Valerie Mann has been showing her work professionally throughout the US and in Canada and Germany for 23 years. She grew up on a large family farm in Indiana, went to University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana to earn a BFA in painting, then to MSU to earn an MFA in sculpture. Now working and teaching in Ann Arbor, Mann’s use and study of tools inspired this body of work. Used every day and sometimes taken for granted, tools are indispensable in the making of art. These favorite tools are beautifully designed and well-thought out for their specific job.

A driving force in Monte Nagler’s artist quest is to have others see the world in a finer light and to appreciate life a little more. He has the ability to make visible what others can only sense, sharing with viewers the emotional beauty he experiences. Nagler’s photographs, which have won numerous awards, are found in many private and public collections, including the Detroit Institute of Art, the U-M Museum of Art and the Grand Rapids Art Museum. He is also a noted writer, lecturer and teacher of photography and the author of six highly successful photography books.

By day, Jean-Marc Fontaine is a molecular biologist, and by night and weekend, he is an artist. He spent his childhood and youth in Normandy, France, and his dream of becoming a scientist grew together with his imagination and passion for oil painting and drawing. After moving to the US in 1998, Fontaine became fascinated with sculpting. This self-taught artist explores funny and familiar subjects, with close attention to details in human anatomy. Viewers will meet French, Belgian, British and American characters. Fontaine hopes that “…these cartoon characters will bring a smile to patients (children and adults, alike).”

Elizabeth Busey has been inspired by global travel to explore the forces that shape our world – growth, pressure, erosion and decay. Through this exploration, she highlights patterns from many disparate perspectives in order to celebrate their universality in the natural world. Her work is created by printing multiple layers of ink onto cotton rag paper, where a single linoleum block is gradually reduced with each color layer. Busey is a primarily self-taught printmaker who produces her work in Bloomington, Indiana on a press made of recycled steel.

Traditional kunqu, a genre of classical Chinese theatre, comes alive in the large scale photographs of Xu, Zengquan. The viewer experiences the personalities of the characters and the spirit of the dance, opening a window into traditional Chinese culture and history. Now a local practicing engineer, Xu was born into a family of 10 brothers and sisters, in Jiangsu, China, and discovered his passion for photography in his teens. His work has been published by the Smithsonian Institution. Gifts of Art is pleased to present this exhibition in partnership with the U-M Confucius Institute.

Darryl Baird is Associate Professor of Art at U-M Flint in graphic design and photography. This body of photographic work is a series of highly magnified plant sections offered as homage to natural life cycles and the inherent potential for beauty in mature forms. These images are a means to explore the cycles of all living things and a way to find understanding through the process. For this series, Baird used antique lenses and the now discontinued Polaroid Positive/Negative 55 film. His work is included in the collections of the Detroit Institute of Art, Museum of Fine Art in Houston, Texas and U-M Museum of Art in Ann Arbor.

This year, Gifts of Art celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Employee Art Exhibition! This eagerly anticipated annual event showcases the exceptional talent and creativity of the people who work at the University of Michigan Health System, and for the first time this year, family members too! There are ribbon awards for Best in Category and Best in Show, and a People's Choice award will be determined by the votes of visitors to the exhibit. Winners will be announced at the Artist Reception and Award Ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 from 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the exhibition gallery, which will be hosted by Dr. Ora H. Pescovitz, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs.

Visit the Pierpont Commons Wall Gallery located just outside of the Commons Cafe to see this beautiful exhibit featuring framed photography of nature in North America.

​Photographs by Artists: Sue and Dick Rigterink

Artist Statement: These images communicate the diversity, characteristics, habitats, behavior, and beauty of the plants and animals with whom we share the earth. Rather than simply looking, we hope you will pause, observe and really see. By stopping movement, the patterns and grace of those around us are there for us to learn from, enjoy and protect.

The exhibit will be displayed until Friday, September 28th.

All pieces in the exhibit are for sale. Please contact the Center for Campus Involvement (uminvolvement@umich.edu) if you are interested in purchasing art from this exhibit.

Travel, an essential activity of human societies, has evolved into an industry with social, economic and environmental impacts. From pilgrimage and exploration to trade and tourism, advances in transportation have enabled new types of travel and created new places, some existing solely for the vacationer. This exhibition highlights changes in travel including information on early pilgrimages, exploration narratives, the grand tour of Europe, women travellers, World’s Fairs, the birth of the family vacation and specialized tourism using maps and narratives from the Library collections.

The exhibit "Translating Homer: from Papyri to Alexander Pope" includes papyri and early printed books illustrating how the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems originally composed in the oral tradition, were first written down, edited, and eventually translated into the main European languages. This journey of transmission and interpretation throughout the centuries ends with the first editions of Alexander Pope’s renderings of the poems.

Visitors to the exhibit will hear a series of readings from the poems in the original Greek and in several other languages, including Latin, English, Dutch, and Spanish.

The exhibit is part of the LSA Fall 2012 theme semester, Translation.

Call 734-764-0352 for exhibit availability.

