Devotional Archives - BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications

Q&A with Megan Sanborn Jones

Veronica Anderson — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 18:19:45 +0000

My go-to BYU Creamery ice cream flavor is… Pralines and Caramel. Three things that are always found in my refrigerator are… cheese, cheese and more cheese. The Joneses love cheese — fresh, aged, soft rind, semi-soft, blue — we love them all. One item on my bucket list is… to see the “Oberammergau Passion Play.” It only runs every 10 years and tells the entire story of Jesus’s life in a six-hour play. In German. Which I don’t speak. My family doesn’t speak it either, so it shows how much they love me that they are willing to come with me to see it! Read the full interview here.

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Devotional: The Transformative Power of Faith and Art

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 15:00:58 +0000

Janalee Emmer, Associate Director of Exhibitions and Programming of the Museum of Art, delivered Tuesday’s devotional address. In her career as an art historian and museum professional, Emmer has learned secular and spiritual lessons from the art she has studied. Emmer started by quoting Rosa Bonheur, a female painter in the nineteenth century: “My whole life has been devoted to improving my work and keeping alive the Creator’s spark in my soul. Each of us has a spark, and we’ve all got to account for what we do.” While Bonheur used her spark to open doors for women who would follow her, Emmer asked what we are doing to keep the Creator’s spark alive in our souls and develop our divine gifts. “The truth is that this search for your place, for excellence and for your particular aptitudes will be a lifelong pursuit,” she said. “While not all of us are artists, all of us need both creativity and inspiration to find our way. I believe that the arts and the gospel can guide us as we go, providing fresh perspectives, new ways of looking and much needed reassurance.” Emmer pointed to the book “Night” by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel as a formative piece of art that influenced her faith in God. Upon his arrival to Auschwitz, he and his father were separated from the rest of his family, and he witnessed firsthand the horrors of the Holocaust. The horrific circumstances Wiesel lived through affect how he describes his faith and relationship with God in his narrative. “Faith that is tested, wounded, but here, is a powerful, transformative kind of faith,” Emmer said. “That kind of faith recognizes that because we look through a glass darkly, we will still have questions. It is a faith that has battle scars but also enduring resonance.” Continue reading the article written by Kaylee Esplin on news.byu.edu.

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Cougar Query: “My favorite spot on campus is the MOA, of course!”

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 18:04:19 +0000

Name: Janalee Emmer BYU employee since: 2014 My job at BYU is … one of the best at BYU. I get to research and organize exhibitions, and I oversee educational programs at the Museum of Art. I also love working with and teaching BYU students. Currently I’m working on … so many projects! Several upcoming exhibitions, possible acquisitions, new ideas for tours and educational programs, just to name a few. I’m currently reading … a stack of books by my bedstand! I like a mix of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, biography and spiritual books. But, it takes me a while to get through them that way! Travel and study abroad … sparked my interest in my field. But, I did play the game Masterpiece a lot when I was young. It’s a board game where you become different art collectors, and buy and sell artwork at auction. I think it was my first real introduction to artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Cassatt, even before I knew who they were. When I have 30 minutes of free time, you can find me … learning to play the baritone ukulele. This has been my new COVID hobby; I’m definitely a beginner, but it has been very entertaining. My grandmother played all of the time, so it’s fun to think of her when I play. My advice to incoming freshmen is … take as many diverse classes as you can! You’ll never have the opportunity to study so many different things from experts. Continue reading the article written by Kaylee Esplin at news.byu.edu.

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Janalee Emmer to Speak on Waxing and Waning in Faith and Creativity

Noelle Barrus — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:48:39 +0000

On Tuesday March 9 at 11 a.m., Museum of Art Associate Director JanaLee Emmer will be speaking at the BYU devotional Janalee Emmer is an expert in studying and appreciating art. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from BYU, Emmer earned a doctorate from Pennsylvania State University with an emphasis on women artists in Paris during the nineteenth century. Emmer’s artistic endeavors continued at BYU in 2014 when she started working at the Museum of Art as a curator and the head of education and. She was appointed associate director of exhibitions and programming in August 2020. On March 9, Emmer will be sharing some of her professional and spiritual insights during the university devotional. “Both art and the gospel give us spaces to grow,” said Emmer. “The arts have so much to offer in terms of inspiring and uplifting us. I hope my devotional will help people give themselves space to let their faith wax and wane — without giving up.” Emmer sees art and creativity as important outlets for people from any academic discipline, because the arts provide new perspectives on life. For example, during her studies of nineteenth-century female artists, Emmer learned more about resilience. “We may not have personal experience with war or poverty or genocide, but when we look through another’s eyes, we can get those kinds of experiences,” said Emmer. “It’s critical to have art that can open our eyes to other perspectives. Art through centuries has told stories about how cultures lived, what they valued and how they survived difficult times.” Emmer will share her experiences combined with the experiences of renowned artists during her devotional on March 9 at 11 a.m. To watch her speak, visit byu.tv.org.

