Susanna Crum, assistant professor of fine arts in printmaking, will lead the Mid-America Print Council.
By Steven Krolak
(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–Susanna Crum, assistant professor of fine arts (printmaking), has been elected board president of the Mid-America Print Council (MAPC) for 2018-2020.
Crum becomes the second IU Southeast printmaking faculty member to lead the organization. Brian Jones, emeritus professor of fine arts, was president in 2000-2002.
“I’m excited to maintain the visibility of IU Southeast’s fine arts program on a national scale, in the hopes that this helps students and alumni gain professional opportunities and support,” Crum said.
The MAPC is the nation’s second-largest printmaking organization, promoting awareness and appreciation of traditional and contemporary forms of printmaking, according to its website.
In addition to functioning as a resource and community for institutions and individuals, and publishing the Mid-America Print Council Journal, the MAPC convenes a biennial conference that features speakers, workshops, panels, shows and exchanges. The last conference was held at IU Southeast. Crum played a leading role in organizing that event.
“My nomination and election was due in many ways to the hard work and support of many members of the IU Southeast faculty, administration and staff for hosting such a great MAPC conference on our campus in 2016,” Crum said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to apply what I learned co-hosting the conference to facilitating the educational and research missions of the organization.”
As president of the MAPC, Crum will oversee the efforts of the executive board and advise the organizers of the next biennial conference, “The Power of Print,” to be held at Kent State University in 2020.
Susanna Crum (l), assistant professor of fine arts, introduces color printing to students in a basic printmaking class.
Since joining IU Southeast in 2015, Crum has emphasized the need to prepare students to work as entrepreneurs and independent businesses to sustain their creative practices after graduation.
She sees a benefit for IU Southeast in her role as MAPC board president. Aside from bringing knowledge back to the classroom, Crum expects to amplify her teaching priorities to help students find avenues for support, funding and business acumen.
“A focus area of my teaching at IU Southeast is modeling for students the many ways to be an artist after graduation,” Crum said. “Connecting them with other creative practitioners, both peers and professionals, is a crucial part of this effort.”
Crum is not the only artist with an IU Southeast connection elected to the MAPC board at this time.
Kacey Slone ’18, currently pursuing a masters of fine arts degree at the University of Texas-Arlington, was elected student member-at-large for 2018-20.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have IU Southeast so well represented on the MAPC board, and look forward to working with a former student in a professional capacity,” Crum said.
Crum’s election marks a new chapter in an ongoing and productive relationship between IU Southeast and the MAPC. Besides Brian Jones’ tenure as president, Donna Stallard, senior lecturer of fine arts, was secretary from 2014-2016, and was a moving force behind the 2016 conference at IU Southeast, which brought more than 500 practitioners to campus.