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Home › News & Events › News › Outstanding Senior: Amanda Lipp’s passion for art history ‘boundless’

Outstanding Senior: Amanda Lipp’s passion for art history ‘boundless’

December 16, 2022

By Mike Chesnick
School of Art

Amanda Lipp made no secret about it. After taking her first Art History class in high school, “I quickly realized that I wanted to study the subject for the rest of my life,” she said.

Fortunately for the School of Art, she decided to pursue her passion at the University of Arizona – and now she’s unlocking mysteries of 18th century Mexican pottery and researching discrimination that still exists 50 years after Linda Nochlin’s 1971 groundbreaking essay, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?”

Lipp, who just graduated, received the fall 2022 Outstanding Senior Award from both the entire College of Fine Arts and the School of Art for her devotion to scholarship and art communities through her museum work, volunteerism and leadership.

At a recent presentation at the Arizona State Museum on campus, Lipp enlightened an audience of peers, faculty and the public about the museum’s 18th century Mexican talavera jar – and how the earthenware has been misunderstood historically.

Amanda Lipp and talavera jar

“What makes Amanda so special is that she genuinely enjoyed tackling an object that was not going to reveal its secrets easily,” said Professor Stacie Widdifield, who oversaw Lipp’s project. “She not only literally looked at the jar from all sides, that is materially, but also in the context of the ASM collection and then in the broader art historical and museum context.

“Her joy and enthusiasm for the project was boundless.”

Some of that joy came from Lipp’s determination to learn more about her heritage.

“Part of my family is Mexican, but I’ve always felt a kind of disconnection from that culture,” Lipp said. “Connecting to talavera and to these deep parts of Mexican culture impacted by colonialism and many cultural shifts has been a way to connect back to myself and my family.”

Lipp grew up in Tucson and attended University High, where she was mentored in Art History by Whitney Sheets.

At the University of Arizona, she majored in Art History and minored in Art and Visual Cultural Education. She held internships in Tucson’s Museum of Contemporary Art and the Phoenix Museum of Art, where she assisted in the curation and installation of the popular 2018 exhibition, “In the Company of Women.”

The Phoenix all-woman exhibition “got me thinking about tokenism, exceptionalism, and the idea of genius,” Lipp said. “I thought it was interesting that the Linda Nochlin article so many curators referenced — ‘Why Are There No Great Women Artists?’ — seemed to contradict having these ‘all-women’ exhibitions.

“Systemic oppression and discrimination are an ongoing battle, and part of that battle is researching and uncovering those systems,” said Lipp, who wrote a paper on the subject for Professor Irene Romano. “I want to continue research on this project in the future, because I think it is important to do research based on real world issues.”

In spring 2022, Lipp also interned at the University of Arizona Museum of Art, where she developed a research guide for women artists in the collection, facilitating hands-on activities at community events, observing gallery tours and providing feedback on the tours.

She was awarded the School of Art’s Undergraduate Schaeffer Prize in the Art History Research Paper Prize competition in spring 2022 for her analysis of the talavera jar in Widdifield’s class. Lipp presented her research at the first Arizona Latin American Studies Symposium.

For her final paper in Professor Carissa DiCindio’s museum education class, Lipp focused on engaging people with art outside of museum spaces, holding a “Kunst” event at her home and discussing ways museum education practices could be used to garner interest in artist Gustav Klimt among her guests.

“Amanda dives into projects with creativity and focus,” DiCindio said. “She is definitely a student who really loves the work she is doing.”

Lipp restarted the school’s Undergraduate Art History Club and became its president, planning events to raise interest in and awareness of art history. She also served as a grant panelist for the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona.

In Professor Larry Busbea’s classes, she conducted probing research on institutional critique and psychedelic graphics from the 1960s.

“Out of more than 30 years of undergraduate teaching, Amanda stands out in my mind as one of our Art History program’s most informed and mature students,” Professor Paul Ivey wrote, “exhibiting creative innovation, intellectual vitality and rigor, and a gregarious drive to learn and integrate what she learns with her goal to become a professional art historian.”

Lipp’s ultimate goal, indeed, is to become a museum curator or educator, preferably for Latin American art. She’s planning on pursuing a master’s in Art History and a doctorate in either Art History or Art Education.

“Right now, I have it planned out, but who really knows what the future holds,” said Lipp, who has future trips schedule to Europe, Mexico City and Puebla, Mexico.

“It turns out, I love to teach and make art accessible,” Lipp added. “The School of Art really provided the perfect place to interweave my dual interests of people and art.”

Amanda Lipp chats with students and Prof. Irene Romano about the talavera jar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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University of Arizona School of Art
1 day ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Creative director John Meyer (BFA '82, Studio Art) — the College of Fine Arts Alumnus of the Year — calls his 2012 Walgreens branding campaign (“At the Corner of Happy & Healthy”) his favorite. Read our profile of John at tinyurl.com/SOAMeyerprof and the CFA announcement at tinyurl.com/SOAMeyernews. The former SOA adjunct instructor also appeared on the AMC television series "The Pitch." Arizona Arts The University of Arizona ... See MoreSee Less

Creative director John Meyer (BFA 82, Studio Art) — the College of Fine Arts Alumnus of the Year — calls his 2012 Walgreens branding campaign (“At the Corner of Happy & Healthy”) his favorite. Read our profile of John at https://tinyurl.com/SOAMeyerprof and the CFA announcement at https://tinyurl.com/SOAMeyernews. The former SOA adjunct instructor also appeared on the AMC television series The Pitch. Arizona Arts The University of ArizonaImage attachment
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This content isn't available right now ... See MoreSee Less

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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
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University of Arizona School of Art
2 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Ellen McMahon and Tioni Collins from Arizona Arts will give their “Perspectives on Resilience” for the Arizona Institute for Resilience on Feb. 2, 1-5p.

