Over the summer, Colorado Mesa University faculty did some amazing things. Dance professor Melonie Buchanan-Murray spent her summer choreographing a dance event in Aspen, and attended a prestigious training program in New York City. English professor Kate Belknap volunteered as a white water rafting guide, and led injured veterans through the Grand Canyon. Ceramics professor Jake Allee dedicated his summer to constructing a kiln for another college, attending ceramics conferences, and publishing articles about his techniques.
Buchanan-Murray’s first event this summer was a show called The Evolution Movement.
“This is a dance, lighting, and multi-media show conceived and produced by Loren Wilder. The Evolution Movement is based on the philosophies of John Lennon and the Beatles,” Buchanan-Murray said.
She choreographed a majority of the production and danced the lead character of the show.
“The producer is currently trying to sell the show/concept to some producers in Los Angeles and New York City,” Buchanan-Murray said.
She also received a grant to travel to New York City to attend the teacher training program at American Ballet Theatre, one of the most prestigious dance companies in the world. After spending eight days in extensive training and passing written and oral exams, Buchanan-Murray is now a certified American Ballet Theatre instructor.
Belknap has been a river guide off and on since 1986. For the last two summers, she has volunteered for an organization helping injured war vets learn to kayak and raft.
“As I have in past summers, I led a trip of Wounded Warriors on a 16-day Grand Canyon river trip,” Belknap said. “I have volunteered for Colorado Discover Ability here in Grand Junction for several years. They take disabled people skiing and on river trips. Through CDA I became associated with another non-profit out of Washington D.C. called Team River Runner. TRR’s mission is to promote healing of US veterans through white water boating.”
TRR was founded six years ago by Joe Mornini, a special education teacher at a school in Washington D.C. He really wanted to help our injured vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. TRR has expanded beyond Washington D.C. with there being over forty chapters nationwide.
“Their main summer trip is a multi-day river trip for their advanced kayakers down the Grand Canyon. That’s where I come in.” Belknap said.
She and five other guides assisted veterans on the water. Many of them are missing limbs and may have head trauma.
“It’s a pretty big deal for them to be able to kayak water as big as what we see in the Grand Canyon,” Belknap said. “Grand Canyon river trips are amazing in their own right but when you get to take people down the river who have given and, in most cases, lost so much, it’s an honor and a privilege.” Belknap said.
Allee spent some time in Texas attending ceramic conferences.
“I lectured and demonstrated at the Potters Council conference entitled Inspired Ceramic Surfaces.” Allee said.
He was also invited to have a solo exhibition in another gallery at the venue featuring his low fire ceramic work and drawings on paper.
“Advertisements with image representation of my personal work appeared in Ceramics Monthly Magazine for four months as well as Pottery Making Illustrated for two issues,” Allee said.
Having made several business connections at the conference, Allee receives discounts for supplies as well as other opportunities for exposure of the Art Department at CMU.
After the conference Allee went to Wichita Falls, Texas and helped construct a wood fire kiln for Midwestern State University.
“The CMU Art Department has actually brought Korean artist Kyoung Hwa Oh on board as a lecturer to teach classes here from the cultivation of this relationship,” said Allee.
Allee also published an article in the May/June Issue of Pottery Making Illustrated entitled “Messing with Majolica.” This article shows the step by step process of creating his personal interpretation of this historical glazing technique that originated in the Middle East and spread across the globe throughout history.
The last thing Allee did this summer was travel to Helena, Montana to attend the Archie Bray foundation 60th anniversary celebration. This is an event that the best Ceramics educators attend. This effort has led to Allee working on a new surprise project with the editor of Ceramics Monthly Magazine, the world’s widest distributed ceramic publication.

lpratt@mavs.coloradomesa.edu