A new 17-foot long oak sculpture has been installed on the south side of Witherspoon Hall at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.
The sculpture was created by Julie Benda, 2024 Windgate Foundation artist in residence at ATU. According to biographical information published to her website, Benda is a writer, illustrator and visual artist with a practice in print, sculpture and public art.
A native of Michigan, Benda’s artwork has been featured in Make MN Magazine, MN Original, Hyperallergic and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. She has received the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Next Step Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant and the Jerome/MCBA Mentorship.
The artist in residence program at ATU is made possible through a grant from the Windgate Foundation. Additional financial support from the Windgate Foundation over the past five years has allowed Arkansas Tech to establish a summer professional development program for K-12 art teachers, develop enhanced opportunities for ATU graduates to attend medical school, purchase equipment for Arkansas Tech nursing students and establish a need-based scholarship fund.
Benda is the sixth artist in residence in Arkansas Tech history. She was preceded by Manami Ishimura (spring 2019), Tiffany Black (spring 2020), Jade Hoyer (fall 2021), Andrew Malczewski (spring 2022) and Haylee Bolinger (spring 2023).
Learn more about the ATU Department of Art at www.atu.edu/art.