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Dance Professor Encourages Transformative Change

admin — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 21:50:36 +0000

BYU dance professor Pam Musil addressed students about the path of transformative change during a devotional on Tuesday, August 6. Musil shared the apostle Paul’s words in Romans 12:2, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed (through the) perfect will of God.” “The type of transformation that Paul speaks of implies a change from our carnal, natural state to a more godlike state wherein we can abide God’s presence,” said Musil. Musil discussed five principles she believes are requisite to take part in that kind of transformative change. Read the full article at universe.byu.edu or see the highlight video at speeches.byu.edu. Read additional coverage at news.byu.edu.

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Dance Professor Pam Musil to Speak at Devotional

Morgan Reis — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 21:01:36 +0000

The devotional will take place at 11 a.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall of the Harris Fine Arts Center. Pam Musil, professor of contemporary dance and dance education in the Department of Dance, will be speaking at the Summer BYU Devotional on August 6. Musil has taught courses on kinesiology for dancers and dance education at BYU for 26 years. In her teaching, Musil hopes to teach students about the correct practice, anatomy and function of the body to enable them to keep their bodies healthy and allow them to dance for a long time. “My greatest accomplishment as a dancer and educator is seen in the accomplishments of my students,” said Musil. “I am astounded by their many talents and accomplishments — I am humbled in knowing that I might have had a sliver of influence in their lives.” In addition to teaching at BYU, Musil’s work has been published in various journals of research, policy reviews and textbooks. She has presented at conferences across the U.S., Italy and China. She has also traveled to Mumbai and Bangalore to teach dance pedagogy workshops. Musil, a certified Franklin Method Educator (FME), currently serves on the Editorial Boards for the Journal of Dance Education and Arts Education Policy Review. Previously, she has served on the Board of Directors for the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and was the president of the Utah Dance Education Organization. At the end of 2018, Musil was featured in a documentary short, “And I continue — A conversation about dancing and aging,” which debuted at the National Dance Education Organization Conference.

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TMA Chair, Wade Hollingshaus, Presents Devotional

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 17:00:38 +0000

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Claudine Bigelow, Professor of Viola, Presents Devotional

Hailey Stevens — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 14:08:33 +0000

Claudine Bigelow, BYU professor of viola, the associate director of the school of music and the graduate coordinator, will deliver the devotional address this Tuesday, August 4, at the de Jong Concert Hall. In her address Bigelow will explore the topic of creativity and the spiritual connection it can help us have with our Heavenly Father. While it’s an attribute we often associate with the arts, it’s an important tool for finding our inner artist for every discipline at BYU. The scriptures teach us Heavenly Father is a deeply creative being, and He has made us to be that way too. Creativity helps us bring light to the world, our relationships, and find deep and satisfying joy. Bigelow has taken her gifts in music all over the world, performing in Europe and New Zealand, and furthering her study. She has also played with National and Utah Symphonies, national Chamber Orchestra and at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. She began playing the viola at age 14 but has been around music her whole life. When she was a baby her father played guitar every night. She then picked up the piano in third grade and played for her church as a teenager on a regular basis. At the age of 14 she was given the opportunity to attend a music summer camp with some of the greatest musical instructors of the day including Dr. Shinchi Suzuki, if she learned the viola. Since then Bigelow has dedicated her life to music and improving her talents through research and practice. “Music isn’t for showing that you’re talented or the best at something, because someone will always be better,” Bigelow says. “Music is for communicating love. Music can be one of the highest forms of spiritual communication.” READ MORE ABOUT CLAUDINE: Devotional info link: https://home.byu.edu/home/calendar/28717 Claudine and Guest artist perform http://music.byu.edu/2013/09/05/claudine-bigelow-guest-artist-to-perform-bartok-during-sept-7-recital/ Wiki: http://history.cfac.byu.edu/index.php/Claudine_Bigelow

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