Visit the Michigan Union Art Lounge to see this art exhibit featuring landscape oil on canvas paintings from some of the most beautiful places in Michigan.

Exhibit: “Beautiful Michigan” - Landscape Paintings, Oil on Canvas

Artist: Anil Dhir

Artist Statement: For a painter, Michigan offers one of the most beautiful landscapes, whether here in Ann Arbor, up-north or anywhere else. These paintings are my attempt to capture some of the Michigan beauty. I believe that a great painting is a like a beautifully composed piece of music. My wish is to create a painting with a simple aim of honestly capturing the very essence of what I saw, and be able to make the viewer feel what I felt. (To read the full artist statement, please visit campusinvolvement.umich.edu, it is also posted with the exhibit.)

The exhibit will be displayed until Friday, October 5th.

All pieces in the exhibit are for sale. Please contact the Center for Campus Involvement (uminvolvement@umich.edu) if you are interested in purchasing art from this exhibit.

Please note: The Center for Campus Involvement (CCI) provides opportunities for student and professional artists to display work suitable for a general audience. CCI hosting an artist’s work does not mean we endorse the artist’s point of view; we recognize the free speech rights of our exhibitors.

Canan Tolon’s paintings and installations serve as visual records of the passing of time. Each swipe captures the gesture as well as the memory of the gesture, now already in the past. Each panel appears to duplicate itself beyond any final tally, proliferating in the room.

Upon first glance, Tolon’s constructs evoke a sense of freedom in their repetition. They appear infinite, suggestive of vast open spaces, like the modern landscapes viewed out of a train window, or the documentary film reels from the mid- twentieth century. They draw us in, inviting our dreams and interpretations. In this momentary introspection, we contemplate our own histories.

Then, like the first day of any highly anticipated tomorrow, after the proverbial summer full of expectation…expecting things to change, to be different, to be new again, we are struck with a profound disillusionment, stranded in a place full of promise that never delivers. In a turn, the world of photographic familiarity Tolon has created collapses in on itself. — Amanda Krugliak, arts curator

This Institute for the Humanities original installation was made possible by the generosity of the 2012 Kidder Residency in the Arts. The installation is based on Canan Tolon’s observations and experiences during her time in Ann Arbor, and many of the materials used are salvage materials from her visits to Detroit architectural yards.

John Milton stated that his purpose is “to assert eternal providence and justify the ways of God to men,” while William Blake claimed that “Milton ... was a true poet and of the Devil’s party without knowing it.” We will read and discuss about five complete books of "Paradise Lost", and excerpts from others. Recommended edition: "John Milton, Paradise Lost", ed. David Kastan, Merritt Hughes, Hackett, 3rd edition (2005). Frances McSparran is an emerita member of U-M’s Department of English.

Learn more about the Multicultural Greek Council and its member fraternities and sororities by visiting all the tables set up in the DIAG.

Thurnau Prof. of Dance Peter Sparling’s screendance installation, Clonal Renderings will be shown as part of: I know you’re there, but who am I?: Explorations of Identity and Place. This juried exhibition explores the intersection of identity and place. How does place shape identity? How does identity shape the places we choose to inhabit? Gallery hours 12PM-7PM

Representatives from Duke NUS will informally meet with students over light lunch refreshments. The Duke-NUS program in Singapore is a unique collaboration between two universities: Duke University in the US and the National University of Singapore. Graduates from this four-year long program are awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) jointly by Duke University and NUS. See more info about the Duke NUS program at: http://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/index.php.

Sponsored by the UM Career Center

Presenter: Leslie McGraw, Owner and Founder of Les Go Social Media Training & Professional Services

In using social media, your personal and professional worlds can get blurred on many levels, and many users -young and old - often forget just how "public" the Internet can be! You can still post personal information but being strategic about content can help you protect your privacy and demonstrate to potential employers your level of maturity.

This workshop will help you to find ways to:

· engage in social media that will protect you from long-term consequences or embarrassment

· find your voice and stage as an adult

· connect with other people and organizations that share your values, and

· create a platform to be noticed for your good deeds, special talents and skillsets.

Developing your personal brand now can help you create the kinds of relationships that will fuel and guide your current and future career in a positive way.

PROGRAM: Bach - Fantasia super Komm, heiliger Geist, BWV 651; Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654; Mendelssohn - Sonata no. 4 in B-flat Major, op. 65

The University of New South Wales is a member of the prestigious Australian "Group of Eight," which is a coalition of leading Australian universities, intensive in research and comprehensive in general and professional education.

Students earn 16-18 credits per term while choosing from a full range of course offerings from the university. University of Michigan students will take classes with Australian and International degree seeking students. A wide range of subjects are offered in the Arts, Australian and Indigenous Studies, Architecture and Design, Business and Economics, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Media and Communications. There are opportunities for internships for academic credit and volunteering

Come to our info session to learn more and to meet the Director of the Global Education Office!

CGIS Office

Participants will write about memories of times, people and places important to them. The stories will be read aloud to the group, discussed, and suggestions made. The discussions are lively, helpful, and they elicit additional memories. The class will be guided by Zibby Oneal, who has published books and stories based on her memories of earlier times.

