Skip to content

Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Leap At SHSU!

Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Tag: Johnnie Swearingen

The heART of the Campus: HOH, Week One

For this year’s heART of Huntsville, we kicked off our first week as usual with a campus art tour! This year was somewhat different, however, in that we had many more SHSU people represented: Dr. Roseanne Keathley, Sammie Halley, Kerry Berry, Dr. Kathy Adair, Kim Childress, and Cathi Gillette all joined us for the four weeks.  We also had some return guests, such as Cathy Kowart and Belia Aguayo join us from previous years.

Our group of around 35 people met at 6pm in the SHSU art department, and we all started our first evening off with a short quiz to determine how much we knew about art before we began our four weeks of learning about all the art that Huntsville has to offer.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed WilsonAfter we turned in our quizzes, we began our tour in the Gaddis Geeslin Gallery. The gallery coordinator Ms. Mindi Gandara gave us a brief explanation of the pieces on display and the artists that created them. 

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

Most interesting to me were the paintings by Reverend Johnnie Swearingen, because I remembered that some of his other works are on display at The Wynne Home which just so happens to be the location of our final week of heART of Huntsville, and where I interned during the spring of 2017.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
HOH_26_3G_Mindi_Wilson_BW_Web
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

After experiencing what the gallery had to offer, we made our way across campus and stopped at our school’s newest art installation.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

As we paused under the 21-foot tall statue of the Raven, Houston-area artist and our guest of honor for the evening Mr. Ed Wilson gave a brief talk about the piece and what it took for him to create it. Mr. Wilson specializes in metal sculpture and is able to easily make metals seamlessly meld together in some areas or overlap to create texture in others, as is evident from the Raven sculpture.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

Not everyone knows the significance of the Raven as a part of Sam Houston State University’s history, but Sam Houston earned his nickname of “Colonneh,” or “The Raven” during his time living among the Cherokee nation.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson
HOH_48_Raven_Wilson_Web
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

Our next stop was the Gaertner Performing Arts Center. The Center is home to a variety of pieces by many different artists. The most easily noticeable is the hanging sculpture by James Surls. His 16 foot sculpture is made of metal and wood, and hangs from the ceiling of the Performing Arts Center. Our tour guide Professor Yawn told the group that the sculpture sometimes doesn’t get dusted because the janitorial crew aren’t quite sure how to get up there to do it. Opposite the door where the James Surls piece hangs sits a sculpture done by Jesus Moroles who when he was alive specialized in granite sculpture. Both Moroles and Surls are artists that I learned about during my time at the Wynne Home, and they each have pieces all across the nation.  There are also nice pieces by Charles Pebworth (who is also represented at the Wynne Home)…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

…and Jason Lawson, who does some amazing work with glass.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

SHSU is lucky to have some of their incredible works to call its own. 

After a tour of the Gaertner Performing Arts Center, our group made its way over to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences building where we had a buffet-style meal laid out. Dinner was a mix of Latin and Asian foods like black bean pico de gallo and egg rolls with sweet and sour sauce.  We all grabbed plates and took our seats in the conference-room-turned-dining-hall to listen to Mr. Wilson give a brief talk. He gave an overview of his career and other works that he’s completed, such as the giant mobile he was commissioned to create for the inside of the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson

It hangs from the 94-foot ceiling and had a special color-changing light display created for it.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, heART of Huntsville, Andy Emmons, Johnnie Swearingen, heART of Huntsville, Ed Wilson, George R. Brown Convention Center

Everyone in attendance seemed very interested in what Mr. Wilson had to say, and there were plenty of questions for him.  When it was over, the LEAP Ambassadors offered the evening’s participants rides back to their cars across campus. After everyone was dropped off safe and sound, we headed home.

Author mikeyawnPosted on November 13, 2018November 13, 2018Format AsideCategories Art, Civic EngagementTags Andy Emmons, Ed Wilson, heART of Huntsville, Johnnie Swearingen, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, SHSULeave a comment on The heART of the Campus: HOH, Week One

LEAP Ambassadors Are Involved!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Follow Us On Facebook!

Follow Us On Facebook!

Catch Up With Us

  • SHAIP Speaker Series January 28, 2023
  • The Waco Siege: 30 Years Later January 27, 2023
  • Civics 101: Gubernatorial Inauguration 2023 January 20, 2023
  • MLK Day: And Beyond January 17, 2023
  • Congressmen Kevin Brady’s Walker County Goodbye January 3, 2023

Join The Conversation!

Louis Parker on Minding Monkeypox: Expert Pane…
Arrival: Wichita… on Civics, History, and Citi…
mikeyawn on Emergency Services: A Leisurel…
Louis Parker on Emergency Services: A Leisurel…
Louis Parker on An Evening South of the Border…

Find Previous Posts

Jackson Pollock was born 111 years ago this past weekend, but the LEAP Ambassadors celebrate Pollock year-round!

We also have Twitter!

My Tweets

LEAPing Into LEARNing

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics Blog at WordPress.com.
  • Follow Following
    • Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics
    • Join 392 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...