Former Students Are Fellow Artists

A newspaper article from 1997. Keeping in touch provides essential dialogue.

A new appreciation for skies, a real sense of adventure, a realization of how much space we still have in America, and the satisfaction of seeing several superb art exhibits are souvenirs Art Professor David LeDoux brought back from his vacation this summer.
None of these prompted the 22-day trek to the west coast in a small unairconditioned pick-up, however. The impetus for this somewhat exhausting experience was the chance to visit former students. "I've been thinking about doing this for several years and planning for at least two. What turned the wheel this spring though was Jeff insisting that I come for the opening of the de Menil, a new museum in Houston," LeDoux explained. Jeff Delude (B.S. 78) is a painter who, with friend Jo Anne Brigham, runs Mannerisms, which LeDoux describes as an off-beat decorating business.


N.M., and the adobe home of Mike Sharber (B.S. 74), a sculptor who also has a small construction crew.

So Texas was his first destination after a night stopover with his brother in Louisiana. His three days in Houston included a lot of "catching up" with Jeff and visiting museums in a city which many think rivals New York in its support of new artists. A highlight was seeing a "remarkable show of contemporary work with a Hispanic influence."
LeDoux, whose teaching career at MTSU spans more than thirty years, is a serious contemporary painter with numerous exhibits and much critical acclaim to his credit. "There's no doubt that there have been times when I've left isolated. I need dialogue about my work. So my students and I sort of have a deal. We keep in touch—we write or call; they come see me when they're in the area. And we use each other as sounding boards," he explained adding that he took some of his most recent work with him. "The students liked it. Jeff even sold one of my paintings; it paid for the trip
His sojourn took him next through places where the sky seemed to fill the windshield before he reached Santa Fe."