For the first time ever and in honor of the Leatherby Libraries’ 20th anniversary, we are thrilled to announce the extension of the 8th Annual Staff Art Exhibit through October 2024! This extension provides both new and returning students with the chance to explore the exceptional artistic talents of Chapman University’s staff, librarians, and faculty. It also offers us a special opportunity to honor and celebrate those who make Chapman University extraordinary during this milestone anniversary.

Showcasing the Artistic Talents of Chapman Staff Inside the 2024 Staff Art Exhibit at Leatherby Libraries

The Leatherby Libraries is thrilled to host the 2024 Staff Art Exhibit, which can now be enjoyed in the Leatherby Libraries Hall of Art on the Library’s First Floor. This beautiful exhibition proudly showcases over 30 captivating art pieces across various mediums, including photography, oil paintings, woodworking, crochet, costume design, and much more. The artistic contributions of our talented Chapman University Staff Members from various departments across the university are proudly displayed for all to admire. This cherished exhibition stands as a testament to the incredible artistic talents of the Chapman University Staff. It is a tradition deeply treasured by all at the Leatherby Libraries.

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the Leatherby Libraries hosted the Opening Reception for the 8th Annual Staff Art Exhibit. This event took place during the 2024 Staff Summer Festival, allowing it to serve as a perfect opportunity to celebrate and appreciate our dedicated staff artists’ remarkable creativity and artistic flair. We invite you to continue reading to learn more about our featured artists and their works.

About Our Artists

 

“Loophabet”: A Musical Collection of Alphabetical Loops by JD Akles-Park.

James “JD” Akles-Park

James “JD” Akles-Park is a Chapman 2012 graduate who grew up overseas loving cartoon and movie soundtracks. They studied theater tech, and have worked on numerous projects, most notably sound designing the world premiere of “If All The Sky Were Paper.” JD designs lights at Chapman Auditorium inside Memorial Hall and is happy to work on any event you want to host there. You can find more of their music at YouTube.com/@TheOtherDimensions.

 

Alyssa Castanon

“Shades of Blush”: A crochet blanket by Alyssa Castanon

Alyssa is the Outreach and Events Assistant at the Leatherby Libraries. She graduated from Chapman in 2023 with a BA in Political Science and BA in Communication Studies. Alyssa is the fourth generation of crocheters in her family. Her great-grandma crocheted afghans and Christmas ornaments that the family treasures to this day. Alyssa loves to crochet with her grandma and mom, who have taught her new stitches that have made their way into her projects. In addition to crochet, Alyssa loves anything related to the arts and can often be found enjoying media in one fashion or another. This is Alyssa’s first year participating in the Staff Art Exhibit and helping organize it, and she is very excited to see the different forms of artistic expression!

 

Stephanie Chavez pictured with her photograph collection “Tales of a Backpacker.”

 

Stephanie Chavez

Stephanie is an avid mountaineer, a backpacker, a thru-hiker who has completed the entire John Muir Trail, and a rock climber! She is currently climbing all of California’s highest mountains. Enjoy these beautiful remote landscapes taken by Stephanie during her adventures!

 

 

Hannah Clausen

Born and raised in Orange, CA, Hannah dreams of riding horses in distant lands like coastal Irish towns and English countryside estates—though her heart truly remains in her hometown. While currently on a mission to watch all the Best Picture Oscar winners, her life’s true joy is found in the simple moments at home with her husband and two daughters and in the few moments alone to read whatever book she’s currently checked out from the library. Hannah’s art is crafted purely for the joy of creation, often an activity amidst friends, family, and wine. Hannah is the Academic Operations Manager at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and has been at Chapman for seven years.

“Happy Little Trees and Things”: A collection of miniature paintings by Hannah Clausen.

 

“Girlhood”: A printed digital painting by Amelia Holzer.

 

Amelia Holzer

Before joining the field of higher education, I worked as an art therapist for nearly a decade. In addition to working in Disability Services (for over three years), I am also a doctoral student at the Attallah College of Educational Studies, with an emphasis in Disability Studies. My trajectory with art making has not been linear and continues to evolve in form (from graphite on paper to fibers and now digital art). Still, I have always taken inspiration from pop culture, magazines, fashion, and moments in history to illustrate.

 

 

 

Hicsumy Jiménez

“Progress” and “It’s Not By Birthday” (left to right): Oil paintings by Hicsumy Jiménez.

My name is Hicsumy Jiménez; I am from La Mirada, California. I am 22 years old and have been painting and exploring many different art mediums since I was 14 in high school. Over the years, I have expressed my feelings and experiences through art. I believe that even the smallest of moments can greatly impact one’s life. Most of my art reflects experiences that have impacted me or made me feel something. I graduated with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art from California State University Dominguez Hills. I was featured in my senior art show in high school and a showcase for my sculpture class at Cal State Dominguez Hills titled Insistent in 2023. More of my work can be found on my Instagram, @flashbulbmemories_vbo.

 

Kristin Laughtin-Dunker demonstrating how she used her loom to create her work “Woven Bands” at the 2024 Staff Art Exhibition Opening Reception.

 

Kristin Laughtin-Dunker

Kristin Laughtin-Dunker is the Chair of Resources & Scholarly Communications at Chapman University and is interested in anything related to textiles. She’s a self-taught sewist mainly focused on clothing and costumes, who has also taken up weaving in the last few months (inkle loom and card weaving).

 

 

 

“Death of True Love”: Costume Design by Matthew Martinez.

