/A; M.F.A.’16/A). “Following that passion and coming to [Virginia Commonwealth University] has been one of the best decisions I’ve made.” In 2006, Omar was finishing high school in Alexandria, Egypt, when she was encouraged by her […]
Combining cultures: Alumnus connects China and America through art
Wei Dong dreamed of showcasing his work in the United States. “I was like many aspiring Chinese artists in my generation, and I dreamed that I would be recognized and exhibit in America,” he said. In a time when fewer than 1 percent of students were accepted into college in China, Dong attended TsingHua University […]
Behind the music
Professor and son pen VCU’s first alma mater By Anthony Langley A year and a half ago, Lemont “Monty” B. Kier, Ph.D., began reflecting on his time and experiences at Virginia Commonwealth University. “I’ve been here since 1977,” says Kier, who has taught and held various roles in VCU Life Sciences’ Center for the Study […]
VCU ignites flame in the heart of alumnus
“My mother gave me coloring books when I was a child,” says Neil Duman (B.F.A.’77/A). “Instead of giving the little people solid-colored shirts, I made them all have plaid shirts. That’s how it started.” Being artistically inclined from a young age, Duman excelled in art classes at school, and his skills led him to display […]