Foundation Ties Gerry Wubben • Recipient • Shearman Professorship in Liberal Arts • Robert Jones Beauregard Parish Historical Fund Visual Arts Professorship
Gerry Wubben, professor of art in the Department of Visual Arts at McNeese State University, is a master in the art of engraving. Engraving utilizes the intaglio process whereby an image is etched or scored into a printing plate, ink is applied to the surface and a cloth is used to wipe away excess ink. A dampened paper is then placed on top of the surface before running the plate and paper through a printing press. The pressure from the press transfers the ink from the recesses of the plate to the paper. Engraving or printmaking media include etching, lithography, woodcuts and silkscreen. Gerry was born in Abilene, Texas, and raised in Grand Junction, Colo. His father, Paul D. Wubben, was a physician and his mother, Mildred Guigas, was a homemaker and nurse. He excelled in sports and science in high school and received the freshman chemistry award. His love, however, was drawing, a talent he recognized from an early age. “I could always draw,” said Gerry, “and drawing serves as the building block for engraving.” His passion was fostered while pursuing an associate of arts degree in printmaking at Mesa State College in Grand Junction. He continued his studies, completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts from Colorado State University in Fort Collins and Indiana University in Wilmington, respectively. After painting opera sets for the Indiana School of Music for several years, Gerry joined the McNeese faculty in August 1987. “Jobs in printmaking are scarce and McNeese really is a good place to work. Our talent pool of students is pretty extraordinary and the administration is highly supportive of our program,” said Wubben. With funds provided by the Shearman Professorship in Liberal Arts and the Robert Jones Beauregard Parish Historical Fund 10