Hard Work, Clear Vision and a Passion for the Institute Defined President David Deming’S Tenure
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Founded in 1882, The Cleveland Institute of Art is an independent college of art and design committed to leadership and vision in all forms of visual arts education. The Institute makes enduring contributions to art and education and connects to the community through gallery exhibitions, lectures, a continuing education pro- Link gram and The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. SPRING/summer 2010 NEWS FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART HARD WORK, CLEAR VISION AND A PASSION FOR THE INSTITUTE DEFINED PRESIDENT DAVID DEMING’S TENURE OUTGOING PRESIDENT RETIRES JUNE 30 One of David Deming’s favorite STUDENT YEARS: HARD WORK memories from his student days at AND HAPPY MEMORIES The Cleveland Institute of Art was Deming flourished as a student at The the day he got his first C. Cleveland Institute of Art in the 1960s, The year was 1962; the class was studying sculpture under Bill McVey ’28, first-year Life Drawing taught by Frank John Clague ’56 and Jerry Aidlin ’61; Meyers ’50. “It was the first time he working for John Paul Miller ’40 in the graded us and I got a C+. I don’t think CIA gallery for four years, and soaking I’d ever earned less than an A on any art up new ideas in Franny Taft’s art assignment. The other students all looked history classes. very upset and we compared notes at McVey, in particular, became a valued break time. It turned out I had the best mentor. “I had the privilege of working grade. So I immediately thought, ‘OK, I for Bill on a number of projects out at understand what’s going on; he’s raising his studio and one of the things I recog- the bar.’ I was OK with it. nized was that Bill was a people person; “After the break Myers had us pin he enjoyed going to parties and engag- up about 20 student drawings saved ing with all types of people, lawyers and from previous years. When I saw them I architects, and sure enough those were thought, ‘Oh my God, Michelangelo and the people that were usually in the posi- da Vinci must have come here.’ These tion to commission work from Bill. As I were absolutely stunning drawings. His tell students, if all of your friends are art- whole point was: ‘You think you’re good? ists, you’re in trouble. Being engaged with Work harder.’” a wider group of people and being a citi- The message sank in for Deming, whose zen is important, on a number of levels.” retirement from the presidency of the Deming is a “people person” too. Institute takes effect June 30. Since One classmate, Joanne Ball Tallarovic ’67, Myers raised the bar so many years ago, remembers him as “a jovial, good-looking “During David’s tenure, the Institute has his presidency, Deming would make it an “ David passionately cares overarching goal to re-unite the campus about the future of the CIA, become a much stronger art school both on one site, so the Institute’s diverse majors would all be together once again. an institution which gave programmatically and financially.” THE TEACHER AS STUDENT him his start as a success- Jack Katzenmeyer For Deming, teaching art was a natural ful and nationally known Longtime board member outgrowth of learning art. After graduat- sculptor. He is a role model ing from the Institute in 1967, he took Deming has been working hard at sculp- guy, always up to something.” Geri a position as a sculpture instructor at and an advocate for our ture, later at teaching, and most recently Meldon ’68, remembers Deming “strutting Boston University. “I learned two impor- students.” higher education administration. along in the hallways, radiating energy tant things at BU. One was I was going And according to colleagues and com- and a sense of inner smile.” A metals to enjoy teaching on a college level. Jennie Jones munity members alike, that hard work has major, Meldon recalls Deming stopping by The other was I was going to be paid 22-year member, paid off for the Institute in the 12 years the metals studio regularly to chat with based on my degree. With a BFA, I got Board of Directors of his presidency. professor and silversmith Fred Miller ’40. $5,000 for being an instructor for the year “During David’s tenure, the Institute “When I was a student at the Institute, at Boston University in 1967. I decided has become a much stronger art school, we were all in one building,” Deming that I really did want and need to go to both programmatically and financially,” said. “It was crowded, but… when you’re graduate school.” said Jack Katzenmeyer, a 15-year board crowded, you have people running into Deming loved his time at Cranbrook member and chair for six years of each other and having dialogs about Academy of Art, where he earned an Deming’s presidency. “He has demon- their work and their ideas and that was MFA in 1970. After graduation, he was strated clear vision and strong leadership what was exciting about The Cleveland appointed to the faculty of the University in guiding the Institute through some Institute of Art. We all felt we were of Texas at El Paso where he taught for difficult economic times.” students in the art school and it didn’t two years. When an opportunity opened, matter what your major was.” he took a faculty position at the University The Institute has had a split campus of Texas at Austin, the famously artsy for more than a quarter of a century, city, where he spent the next 26 years. with some majors housed in the Joseph For 24 of those years he taught; his last McCullough Center for the Visual Arts two years there he served as a dean; and on Euclid Avenue, and others in the Gund all that time he continued to sculpt. Building on East Boulevard. From early in Continued on page 2 1006237_12pg.indd 1 6/11/10 6:30:20 PM He extended himself to the commu- DEMING RETIRES nity as the public face of CIA, joining CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the county commissioners’ task force on economic development, serving on and “I loved teaching,” he said. “If you keep chairing the Cuyahoga County Board of exposing yourself to young minds, it Developmental Disabilities, and serving keeps you going. It keeps you question- on the boards of Cleveland Metropolitan ing even what you’re doing. Is it relevant? School District’s John Hay School of You’re always on your toes. And like any Architecture and Design, the Economic good teacher, I continue to learn from all Development Work Group for Cuyahoga the people that are around me. A good County, and the Artist Archives of the teacher never stops being a student.” Western Reserve. He was invited to join the 50 Club of “A good part of the reason for CREATIVE LEADERSHIP Cleveland, an organization of the area’s The curiosity and creativity that fueled David’s success has been his top business and civic leaders. “Every Deming’s artwork and kept him on his time I go to the 50 Club, I try to sit at own cheerful, positive, and toes in the classroom also piqued his a different table and talk to someone interest in pursuing roles of increasing Deming managed to get people moving indomitable personality, his I haven’t talked to before about the responsibility. At Texas, he served as chair around a few key ideas he articulated Institute. I recognize that as a president extraordinary energy, and of the Department of Art and Art History early in his presidency. (See timeline of the of an institution, that’s where you need from 1991 until 1996; interim dean of Deming years on pages 6 and 7.) He realized to focus your attention… or raising funds his congeniality.” the College of Fine Arts for the 1996–97 that CIA needed to: simply won’t happen.” school year; and dean of the college for W fund more visiting artists Ann Albano Awareness of CIA has grown, locally the 1997–98 year. He became president W establish a digital arts major Executive Director and nationally. And so has awareness of of CIA in 1998. W beef up professional and career Deming. “David knows the local com- The Sculpture Center “Moving into administration was an preparation for students munity and they know him,” said Tom opportunity for me to really find out how W transition from a five-year to a four- Schorgl, president and CEO of the things work in higher ed, how money year curriculum, since fewer and fewer Cleveland-based Community Partnership flows, how decisions get made, what the families were able to afford five years for Arts and Culture. “There are people structure was. Sculptors sort of have to of undergraduate tuition in business, in government, and in other know what’s inside; what’s outside; does W unify its campus and educational institutions who know him it all fit together? W stabilize its finances and appreciate the fact that he has been “The other reason I like working in Those last two were the biggest, most eager to be a community player. He really administration is I genuinely like people, immediate challenges Deming faced. connects with the community.” even difficult people. In academia there In 2006, the board authorized fundrais- are a lot of very smart, ambitious, aggres- SIGHTS SET ON SINGLE CAMPUS ing for the campus project.