“DAY OF THE (WALKING) DEAD:” ZOMBIE WALKS, DAY OF THE DEAD PROCESSIONALS, AND A HANDS-ON ART WORKSHOP @ Southern Utah University’s Department of Art and Design, Springville Museum of Art, and Utah’s StateWide Art Partnership (10/1 Cedar City)

WHAT:             SUU Professor and zombie expert Dr. Kyle Bishop will explore the transformation of zombies in pop culture, and the relationship of “zombie walks” to the Mexican Day of the Dead Processionals. This is followed by a hands-on, shoe-decorating art workshop

WHO:               Southern Utah University’s Department of Art and Design, Springville Museum of Art, and Utah’s StateWide Art Partnership

WHEN:             Tuesday, October 1, 2013

TIME:               6–9pm

WHERE:           Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT

INFO:               Phone: Arts Hotline: (435) 865-8800 or visit: www.suu.edu/arts

PRICES:           Free and the General Public is encouraged to attend. 

SUU’s ANNUAL EVENING FOR EDUCATORS GETS FESTIVE WITH “DAY OF THE (WALKING) DEAD:” ZOMBIE WALKS, DAY OF THE DEAD PROCESSIONALS, AND A HANDS-ON ART WORKSHOP

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: What better way to kick off the Halloween season than witha hands-on art workshopand a discussion of zombies and the Mexican Day of the Dead? SUU’s very own Dr. Kyle Bishop is a bona-fide zombie expert. Bishop’s Ph.D. dissertation for the University of Arizona evolved into the book American Zombie Gothic (McFarland and Company, 2010), which studies our culture’s fascination with zombie cinema. Following Dr. Bishop’s presentation, participants will gather to decorate shoes in honor of the Day of the Dead and a related cultural phenomenon: the “zombie walk.” Day of the (Walking) Dead will take place atSUU’s Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery from 6:00–9:00pm on Tuesday, October 1, 2013. The event is free of charge and open to the public.

The "walking dead" in popular culture have transformed from monster to icon, appearing on city streets for "zombie walks." Dr. Bishop will discuss how Day of the Dead processionals compare to zombie walks, and how zombies have been unexpectedly transformed into more than simple, mindless monsters in the 21^st century.  Bishop’s expertise is sure to inspire participants with ideas for the shoe-decorating workshop which follows. Themes such as zombies, Day of the Dead, and general Halloween images are  encouraged.

SUU students in attendance may choose to decorate their shoes in preparation for the zombie-themed October 25^th campus event, "The Scream." Participants are encouraged to bring their own shoes to decorate, markers will be provided. White canvas shoes are recommended for the workshop. Please note that artwork added to shoes will be permanent. Light refreshments will be served, and license-renewal credit for teachers is available through the Utah State Office of Education. This event is supported in partnership with SUU’s College of Performing and Visual Arts, the Springville Museum of Art, and the StateWide Art Partnership.

SUU’s Evening for Educators is a professional development program that presents the public and K-through-12 teachers with opportunities to look, learn, create, and connect with colleagues.

This event promises to be a great time, and it provides an opportunity for educators to earn licensure credit, connect with each other, and get a new perspective on a prevalent idea in popular culture. www.suu.edu/arts.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Southern Utah University’s College of Performing and Visual Arts is home to nationally-accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts, and Dance. The College offers 17 degrees, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, professional Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre, and Arts Administration Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts. It houses the Center for Shakespeare Studies, which offers a degree minor. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff teach and mentor over 550 arts majors. Over 1100 students enroll each year in more than 195 arts classes. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions annually.  Its affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.