WT’s Melton Gets Fired Up Over New Artistic Medium in ‘Face!’ Exhibition

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — A West Texas A&M University’s art faculty member’s explorations of a new medium are on view in an exhibition open now.

“Face!” by Marcus Melton, an associate professor of art in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, is on view through Sept. 30 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery in Mary Moody Northen Hall. An opening reception is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 7.

Melton moves from graphic design, which he has taught at WT since 2008, into ceramics, producing a series of striking visages in clay, on platters, vessels and sculptures.

“I’ve had some previous ceramics experience, but these pieces come from a rediscovery of my appreciation of the medium,” said Melton, a WT graduate who earned his MFA in graphic design from the University of Tennessee. “It’s nice to take a break from the digital world and get my hands dirty again.”

The exhibition, in fact, feels like a reinvention, he said.

“I’m still very passionate about graphic design, but I love ceramics,” he said. “I hope students get that message from seeing me work across different disciplines—to not get boxed in, to not allow anyone to put you in a box.”

Melton’s new work also highlights the cross-disciplinary spirit of WT’s Department of Art, Theatre and Dance, said Jon Revett, art program director.

“Though Marcus is our graphic design professor, ‘Face!’ highlights his acumen as an artist,” said Revett, who also serves as WT’s Doris Alexander Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts. “He breaks down the barriers between mediums even further by drawing on his plates, and the quality of his draftsmanship underlines the importance of the hand in all art forms, including graphic design.”

Melton, who teaches graphic design, typography, illustration and more, has earned several American Advertising Awards. He has exhibited work around the country and in London.

Fitz Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and by appointment Fridays and Saturdays. Email jrevett@wtamu.edu.

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021— has raised more than $125 million and will continue through 2025.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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