Artist William Wegman graduation speaker at UMF

FARMINGTON – William Wegman, pioneering video artist, conceptualist, photographer, painter and writer, will be the main speaker at the University of Maine at Farmington’s commencement ceremonies 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 18, at an outdoor ceremony on campus.

Wegman is noted by the New York Times as “one of the most important artists to emerge from the heady experiments of the 1970s.” He is best known for the photographs and videos of his beloved Weimaraner dogs that have captured the appreciation and affection of a broad audience. Over the course of his career, Wegman has had what he describes as a “long and fruitful collaboration” with his canine partners, beginning with Man Ray, known throughout the art world for his endearing deadpan presence.

Since the late 1970s, Wegman’s photography has received international acclaim and is in permanent collections in many museums. He has received numerous awards and grants from some of the most prestigious art institutions in the country, and his works have been exhibited in the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., The Whitney Museum of Art in New York, F.R.A.C. Limousine in France, The Museum of Natural Art in New York and many more.

In addition, he has created film and video works for Saturday Night Live, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, and most recently, The Colbert Report. His film “The Hardly Boys” was screened at the Sundance Film festival in 1995. Wegman is also the author of numerous books, including the New York Times bestselling “Puppies.” Wegman’s latest book, “Flo & Wendell,” a picture book featuring his trademark style and wit, will be published in the fall of 2013.

The University will award honorary degrees of Doctor of Humane Letters to Wegman and Barbara W. Woodlee, recently-retired president of Kennebec Valley Community College and current chief academic officer for the Maine Community College System. Woodlee is the first woman to serve as president of a vocational institute/technical college in Maine. She is the immediate past chair of the UMF Board of Visitors and a 1974 UMF graduate.

Timothy Grivois, graduating senior from Norfolk, Mass., will give the student address. Passionate about education, Grivois is majoring in secondary education with a concentration in social studies. During his time at UMF, he has served as a writing center tutor and a community assistant and has worked for the University’s department of public safety. Tumbledown’s Crater Lake is one of his favorite places to hike. Grivois plans on staying in Maine upon graduation to teach high school.

Kathryn A. Foster, UMF president, and Daniel P. Gunn, vice president for academic affairs, will confer degrees to this year’s graduates. Tyler C. Hadyniak, student representative to the UMS Board of Trustees and junior at UMF, will deliver greetings to the graduates from the University of Maine System.

The outdoor ceremony will be held next to the UMF Olsen Student Center and is free and open to the public. However, in case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held inside the UMF Fitness & Recreation Center. Admission to the indoor ceremony will be limited to those who have already received “Fitness and Recreation Center” tickets. Guests of graduates are also welcome to watch the ceremony live over closed-circuit television in classrooms in the UMF Education Center and in Lincoln Auditorium and C23, located in the UMF Roberts Learning Center. The UMF Commencement ceremony will be webcast live at www.umf.maine.edu and broadcast live on Mount Blue TV community access Channel 11, whether the ceremony is held indoors or outdoors.

DVDs of the ceremony will be available in early summer for a small fee from the UMF Ferro Alumni Center, which can be contacted at 207-778-7090.