CECA Visiting Artist Speaker Series at Austin Peay State University

Tom and Tony Bancroft

Tom and Tony Bancroft are brothers with a combined 60 years in the animation industry, including long stints with Disney. Tom’s credits include “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Lion King”, “Mulan”, and many others. Tony contributed to iconic characters such as Pumbaa from “The Lion King”, Kronk from “The Emperor’s New Groove”, and Iago from “Aladdin”, among others. Along with their professional endeavors, the Bancrofts host the highly-rated Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast, recognized as the #1 podcast for animation on iTunes. They both now teach at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN

• Date: September 11, 2025
• Time: Artist Talk at 6 p.m., AD120

 

Soulaf Abas: "New Beginnings"

Soulaf Abas was born and raised in Damascus, Syria. She received a BFA (2008) and MFA (2013) from Indiana State University. Abas is a painter and printmaker who makes images that are translations of internal and external landscapes. Some are from memory, some from observation, and others are interpretations of emotional experiences.

Her work has received numerous awards and grants and has been exhibited in exhibitions across the globe. Abas was the first The New Gallery Artist-in-Residence. She spent the month of July using The New Gallery as her studio and many of the works in her exhibition were created during her stay.

• Date: September 25, 2025
• Time: Artist Talk at 6 p.m., TR220 (Mike and Sara Gotcher Theatre)
• Exhibition: August 25 - October 3, 2025 at The New Gallery
• Gallery Talk/Reception: September 26, noon-1:30pm, AD101

 

art21 Screening and Panel Discussion

The Department of Art + Design at Austin Peay State University will hold a public screening of a selection of films from Art21’s series “Artists and the Unknown” before they are available to the public. Following the screening, the Department will host a panel discussion about the issues raised in the films.

Art21 is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and expanding access to contemporary art through the production of documentary films, resources, and public programs.

This event is presented in collaboration with Art21. For more information, visit art21.org.

• Date: October 25, 2025
• Time: Screening and Panel Discussion at 6 p.m., AD120

 

Stacey Holloway: "Through Thick and Thin"

Stacey Holloway received her MFA from the University of Minnesota in 2009, her BFA from Herron School of Art and Design/IUPUI in 2006, and has been living and working in Birmingham, Alabama since 2013. She currently serves as the Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to teaching, Holloway is an active national mixed media artist, sculptor, and fabricator that works within a variety of media including drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and interactivity. Through the exploration of storytelling and ethology, she creates work that communicate a universal societal connectivity.

Holloway has exhibited throughout the Midwest, South and East Coast in galleries such as Wayfarers, Brooklyn, NY; FM Gallery, Chicago, IL; Gallery 924 at the Arts Council of Indianapolis, IN; and Huntsville Museum of Art, AL. Holloway has received distinguished awards such as the 2021 Visual Arts Fellowship through the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the 2017 SECAC Artist’s Fellowship and the 2010 Efroymson Contemporary Arts Fellowship through the Central Indiana Community Foundation in Indianapolis.

• Date: October 28, 2025
• Time: Artist Talk at 6 p.m., TR220 (Mike and Sara Gotcher Theatre)
• Exhibition: October 20 - December 5, 2025 at The New Gallery
• Gallery Talk/Reception: October 29, noon-1:30pm. AD101

Dana James Mwangi - Graphic Designer

Dana is an award-winning brand consultant, website strategist, and public speaker with over 15 years of brand and web design expertise.

At Cheers Creative, Dana's Memphis-based creative hub, she spearheads standout brand designs and websites that champion authentic voices – from women entrepreneurs and LGBTQ+ business owners to community advocates and everyday experts building significant platforms. Her work has helped clients grow from modest beginnings to audiences of millions, all while maintaining their authentic voice and values. With extensive experience in teaching and business coaching, Dana has developed branding and career development workshops for organizations like the University of Memphis (her alma mater) and Women's Business Center South.

• Date: November 18, 2025
• Time: Artist Talk at 6 p.m., TR220 (Mike and Sara Gotcher Theatre)