SE professor, bicyclist to present March 7 at Catapult

Avid bicyclist and associate professor of photography at Southeast Missouri State University Bradley Phillips will explain how he sees riding bikes as "the solution to most problems" March 7 at Catapult Creative House in Cape Girardeau.

Phillips -- also multimedia coordinator at Southeast's Catapult Creative House -- will lead the discussion "Pedal Damn It!" as part of this month's After Hours: Conversations on Art and Culture. His focus will be on sustaining artistic momentum during adversity.

The theme for this semester's artist-led lecture series is "The Artist's Studio: The Process of Creation."

According to Phillips, the current series is centered around artistic practice and staying creatively engaged.

"I'm really into cycling and have been for a long time," he said by phone Wednesday. "I used to cycle with the cycling team at the University of Buffalo in graduate school."

Phillips said there's a big benefit to cycling, saying in a way it "forces you to become part of a community." It also allows things to be seen "on a much slower pace," he said.

Current studio art practices are being redefined, he said, as most people understand it. New media artists or photographers don't have studio spaces, Phillips explained, like traditional sculpture artists or painters.

"What happens is, a city becomes your studio," he said. "This is a place that you make work. You get out and you become inspired by where you live and what you surround yourself with."

Phillips said cycling is a way of seeing and becoming a part of your community. He also enjoys the symbolism.

When you're riding a bike and it's really hard, sometimes to keep momentum you have to keep pedaling, he said. Once you stop, Phillips said it's really hard to start back up again.

"I'm just happy to participate in talking to students and community members about artistic practice and the challenges that we face," he added. "I think at least on a community level, sometimes art is a little confusing or misunderstood."

After Hours: Conversations on Art and Culture takes place at 7 p.m. once a month at Catapult Creative House, 612 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. The event is free.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632