Prof. James Glavan from the University of Texas at Austin is teaching courses in millinery and draping at TNUA this semester, and he is also helping with the costume designs for the School of Theatre Arts' summer production to be staged at the end of May.
Prof. Glavan, who last visited TNUA in November 2010 to conduct a two-week workshop teaching students how to make stage armors, is here again with four of his graduate students, Danielle Kurz, Emily Robertson, Kristen Weller and Sweta Vakani, from the U.S. university.
Prof. Chin, Ping-Ping , chairperson of the Department of Theatre Design and Technology, noted that Prof. Glavan has been eager to work with TNUA teachers and students, and his courses this semester are meant to let students from the University of Texas at Austin and TNUA learn from and work with one another.
About two dozen undergraduate and graduate students from TNUA are attending Prof. Glavan's courses.
Prof. Glavan noted that draping is a creative way of making costumes that requires teamwork in a process combining art and craftsmanship. The process must be seen as a continuous dialogue rather than a man working alone.
For the millinery course, each of the students will be required to finish three different hats – a bonnet, a felt hat and a straw hat – by the end of the semester. The senior students in the course will present their hats at the graduation exhibition in June.
Some of the students already showcased the hats they made during a lecture on April 12.