By: Olwen Logan 05/24/11
The sun shone brightly outside Saturday, but inside the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium the spotlight was on the 25 members of the Class of 2011, pictured above, graduating from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts.
Frequently described during the afternoon ceremony as an “extraordinary” class, the graduates comprised four with Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees majoring in drawing, 10 in painting, and eight in sculpture. Three Post-Baccalaureate certificates were also awarded at the graduation.
After a brief welcome by Board of Trustees Chairman Martin Wolman, College President and CEO Debra Petke opened the formal proceedings by noting that it was Dean Laura Zarrow’s final day and wishing her well in her future career.
Petke then presented the Distinguished Service in Art Education Award to the founder of the Long Island Academy of Fine Art in Glen Cove, N.Y., Robert Armetta (pictured above with his wife Flora, daughter, and Petke), who she said, “Embodies the three dimensions of a good art educator.” Petke elaborated on these dimensions explaining Armetta’s own work is “Widely exhibited … he teaches them [his students] to really see … and works to ensure that these [artistic] values endure.”
Zarrow continued the presentations by making various awards to the graduating class, culminating in the presentation of the prestigious John Stobart Fellowship to Richard Lacey (above, third from left), a 2007 graduate of Lyme-Old Lyme High School.
Zarrow (pictured above) then introduced the College Alumni Association speaker Eloise Gada (pictured below with her husband), whose, “Passion and brilliance,” she commended, along with her, “Talent, training, hard work and enthusiasm.”
After graduating from Lyme Academy College also as a Stobart Fellowship winner, Gada obtained an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where again she was an award winner. Gada currently teaches ceramics and sculpture at East Lyme High School.
Gada’s “simple and straightforward” message to the students, repeated many times, was, “You never know where a visual arts education will take you.” Urging them to attend graduate school, she alluded to some of the unusual achievements she was aware BFA graduates now had on their resumés, such as decorating a vintage truck and then selling cup cakes from it, creating the tallest bread sculpture in the world and, “Designing art-inspired, high fashion sneakers.”
Continuing her theme, Gada urged the new graduates to “Try to be open to how you define success,” telling them, “Be flexible, be entrepreneurs,” but warning against painting, “Old guys in the nude,” saying unequivocally, “No one is going to buy them!”
Three College trustees share a moment together before the ceremony.
Gada then cautioned the graduates with the words, “Don’t take yourself too seriously,” adding, “Life is too short. Have fun. Be active in your community.” She suggested they should “Strive to make different kinds of work,” but always ask themselves, “Why am I doing this?” and moreover, “Be 100 per cent honest with your answer.”
Finally, advising the graduates not to worry if their careers took unexpected twists and turns, Gada ended as she had begun, firmly reminding the Class of 2011 that, “You never know where your education is going to take you.”
President Petke introduced the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient as someone who, “When Expressionism was on the rise … he made an heroic effort to retain the figure.” Acclaimed New York City-based painter Lennart Anderson (pictured above with Petke) has enjoyed a long and distinguished art career — a recipient of many prizes, awards and grants, his work has been extensively exhibited, and he has taught at Yale, Columbia and Princeton Universities.
Petke summed Anderson up as someone with, “A classical illusion but a modern temperament,” adding that he has brought, “A contemporary sensibility to representational and figurative art.”
Anderson opened by telling that Class of 2011 that he really had just one thing to say to them, “and the rest is drivel.” He instructed them to “Keep your friends … they’re very important … they may be helpful … they should be loved.”
Contrary to his opening remark however, Anderson proceeded to give a series of nuggets of advice to the graduates frequently reflecting a similar theme to Gada in that, “The idea of an idea is very important,” but, “You never know how that idea will develop,” and then comparing an idea to a boat being pushed out into the water.
Ah, those shoes!
He also told the students that the most important part of art school is the “basic class,” and never to forget it, reminding them that art is a matter of “Large, medium and small,” and “Similarities and differences.” Urging them never to lose “the joy of painting,” he ended by wishing them simply, “Good luck.”
The student speaker was Nathan Perry, pictured above with Chair of Sculpture Brian Craig-Wankiiri, who had received both the Excellence in Painting and the Diana Atwood Johnson Leadership Awards.
A clearly emotional Perry recalled that his peers had become familiar throughout their college lives with having, “Space to work and time to work.” He noted although that was all about to change, “What really makes you get on out in the world is what you do tomorrow.”
Perry concluded by reminding his fellow graduates, “You’re here because you love what you do … and just keep doing it!”
Before the degrees were conferred, Petke spoke to the class directly reminding them that after Steve Jobs had been fired from Apple before subsequently being re-employed, he described that post-firing time as allowing him to re-discover, “The lightness of being a beginner again.”
Translating this message for the Class of 2011, she told them, “This moment of being less sure about everything is a gift. Let the uncertainty not pull you down but rather propel you.” She ended saying, “Let your time here be a springboard for your future,” and telling them one final time, “You are an extraordinary class.”
After the ceremony, graduates and guests returned to the College for a celebratory reception.
Students receiving BFA degrees:
DRAWING
Ethan Scott Brewerton
Niamh Rachel Butler
Carlin Felt
Kelli Michelle Folsom
PAINTING
Anna Waterman Braun
Caitlyn Mary Concasia
Dana Patrice Esposito
Karl Joseph Holzenthal
Robin L. E. Johnston
Richard Eugene Lacey III
Kelsey Bryn Lloyd
Katherine Anna Dickinson Mink
Nathan Ellis Perry
Michael D. Reeves
SCULPTURE
Benjamin Rudolph Gaucher
Emily Bartley Gorin
Qing (Adam) Gu
Mark David Manning
Matthew Muturi-Kioi
Sydney Semnacher
Brittany Dawn Shelton
Kachina Mae Studer
Students receiving Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Stephen Saxenian
Linda Talerico
Christopher Thorne Wenzel