Ball State University’s College of Fine Arts Highlights Arts Alive! Lecture and Extended Museum Exhibition

Topics: Arts and Culture, College of Fine Arts, Community Engagement, Muncie, Speakers, Student Activities

January 15, 2025

Ball State University's College of Fine Arts is presenting two exceptional cultural opportunities: a free Arts Alive! lecture featuring acclaimed artist Daniel Alexander Jones, and the extension of The Art of Elizabeth Catlett from the Collection of Samella Lewis at the David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) through Feb. 28, 2025.

These events underscore the college's dedication to fostering impactful and accessible arts programming.

Arts Alive! Presents Daniel Alexander Jones
Daniel Alexander Jones will deliver a compelling lecture as part of Ball State's Arts Alive! series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, in the Fine Arts Building Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Mr. Jones, known for his expansive body of work-including plays, music, essays, and performance art-examines the artist's role in energizing and transforming communities. His multidimensional approach invites audiences to explore the intersection of creativity and social connection.

"Daniel Alexander Jones' work illustrates the profound ways art can influence and inspire," said Dr. Seth Beckman, dean of the College of Fine Arts. "We're pleased to host this unique experience for the community."

Parking for the event is available in the McKinley Parking Garage (entrance on Ashland Avenue), located immediately south of Sursa Hall. Parking in this garage is free on Fridays after 7 p.m.

Elizabeth Catlett Exhibition Extended Through Feb. 28
The David Owsley Museum of Art has extended The Art of Elizabeth Catlett from the Collection of Samella Lewis through Feb. 28, 2025, providing additional opportunities for the public to engage with this significant exhibition during Black History Month.

The exhibition features works by Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012), a trailblazing sculptor and printmaker whose art addresses themes of social justice and empowerment. Curated from the collection of Dr. Samella Lewis, Catlett's student and lifelong friend, the exhibition showcases works such as Sharecropper and There Is a Woman in Every Color.

"Elizabeth Catlett's art continues to inspire conversations about equity, resilience, and identity," said Dr. Robert La France, director of DOMA. "We're pleased to provide additional time for visitors to experience this impactful collection."

The Art of Elizabeth Catlett from the Collection of Samella Lewis is organized by Landau Traveling Exhibition, Los Angeles, and was brought to Ball State by the Friends of the David Owsley Museum of Art.

DOMA is located at 2021 W. Riverside Ave. on Ball State's campus. The museum is open to the public from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with no admission fee.

Elizabeth Catlett, American (1915-2012), There Is a Woman in Every Color, 1975, linocut, screenprint and woodcut, 22 ¼ x 30 in., © Catlett Mora Family Trust/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.