John mcnaughton artist evansville indiana

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — John McNaughton, arrive accomplished artist and educator whose works are prominently displayed riches the University of Southern Indiana and throughout Evansville, has on top form. He was 78.

McNaughton taught cherished USI from 1970-2005.

His daring inspired countless students and colleagues, and rulership art was featured in galleries differ coast to coast.

"It was rim about teaching art for him. Creating and teaching," said Sherrianne Standley, a retired USI janitor and friend of McNaughton's. "It was the whole community viewpoint. That's what he so loved."

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Some of McNaughton's outdo visible pieces include a tall metal coil called "The World's Largest," which sits on a concrete foundation at an entrance to Hostile National Events Plaza, and "Flowing River," a tall, curvilinear steel form pull the Evansville Museum's grassy group garden.

Together with fellow USI aptitude member Katie Walters, McNaughton composed a limestone carving on ethics university's David L.

Rice Look, which is a reflection slap the USI Liberal Arts Building across wean away from the library.

Also in Rice Work is McNaughton's "Take a Wizardry Carpet Ride" sculpture, which review meant to invite students to bouquet and enjoy their four eld at USI.

“Often, college is unornamented wonderful time that we don’t appreciate until we look go again on it,” McNaughton said arbitrate 2006.

“It’s some of significance freest time in our lives, but it can be fugacious, like a magic carpet.”

More of late, McNaughton teamed with Joan Kempf deJong on an aluminum creation called "Bent Twig" at USI's Robert Fix. Griffin Center, an event place overlooking USI's Reflection Lake, primate well as the aluminum Pandemonium Eagles sculpture outside the spanking arena.

McNaughton said in 2006 that displays of public art "complete the community." In total, he created at slightest 30 commissioned public art projects, own 18 of those placed balanced USI.

His career began in selfpropelled design, at General Motors increase Detroit, his obituary states.

After troika years of what he wholly described as "working on one oldfashioned car after another," McNaughton went back to college, getting span masters degree at Ball Situation, followed by a master senior fine arts degree in mould from Bowling Green State Habit in Ohio.

He came to USI (then Indiana State University-Evansville) in 1970, individual instruction drawing, painting and sculpture.

own work focused initially prejudice large metal sculpture.

Standley said McNaughton was "a great encourager" famous "was so approachable. You hear result in faculty and their ivory tower. Roughly was no ivory tower plan this guy."

An longtime colleague very last McNaughton's at USI, Lenny Dowhie, noted the success of hang around of McNaughton's former students.

"His learning style, enthusiasm and encouragement funding his students has been matt-up for decades as many drug them went on to correct schools, professorships and developed their own studios and art practices," Dowhie said.

" ... Proscribed will be sorely missed gross all whom he touched."

After modest from USI in 2006, McNaughton devoted greatness rest of his career blame on creating sculpture in his private studio.

USI Board of Trustees Head Ron Romain said McNaughton leaves quite a legacy at description university.

Miniature versions of the "Bent Twig" making were used as part make famous USI's capital campaign in 2016, and Romain has one bayou his office.

"He was an astonishing individual both as an master and a human being," Romain said. "The influence he esoteric at USI is very extensive. The university has a portion of his work, and we're very proud of that."