Unions' Public Art Blog

I am pleased to announce the inaugural hanging of the MU Student Center’s paintings of the Mid-Missouri landscape by Keith Crown and Joel Chrisman. These works depict both urban and rural scenes in their portrayal of downtown Columbia and the MU campus, Mizzou’s dairy farm, and the countryside of Ashland, Missouri. The paintings are currently on view on the first floor of the Student Center near U.S. Bank. (Left: Crown, Columbia and the University of Missouri , c. 1980s; Center: Crown, Missouri University Dairy Farm , c. 1989; Right: Chrisman, Deer Park , 2008   Keith Crown (1918-2010) is an internationally renowned Modern artist, most often recognized for his experimental work in watercolor. Crown was born in Iowa, but lived a rather transient life, working and residing in numerous cities worldwide. His travel is reflected in his body of work, which includes views of the California coastline, the mountains and pueblo at Taos, the gothic architecture of London, and ...

  Not long ago the Student Unions acquired several beautiful pastels by local artist Joel Chrisman (American, b. 1947) featuring the lush countryside of mid-Missouri. A few of these stunning landscapes are currently on display on the main level of the student center just outside of Mort’s .   Bass Creek  (2008)   Chrisman is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Ashland, MO. He received  formal training from the Colorado Institute of Art in commercial art and graphic design. Over the last four decades, Chrisman has won several prestigious awards in Juried exhibitions throughout Missouri. His primary subject matter has recently included industrial cityscapes, still-lifes, and agricultural landscapes—many of which lovingly feature his property in Ashland.   North Field Edge (2011) To render his landscapes Chrisman employs pastel, a medium that lends itself to quick gestural impressions. Pastel is a useful tool for Chrisman a...

( Showme , Mar. 1949). We have a new display up at the Student Center featuring Hinkson Creek! Come check it out in the square display cases just outside of Mort's!   On sunny afternoons, Hinkson Creek was a popular hangout and dating destination among the students attending MU and Stephens College.  Both the Showme and the Savitar regularly featured images of couples marching towards the creek, arm in arm, picnic basket in tow. This practice was known as “hinking” (or hinkin’). Four Mizzou students "hinking" ( Savitar , 1952). According to a Showme article from March of 1953, once a young man steps foot on Hinkson’s shore, he “seems to turn into a poet, nature lover, Thoreau, and caveman, all at the same time.”    ( Showme: Be Prepared Issue , March 1953). In addition to functioning as a dating hotspot, many MU students also enjoyed climbing Hinkson’s various geographic formations. Balance Rock, fo...