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Exploring mangroves and the human existence

Artworks behind glass. Two are images of nature printed onto sun visors, two are drawings on glass.
The Mangroves of Masters Bayou: Towards a Philosophy of a Natural Spot at the Ringling College of Art and Design’s Special Collections Center on the second floor of the Alfred R. Goldstein Library through April 21.

Exploring mangroves and the human existence

Artworks behind glass. Two are images of nature printed onto sun visors, two are drawings on glass.
The Mangroves of Masters Bayou: Towards a Philosophy of a Natural Spot at the Ringling College of Art and Design’s Special Collections Center on the second floor of the Alfred R. Goldstein Library through April 21.

Students, faculty, and staff visiting the second floor of the Alfred R. Goldstein Library this month will have encountered the colorful depictions of nature featured in the window displays of the Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center. Photographs of flora and fauna are transformed into sculptural objects, printed onto the familiar form of sun visors. The works read like an advertisement for nature with no intent on a financial return. They belong to the artist, researcher, theologian, social rights activist, and trial lawyer Jay Youngdahl. The exhibition marks the first from an artist or curator from outside the College community. 

Originally from Little Rock, AR, Youngdahl has since lived all over the country, including Chicago, where he received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and most recently Oakland. As a trial lawyer, Youngdahl represented Navajo railroad workers in New Mexico. At 16 he was arrested as a union organizer in Louisiana. After moving to St. Petersburg, he became a regular visitor to the Special Collections Center and expressed an interest in getting involved. Digital Curation and Special Collections Librarian Janelle Rebel invited Youngdahl to propose an exhibition and a few months later the show was in the works. 

A perfect fit for the Special Collections Library, The Mangroves of Masters Bayou applies Youngdahl’s research practice to the Florida wetland landscape. His process for the series began with observation of the site. Youngdahl, a recent transplant to St. Petersburg, regularly visited the Masters Bayou by kayak. Each visit to the location left him with new questions: where does the name come from; what is that green film covering the water — and is it a sign of doom; who has called this site home; and what can humans learn from the transactional relationships found in this natural setting — beyond the biological? Youngdahl took these questions to a series of experts whom he considers collaborators on this project.  

Excerpts from The Mangroves of Masters Bayou zine. 

Each question took Youngdahl down a research rabbit-hole. The film covering the surface of the water? Reading a book on the history of slime enlightened Youngdahl to some religious theories that humans originated from slime. The algae-like film Youngdahl discovered at the mangroves creates oxygen. This particular slime is responsible for transforming our planet into its current  oxygenated state, killing off whatever could not live with the gas. The name? Named after Joseph Masters, an early white settler in the region. The outcome of this research is translated into the sun visors (which are functional), glass drawings, a collection of artifacts (presumably found on the site), and a zine that distills the larger works into a small and singular object. 

The Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center specializes in artists’ publication projects, prints, and illustrated rare books. They are supported by the Ringling College Library Association. Their pedagogy includes broadening the scope of materials one might engage with at a library. Visitors to the center will discover a range of books, printed materials, and primary sources from independent artist publishing — to historic objects — to prints from guest artists of the past. The collection is primarily used by visiting classes, but is also open to students, faculty, staff, and members of the public, by appointment. Visitors can tell the librarians what specific or general books, art, or ephemera they are interested in viewing, or they can come in and browse it all.  

*Note: The Alfred R. Goldstein Library is currently swipe-access only, accessible with a Ringling College ID. Members of the public can make an appointment to see the exhibition Monday-Friday.

Contact:

941-330-7436

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Staff

Co-Interim Director of Library Services

941-359-7582

Pat Mizak

Co-Interim Director of Library Services

941-309-4055

Alexandra Vargas-Minor

Digital Curation and Special Collections Librarian

941-359-7583

Janelle Rebel

Technical Services Librarian

941-359-7586

Janet Thomas

Instructional Design Librarian

Vacant

Instructional Design Librarian

Vacant

Library Technician III (Cataloging and Metadata Assistant)

941-359-7631

Lisa Martinez

Library Technician II (Periodicals and Interlibrary Loan)

Vacant

Library Technician III (Circulation Manager)

941-359-7587

Tim DeForest

Library Technician III (Acquisitions Manager/Office Support)

941-359-7584

Yolanda Coleman

Library Technician II (Assistant Circulation Manager)

941-359-7587

Christina Song

Circulation Assistant

Jean Ferderber

Circulation Assistant Sooyeon Baek
Circulation Assistant James Harrison

Borrowing

Patron Type # of Items Type of Material Borrowing Time
Student 40 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* 7 days
Faculty and Staff 40 Books 6 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 7 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* 7 days
Trustee, Alumni, Cross College Alliance, and  15 Books 3 weeks
Ringling College LibraryAssociation Members CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
PreCollege 5 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
Local Teacher 15 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
Chartwell’s and Follett employees located at Ringling 15 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
*The video game collection supports the research and teaching of the Game Art & Design program. Video games may not be checked out by Alumni, Ringling College Library Association members or Family members.

Spaces

The Alfred R. Goldstein Library features a wide variety of quiet, group study, and work process spaces. Looking for a quiet study area? Make your way up to the 3rd floor to look for a book in the Research Collection or peruse the new art magazines while relaxing in comfortable seating. When the weather is nice, you can take your coffee from Roberta’s Café on the first floor to one of the four terraces to work outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Looking for meeting space to get together with a group? Check out the group study rooms, which are available on all three floors of the Goldstein Library. The 10 group study rooms are available to students on a first-come first served basis, or available for booking by Ringling College faculty and staff for group and class meetings.

Library Hours

Library Services Hours (when classes are in session):

Sunday: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Holidays and Breaks:
The Library is closed on holidays, as designated by the institution, and typically operates on a Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm schedule during breaks.

Ringling College ID Access Only

Please note a Ringling College ID is required for access, except from 8:30am – 4:30pm from Monday – Friday.

Hours for the Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center:

By appointment only from Monday – Friday 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, no drop-ins. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Contact specialcollections@c.ringling.edu to schedule an appointment.

Visit Us

Ringling College of Art + Design
Alfred R. Goldstein Library
2700 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34234-5895

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We welcome recommendations for new library materials from the Ringling College community. Librarians will consider all requests bearing in mind their appropriateness for the collections and the current budget.
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