Welcome back to Artifacts

John Siblik

Director, School of Art and Design

A few years have passed since you last received an issue of Artifacts. I am happy to bring Artifacts back and simultaneously bring you up to speed on this falls Jack Arends Hall 50th Anniversary Celebration, Check out our first events!

This issue of Artifacts gives me the opportunity to share information about our upcoming exhibits that celebrate recent works of art by our Art and Design Alumni. This in turn gives me a chance to introduce myself as the Director of the School of Art and Design at Northern Illinois University. Briefly, I was an undergraduate at Northern Illinois University, B.F.A., and B.S. Art Ed. ’88, and after 25 years of teaching and administration at all levels of education, I am very excited to be at Northern Illinois University.

We are all students. At NIU, I learned the value of research, a disciplined use of the creative process towards a sustained art practice, and the importance of engaging with a community of learners. Through my experiences at NIU and still now, I continue to realize the importance of engaged citizenship and the meaningful contributions artists and educators can make in our communities and beyond.

As a research focused university, it is our mission to “promote excellence and engagement in teaching and learning, research and scholarship, creativity and artistry, and outreach and service.” Through our shared values and diversity, we inspire students to become actively engaged learners.

Enjoy this issue of Artifacts. I encourage you to participate in our upcoming exhibits and events this fall.

50 Years • Jack Arends Hall

Help us celebrate. Update your contact information through our Alumni tab on the School of Art and Design web site. Plan a visit back to campus this fall and join the School of Art and Design in celebrating fifty years in Jack Arends Hall.

Lastly, as you well know, the NIU School of Art and Design is one of the best values for professional careers in art and design. Our Faculty of artists, designers and scholars are nationally and internationally renowned. You are part of a network of 10,000 NIU Art and Design alumni connecting our graduates to careers in art and design. Help us spread the word about the amazing opportunities available at the School of Art and Design at Northern Illinois University.

Kindly yours,

John Siblik, jsiblik@niu.edu