TSU Library Art Gallery
Presents Art 
by
Jane-Allen McKinney

The conceptual unity of my work is foremost in my mind as I design large-scale site specific sculpture. I am interested in creating monumental icons that represent visual stories of historical facts and represent the emotional experiences of people and specific events. I strive for the universal appeal of images: human figures in motion, flight in abstracted forms of birds and fish, that represents freedom and movement, and the creation of new icons derived from the historical and the familiar to celebrate the human experience. Kinetic sculptures have been the style of my work that best suits my goals of expression for the human spirit, an ever changing form, a grasping for the eternal, the anticipation of future and change. I find that for me organic forms best represent the human experience and nature and are a constant in the design of my images in both sculpture and jewelry.

My kinetic aluminum sculptures are now incorporating other metals: brass and copper as they increase in scale. The metals themselves, such as gold and silver in my jewelry, have a universal appeal that favors the emotional experience of the viewer.
My latest sculpture is 45'-8" and called the TSU Olympian to be installed on the Tennessee State University North Campus, Walter S. Davis Blvd. in 2004. The Olympian is a 21' figure of a runner made of three metals: brass, aluminum and copper. The percent of metals in the Olympian correspond to the percent of Olympic medals won by Tennessee State University students. The TSU Olympians have won 16 Gold medals represented by brass in the figure, 8 silver medals represented by aluminum in the figure and 6 bronze medals represented by copper in the figure. The Olympian holds a brass diploma in the right hand as an icon for the educational baton passed from TSU to her students. All of the TSU Olympic winners earned undergraduate degrees from TSU. The diploma reads Tennessee State University, Degree Awarded with this text visible to the viewer. The Olympic torch is in the left hand of the runner, and the flame is kinetic and rotates 360 degrees.

The Olympian stands on two Egyptian papyrus style columns, one 16'-8" for the raised bent knee and one 14' for the extended leg. The Papyrus columns consist of ribbed aluminum banded with brass, aluminum and copper, representing banded papyrus stocks.
The base of the Olympian sculpture is 11' high and 18'-9" in diameter, an Egyptian papyrus style capital. On the capital are three bands, brass, aluminum and copper with the names of the Olympians inscribed. On the front of the bands the text reads "Tennessee State University", on brass, and "Olympic Plaza" on aluminum, and "Think, Work and Serve" "President James A. Hefner" on copper.
The six-foot maquette, model, of the TSU Olympian now stands in the TSU Student Center across from the information desk.
Concerning my teaching philosophy, I push students to express themselves and their ideas that have conceptual meaning while I strive to enable students to learn techniques that facilitate their expression. I have been awarded Who's Who Among America's Teachers, twice while at TSU, an award nominated by Honor Students at the university level. In 2002, I won the "Teacher of the Year" award for the College of Arts and Sciences at TSU, an award nominated and voted on by faculty.