An eye-opening afternoon of idea sharing, learning, and networking around the theme of resilience with TED-style lightning talks, speed networking, and an interactive speaker panel. Attend in person (ENR2 Room S107) or on zoom.

azart.fyi/RSVPResilience

McMahon, associate dean for research, is the opening speaker and she’ll talk about the relationship between "Art, Knowledge, and Resilience." Collins, our student diversity programs specialist, will present “Predictable and Hidden Challenges of Higher Education.”

Learn how other faculty, researchers, and students approach resilience from their diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Meet potential collaborators across campus.

This half-day hybrid occasion will culminate with the unveiling of exciting new funding opportunities for future resilience-themed endeavors. A reception will follow.

azart.fyi/ResilienceInfo

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University of Arizona School of Art
4 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Congrats to Robert Edward Gordon (Ph.D. Art History, '15), who recently published "Buddhist Architecture in America: Building for Enlightenment" through Routledge (tinyurl.com/2yzn7t2y). The book draws from Robert's dissertation, "The Heart in the Matter: Design, Belief and a History of Buddhist Architecture in America," under Professor Paul Ivey. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona Center for Buddhist Studies ... See MoreSee Less

Congrats to Robert Edward Gordon (Ph.D. Art History, 15), who recently published Buddhist Architecture in America: Building for Enlightenment through Routledge (https://tinyurl.com/2yzn7t2y). The book draws from Roberts dissertation, The Heart in the Matter: Design, Belief and a History of Buddhist Architecture in America, under Professor Paul Ivey. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona Center for Buddhist StudiesImage attachment
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University of Arizona School of Art
1 week ago
University of Arizona School of Art

We were delighted to host the Visions Program from Scottsdale today with a series of tours and workshops with our faculty — and to show students what it’s like to be an Art Wildcat!

The program brings together 42 art students from diverse Maricopa County high schools for a yearlong series of activities designed "to cultivate artistic skills, collaboration and civic engagement," Visions says.

Opening speeches from Colin Blakely, (School of Art Director), Karen Zimmerman (Associate Director), lydia see (Gallery Director) and Ashley Rubin (Art Advising) welcomed students and gave them a glimpse into the workings of the school. Visiting Profs. Danielle Jones (3DXM) and Erin DiGiovanni (2D) and Assistant Prof. Nicole Antebi (IDA/Animation) held workshops, while Denise Angulo (Administrative Associate) and student workers Kayla Bradshaw and Alex Allen led the tours. Thanks everyone for an amazing day! (Photos by Ava Sheppard)
... See MoreSee Less

We were delighted to host the Visions Program from Scottsdale today with a series of tours and workshops with our faculty — and to show students what it’s like to be an Art Wildcat! 

The program brings together 42 art students from diverse Maricopa County high schools for a yearlong series of activities designed to cultivate artistic skills, collaboration and civic engagement, Visions says.   

Opening speeches from Colin Blakely, (School of Art Director), Karen Zimmerman (Associate Director), lydia see (Gallery Director) and Ashley Rubin (Art Advising) welcomed students and gave them a glimpse into the workings of the school. Visiting Profs. Danielle Jones (3DXM) and Erin DiGiovanni (2D) and Assistant Prof. Nicole Antebi (IDA/Animation) held workshops, while Denise Angulo (Administrative Associate) and student workers Kayla Bradshaw and Alex Allen led the tours. Thanks everyone for an amazing day! (Photos by Ava Sheppard)Image attachmentImage attachment+5Image attachment
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University of Arizona School of Art
1 week ago
University of Arizona School of Art

The upcoming "Soy de Tejas" exhibition in San Antonio will feature Assistant Professor Alex Macias and Bella Maria Varela (MFA '21). They are among 40 native Texan and Texas-based contemporary artists "who reflect the diverse and beautiful complexity of Latinx identities," say the organizers of the exhibition, which is curated by Rigoberto Luna. The opening reception is Feb. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Centro de Artes. Congrats Alex and Bella!

• Facebook evite: fb.me/e/2wlRIMy2C
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Arts & Culture, City of San Antonio #GetCreativeSA #CentrodeArtesSA #SoydeTejas Arizona Arts
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The upcoming Soy de Tejas exhibition in San Antonio will feature Assistant Professor Alex Macias and Bella Maria Varela (MFA 21). They are among 40 native Texan and Texas-based contemporary artists who reflect the diverse and beautiful complexity of Latinx identities, say the organizers of the exhibition, which is curated by Rigoberto Luna. The opening reception is Feb. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Centro de Artes. Congrats Alex and Bella!

• Facebook evite: https://fb.me/e/2wlRIMy2C 
• Website: https://www.getcreativesanantonio.com/Galleries/Centro-de-Artes

Arts & Culture, City of San Antonio  #GetCreativeSA #CentrodeArtesSA #SoydeTejas Arizona Arts
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