Pacific Union College | Department of Visual Arts Newsletter: Fall 2011

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NOVEMBER 3, 2011

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PUC Offers Unique Film and Theater Studies A.S.

Pacific Union College students are now able to combine two creative fields, the stage and the screen, into one degree with the associate's in film and theater studies.

By Katelynn Christensen
Pacific Union College students are now able to combine two creative fields, the stage and the screen, into one degree with the associate's in film and theater studies. The range of interdisciplinary coursework now available to PUC students through this program is sufficient to stand alone as the foundation of a career or to supplement any four-year degree.

The new joint degree is the only one of its kind within the Seventh-day Adventist system and is a rare find in higher education at large.

"We're very, very excited about this new A.S. degree," says Rodney Vance, director of the film and television program. "It provides an opportunity for students who have a strong interest in [the areas of film and theater] to get strong training that will benefit them no matter what career they choose."

In addition to a core curriculum that offers exposure to film production, theater, and writing, the degree features three emphases to suit diverse student goals. "We felt there was much to be gained by combining our two programs since our film students need experience working with actors, and our drama students need more experience with the technical side of production," says English department chair Cynthia Westerbeck. "An interdisciplinary program offers students a wider range of faculty and learning experiences."

Students with a primary interest in acting may select an emphasis in performance. This track includes courses like voice and speech, movement, and Shakespeare in performance. Such training is valuable for those pursuing a career in front of the camera or involvement in community theater. It also provides a useful dimension of training for students pursuing PUC's bachelor's degree in film and television.

Those interested in a production-oriented curriculum may choose the technical emphasis. This specialization includes coursework in sound design, editing, cinematography, and marketing and distribution. It provides a basis for entry-level work in technical and production assisting. The emphasis also provides skills useful to students preparing for a career utilizing media, such as journalism or public relations.

Students wishing to focus on the use of language to relate stories may opt for the narrative/writing emphasis. This curriculum involves classes such as short script writing, screenwriting, Bay Area theater, and film history. This track is an opportunity for students to develop their writing and storytelling abilities.

Summer Study Tour

The Visual Arts Department is going on an art history summer study tour this summer.

New Students

Let's welcome & mentor our 40+ new students at the Visual Arts Department this Fall.

Film Festivals

A program of Student-Made films and videos in Fisher Hall 206 Screening Room.

Visit the di Rosa Art Preserve

Join the Visual arts department for a rare opportunity to visit the di Rosa Art Preserve in Napa's Carneros district.

Art Seniors Show Thesis Projects

Fifteen PUC visual art seniors displayed their thesis projects at Rasmussen Art Gallery on Saturday evening, May 14, 2011, as the venue swelled with an overflow crowd.

Alumni News

Recent Alumni: Where are they now?

Stained Glass Skylight Installed in Scales Chapel

Bob Pappas, who teaches Stained Glass Design and recent fine arts/graphic design graduate Cabel Bumanglag volunteered to design and create the new stained glass pinnacle for Scales Chapel.

By Lauren Armstrong
In spring 2011, the Pacific Union College Church pastoral staff decided that it was time to do something about the stained glass window in the roof of Scales Chapel. The original stained glass was installed in the 1970s, in what was then called the Youth Chapel. Years later, the joints had begun to weaken and leak. The situation became so bad that a board had to be placed under the window to protect people from falling glass.

John Hughson, PUC Church administrative pastor, contacted Robert Pappas, ’76, to take a look at the ceiling. Pappas taught in the art department at PUC from 1977-1981 and has been an art glass professional for 30 years. He also did repair work on the stained glass windows in the church three years ago.

After looking at the glass, Pappas knew it needed to be replaced. “I thought that an art student could donate their time and then have a significant commission to have in their portfolio,” Pappas says. He recommended Cabel Bumanglag, who graduated with a fine arts degree from PUC in 2010 and had studied stained glass. Bumanglag agreed to volunteer his time.

To launch the renovation, Bumanglag and Pappas set to work devising a plan. Bumanglag came up with three different designs and color schemes, meeting with the church numerous times to narrow it down. Bumanglag noted that the stained glass windows in the chapel were of two varieties: one with a rough edge and the other with a geometric design. “I was trying to bring the two together and mix something of my own with it,” he says. The outcome was an abstract sunburst design and a color scheme that coordinates with the other stained glass windows in the chapel.

The project took Bumanglag and Pappas about three months to complete. To honor his commitment, Bumanglag stayed with the project to the end and did not take a summer job. The project was completed September 30, 2011.

The skylight now houses a total of 16 windows, made up of eight sections of glass, with two panels in each section. The new sections of stained glass are only about 1/8 inch thick and weigh about 60 pounds—approximately one-third what the old glass weighed. Bumanglag and Pappas also installed rebar reinforcement to ensure that the skylight will be stable into the future.

About 10 colors of stained glass are included, from sources including Germany, Washington, and Iowa. Spotlights situated inside, near the bottom of each panel and turned on each night at sunset, create a beacon that can be seen from the cafeteria, the library, and a number of other locations on campus.

Tim Mitchell, head pastor of the PUC Church, says of the skylight: “It will enable beautiful colored light to create a quiet ambience in Scales Chapel, just as the building was originally designed to have.”

There will be a dedication ceremony for the skylight on November 5 at 4:30 p.m. in Scales Chapel. The public is welcome and the event is free.

Welcome New Faculty

Let's welcome our new Visual Arts Faculty!

Upcoming Exhibition at the Rasmussen Art Gallery

Tim Fleming, Clarity of Vision: Scanner Photography