Penn State Laureate to visit Behrend Feb. 27

ERIE, Pa. — Penn State Laureate Lori Hepner, professor of integrative arts at Penn State Greater Allegheny, will host a light-based collaborative artmaking workshop at Penn State Behrend on Feb. 27. The program, which begins at 1 p.m. in the Reed Union Building auditorium, is free and open to the public.

During the “Drawing with Light” workshop, Hepner will invite participants to use programmable LED light devices, including wearable LEDs and a 6-foot light stick, to create a collaborative art piece. The devices serve as photographic paintbrushes, which Hepner uses to visualize movements in real-time projections. No prior skills in either visual art or technology are required.

Hepner will use the imagery created during the workshop to create public art for display across Penn State.

Attendees are asked to refrain from wearing fragrances or other scented products during the workshop, as these products can trigger serious health issues for the artist.

The Penn State Laureate is an honor given to one full-time faculty member each year to bring greater visibility to the arts and humanities, Penn State and the artist’s own work. During her tenure, Hepner intends to present her visual art through artmaking workshops, galley shows and lectures across Pennsylvania.

Hepner is a Pittsburgh-based artist who works primarily in photography, new media performance and public art in community-centered projects. She holds a master of fine arts degree in digital and media from Rhode Island School of Design and a bachelor of fine arts in fine art photography from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has taught at Penn State since 2007.

More information about this event can be found at behrend.psu.edu/laureate. For additional information about Hepner’s presentation, contact Sarah Whitney at 814-898-6325 or [email protected].