​Faculty Spotlight: Ned Day, Great Plains Art Institute

​Faculty Spotlight: Ned Day, Art Institute
Written by Dan Seibel
 
On any given summer's morning, you might find Ned Day standing over an eighteen-hundred-degree kiln pulling out a perfectly formed ceramic bowl alongside a young artist. A bit later, you might spot him on the choppy waters of Antelope lake in his kayak, taking in the views of Sinte Gleska's campus from a different angle. And in the evening, you just might run into him loading up two hundred individual pieces of an art installation into a U-Haul for an exhibit halfway across the country. No matter where you find him, he'll probably greet you with his trademark grin and nod, happy to share a moment of connection.
 
Originally from Miller (near Kearney), Nebraska, Ned day found a new home at Sinte Gleska University in 2013 when he joined the faculty at the Great Plains Art Institute under the leadership of Maggie MacKichan. Ned brought with him to SGU a decade of experience in the field, including six years as an art director for Cabela's catalog, as well as years of experience in community art education. He built on his background in graphic design with a Master's in Fine Arts from Fort Hays University where he studied ceramics, sculpture, and art history with the hope of becoming an educator. 
 
"For me, Sinte Gleska was an opportunity to help students follow their artistic aspirations in an intimate environment while staying close to home," Ned explains. "I enjoy how it has become like a family and I get to be part of students' journeys as they progress."
 
For nearly ten years he has been a steady presence in the lives of students and the campus community at SGU teaching classes, running art shows with Maggie, volunteering on committees, taking students on trips, and simply enjoying life on the prairie.
 
When asked about the future, Ned shares his excitement about building in more offerings in traditional arts at the University and continuing to cover a wide variety of disciplines in the Art Institute. That and watching SGU art students return home with another pile of awards from the latest art show.