Wednesdays, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. September 12 - December 12

This discussion group is for people interested in what’s happening at the local, national, and global level. All opinions receive a courteous hearing. No materials or special expertise required. Just bring an open mind and a good sense of humor.

Wednesdays, September 12 - December 19, Norm McIver

This is a class for those who want to review the Spanish that they have studied and want to increase their ability to speak, read and understand the language. We will have oral practice, grammar exercises and reading. Please bring to class the following texts: “Complete Spanish Grammar” by Gilda Nissenberg (first edition, 2004) and “Better Reading Spanish” by Jean Yates (2003). Jeanne Van Ochten taught high school Spanish.

No class 11/7, 11/14, 11/21

This paper takes as a starting point the 2007 American documentary film Koryo Saram: The Unreliable People, which highlights both the tragedy and perseverance of Kazakhstan’s Korean population. Koryo Saram includes extensive footage of a 1946 documentary film entitled Kolkhoz “Avant-Garde”, produced by Soviet authorities to showcase a thriving Kazakhstani Korean collective farm. Koryo Saram correctly presents this film as raw Stalinist propaganda, but Kolkhoz “Avant-Garde” also bears traces of the inter-war Soviet Avant-Garde, in particular the documentary techniques of Dziga Vertov, Aleksandr Rodchenko, and Sergei Tret’iakov. That is, there is more to Kolkhoz “Avant-Garde” than meets the eye, and the paper argues that it reveals the tragedy not just of Soviet Koreans, but also of what I am calling the Ethnic Avant-Garde: a cross-racial, international grouping of artists who, in the 1920s and early 30s, looked to Moscow for ways of reconciling revolutionary politics, artistic innovation, and ethnic particularism. Turning from the two films, the paper then provides a broader mapping of the Ethnic Avant-Garde, which included, among others, both Korean American and Soviet Korean artists and writers. In short, I am proposing here a new, Soviet-centered model for bridging these two distinct branches of the Korean diaspora.

The Education Policy Initiative at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

presents

Income Inequality and Educational Outcomes

Sean F. Reardon Professor of Education Stanford University Wednesday, September 26 2012, 4:00 – 5:30pm Free and open to the public

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Betty Ford Classroom, 1110 Joan and Sanford Weill Hall 735 South State Street, Ann Arbor

Income Inequality and Educational Outcomes Income inequality among the families of school-age children in the US has grown sharply in the last 40 years. In this talk Dr. Reardon will describe his research findings from three studies that examine the relationship of income and income inequality to educational outcomes. The first focuses on trends in the ‘income achievement gap’ (the test score gap between children from high- and low-income families) over the last 50 years, using data from 13 nationally representative studies conducted between 1959-2009. The second investigates the relationships among income, achievement, and the selectivity of the colleges in which students enroll, using data from the high school classes of 1982, 1992, and 2004. The third study investigates the association between national income inequality levels and a country’s income achievement gap, using data from 19 OECD countries in 2001-2009. Dr. Reardon will conclude the talk with discussion of the causes and implications of patterns and trends identified in the research.

Sean F. Reardon Sean F. Reardon is professor of education and (by courtesy) sociology at Stanford University, and Director of the Stanford Interdisciplinary Training Program in Quantitative Education Policy Analysis. His scholarship focuses on the effects of education policy on educational and social inequality; on the causes, patterns, trends, and consequences of social and educational inequality; and in applied statistical methods for education research. His primary research examines the relative contribution of family, school, and neighborhood environments to racial/ethnic and socioeconomic achievement disparities. Most recently, he has written about the widening academic achievement gap between children from high- and low-income families and about the growth in residential segregation between high- and low-income families over the last 40 years. Sean received his doctorate in education in 1997 from Harvard University. He has been a recipient of a William T. Grant Foundation Scholar Award, a Carnegie Scholar Award, and a National Academy of Education Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The Education Policy Initiative (EPI) is a program of coordinated activities designed to bring the latest academic knowledge to issues of education policy.

This event is generously supported by Charles H. and Susan Gessner.

Are you planning to attend the Career Expo on October 2nd and 3rd? Are you interested in getting feedback on your resume for your upcoming job/internship search?

Then, sign up NOW to have your resume reviewed at The Career Center by a career advisor or guest employer as part of The Career Center's Resume Review Nights!

Resume Review Nights will be held on 9/25, 9/26, 9/27 and 10/1 from 5-8pm, by appointment. Sign up for an appointment on-line at http://careercenter.umich.edu/contact/makeappointment under "Special Services" or call us at 734-764-7460.

Can't attend our Resume Review Nights? Appointments can also be scheduled daily (8am-5pm) through The Career Center's website.

For more information about the Career Expo, visit us at www.careercenter.umich.edu.

This lecture is by Bob Brier, senior research fellow, Long Island University, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology Lecture Theatre.

All invited to this annual auction of bonsai and bonsai-related materials. Presented by Ann Arbor Bonsai Society.