Matthew Martinez

Matthew Martinez aspired to be like his mother from a young age; he wanted to be creative and make beautiful things just as she did. When Matthew was 7, he began dancing and singing lessons. Matthew stepped into theater as a performer at 16. He was in show choir during high school, where his love for musical theatre grew. With an infatuation for fashion, Matthew went into costume design during his undergraduate years at the University of New Mexico, where he designed his first main stage production. He studied costume design at the University of California, Irvine, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in Drama with an emphasis in Costume Design in 2020. Matthew is currently working on his second wearable art submission to the World of Wearable Art (W.O.W.) Show, a renowned design competition held annually in Wellington, New Zealand.

 

 

Ana Munandar

“Makerspace Art Works”: A 3-D printed wheel of fifths, and 3 laser engraved keychains by Ana Munandar.

I am the Reference Librarian and Liaison to the Attallah College of Educational Studies. My love for music goes beyond just listening; it includes learning music theory. Many jazz musicians can explain the theory behind their plays and love talking about music theory. Those beautiful sounds are not random; there are theories behind them! When considering what to make at the Lab, I thought of things I could carry everywhere to help me learn music. I am so grateful to be able to explore my interests and make creative items at Chapman’s Design/Create/Innovate (DCI) Lab, which is a makerspace. I utilized a laser cutter for the Spotify and piano keyboard keychains and a 3D printer for the circle of fifths model. Laser cutters and 3D printers are only two of the many cutting-edge pieces of equipment available! I look forward to exploring other maker equipment and am thankful that the Lab is available to staff.

 

“Harmony in Heritage: Yoga Across Ancient Wonders”: A photographic exhibit by Essraa Nawar.

Essraa Nawar

Essraa Nawar is the Assistant Dean for Library DEI Initiatives and Development at the Leatherby Libraries. Essraa’s diverse educational background and multifaceted career reflect her unwavering commitment to bridging cultural divides and celebrating diversity. Essraa was recently chosen by Forbes to be the face of their campaign celebrating Arab American Heritage. She was recognized as one of Top 30 Egyptian Women Abroad, one of California’s Women of Influence, one of Orange County’s most influential people, and in 2024 she was named as one of the Top 40 Women of Egypt. She is currently the co-host of the podcast Information Gone Wild and the host of the TV show: Salon Essraa: The TV Show Telling Stories One Egyptian Expat at a Time. Essraa is an avid yoga practitioner, interfaith advocate, photographer, world traveler, writer and storyteller.

 

Thomas Piechota

“Carrot Wood Bowl”: A wood-carved bowl by Thomas Piechota.

Dr. Thomas Piechota is Interim Dean of the Fowler School of Engineering, Professor of Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy at Chapman University, and Co-Director of the Grand Challenges Initiative. He received his BS in Civil Engineering in 1989 from Northern Arizona University, his MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 1993 from UCLA, and his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 1997 from UCLA. He has co-authored more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, and reports, and his work has been cited more than 4600 times. Dr. Piechota is a licensed Professional Engineer in California. Dr. Piechota is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He started woodworking about 25 years ago, learning from his father, a master of woodworking. Additionally, Dr. Piechota likes spending time with family, skiing, hiking, and serving his community.

 

“Pete the Planter”: A hand-formed planter of Chapman University’s beloved mascot Pete the Panther by Sandra Rogoff.

Sandra Rogoff

My name is Sandra Rogoff. I have worked at Chapman University for five years. I have always had a love for art and was fortunate to grow up in an environment that fostered the arts. My middle school art teacher loved to work with all mediums so that we could dabble in different styles, which gave me more confidence to try out and attend the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA). I like to create art for friends and family. I often make decorations and centerpieces for holidays and birthdays. While I enjoy working with different mediums, my recent focus has been sculpting.

 

Annie Tang

“Wonder Librarian’s Crown, Gauntlets, and Sword”: Cosplay items handcrafted by Annie Tang.

Annie Tang is the University Archivist, the Chair of Special Collections and Archives, and the Subject Librarian for Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. At Chapman, she serves on the Japanese American Incarceration Memory Project committee, which amplifies Japanese American incarceration history through outreach around the Munemitsu-Sasaki Family Collection. Annie also raises awareness of Chicano history through collections related to the Mendez v. Westminster federal court case, which desegregated white-only and Mexican-only public schools in Orange County, California. An archivist at heart, she has worked for several repositories, including those at the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Santa Cruz; and Johns Hopkins University.

 

“An Unexpected Song”: An acrylic painting on canvas by Marcia Totten.

Marcia Totten

Currently working part-time as an Operations Assistant at Musco Center for the Arts, Marcia has had a creative bent most of her life. She worked in paper arts for many years and owned a rubber stamping business. Teaching stamping classes and selling at craft stores was part of her business, Stampideedoodah. For Marcia, the focus became creating cards, gift bags, and wall art with papers and embellishments. With the lockdown of 2020, Marcia’s time with Disney Weddings eased, and she was able to concentrate on a few projects that had been on the back burner, such as creating a children’s book and exploring other art techniques. Thus, the joy of acrylic painting was born. Lots (and lots) of canvases later, Marcia would like to share her work with you.

 

“Daisies” and “Falling” (left to right): Digitally designed poetry posters by Madalynn Wible.

Madalynn Wible

My name is Madalynn, and I’ve been working at the Leatherby Libraries as a Circulation Assistant for over a year. I graduated from Whittier College in 2023 with a BA in Digital Art and Creative Writing. I will start my master’s degree program at San Jose State University in August. I plan to earn my MLIS (Master’s in Library and Information Science) and become a full-time librarian while continuing to write and publish poetry in my free time. My ultimate life goal is to write, design, and publish a poetry book that combines beautiful graphics and ethereal prose to illuminate an intimate part of my innermost self.

* During the Academic Year 2024-2025, Leatherby Libraries proudly celebrates 20 years of supporting the academic experience at Chapman University.