Aug. 2: Retirement reception for Art Jones

Please join members of the UND community and others from across the area to honor Arthur F. Jones for his 15 years of service to UND.  Art will be retiring with emeritus status from his position as Professor of Art and Design. A reception celebrating his successful UND career will be held on Thursday, Aug. 2, from 1 – 3 p.m. in the Education Building Lobby.

Art began his UND career in 2003 as a full professor and chair of the Department of Art & Design. As chair, he helped to initiate a new BFA program in graphic design, as well as other significant curriculum revisions. During the 13 and-a-half years he served as chair, Art also presented numerous papers at professional conferences and wrote articles for book publications, including an essay for a notable Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition catalogue. He also co-edited and co-authored a book on UND’s Native American art collection that won a prestigious national book award. 

In 2005, Art was also appointed by President Kupchella as the founding director of UND Art Collections. In this role, he was especially interested in utilizing artworks for educational purposes. Using private funds and seeking donors, he acquired artworks by numerous renowned artists, including Rembrandt, Daumier, Cassatt, Picasso, and many others. Art also introduced the concept of the Living Art Museum, which involved placing artworks with text panels in the Education Building, the Gorechi Alumni Center, the new Medical School Building, and other locations. 

In addition, as director of the UND Art Collections Gallery at the Empire Arts Center in downtown Grand Forks since 2012, Art oversaw 15 successful art exhibitions that helped to share UND’s art collection with the broader community. In a spirit of collaboration, he also invited UND faculty from several departments to curate or co-curate some exhibitions.

Please join Art to thank him for his many years of service and wish him well in adventures beyond UND.