Helping Students Discover Their Passions

An Art History Professor is Using Private Support to Provide Hands-On Experiences for Students

By Noah Johnson

Amy Millicent Morris, Ph.D., sees the world through art.

For her, a single painting, drawing or sculpture sheds light on the human experience. It can reveal the artistic aims of an individual or the beliefs of an entire civilization.

“What I love about art history is that it has so many disciplines wrapped together,” Dr. Morris, director of the School of the Arts at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said. “Learning about history, philosophy and society through the lens of visual objects is what really drew me into this field.”

Today, Dr. Morris, student interns and Rebecca Norris, Ph.D., UNO Art Gallery director, are reviewing a gift of works and documents related to Bill Hammon, a prominent artist in the Nebraska art scene. Hammon is best known for his sculptures and other public works located in Lincoln and Omaha, including the 760,000-tile mosaic that adorned the Pershing Auditorium facade in Lincoln from 1957 until 2022. (Work is underway to reinstall the mural in Lincoln’s Wyuka Park.)

The gallery and students’ exploration of Hammon is fueled by a $1 million pledge from art enthusiast Michael B. Jones, M.D. The gift, made through the University of Nebraska Foundation, established the Michael Bruce Jones, M.D., Chair in the School of the Arts at UNO. In 2024, Dr. Morris was named the position’s inaugural recipient.

‘ART DEFINES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN’

“Art defines what it means to be human in many ways,” Dr. Jones said, following the announcement of his pledge in 2024. “Humanities bring joy to life. Art is just one of those but one that I find most enriching and exciting. I think that art is a way of defining our humanity.”

In addition to the gift, Dr. Jones facilitated the donation of hundreds of pieces of Hammon’s art to the university by his brother. The collection included everything from early career paintings and watercolors to sketches and preparatory drawings and everything in between.

Select works from the donation will be included in a Hammon exhibition in the UNO Art Gallery this fall.

Dr. Morris said the donated works provide a deeper look into the artist’s command of different media and artistic development. The collection also offers a unique opportunity for students to interview individuals who maintained a close relationship with Hammon.

“I think for a student to have firsthand access to original objects and primary documents and to learn about their art and life by talking to people like

Dr. Jones, who actually knew the person, is such an incredible opportunity,” Dr. Morris said. “We can experience his works firsthand. It’s such a special gift.”

A UNIQUE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

As a student intern in UNO’s art history program, senior Ray Christensen has experienced that gift through his own research.

Christensen has been heavily involved in reviewing the Hammon donation. Before embarking on his research, Christensen hardly knew anything about Hammon. However, he has slowly become enthralled by the Nebraska artist’s body of work. He made Hammon’s art the topic of his senior thesis.

“It’s certainly the most comprehensive and unique compilation of research that I put together for my undergraduate career,” he said. “It’s really interesting just how much is out there that hasn’t been collected.”

Christensen added that the support he has received from Dr. Morris and other faculty within UNO’s art history program has allowed him to succeed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a more supportive faculty and staff available to me,” he said. “[Dr. Morris] is just really, really active and very good at what she does. She just really cares about her students.”

Dr. Morris said the opportunity to realize the vision of Dr. Jones through her position as chair has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I can honestly say this was the greatest honor I’ve ever experienced in my professional and academic career,” she said. “To have someone like Dr. Jones have the confidence in me to push this forward is incredible.”

She added that support from donors like Dr. Jones can resonate throughout programs, providing opportunities to advance careers and help students discover their own passions.

“I really think the most important thing is the student experience,” Dr. Morris said. “It gives them the opportunity to study a contemporary artist and primary documents, all while being supported the whole time. Dr. Jones’ generosity has just been absolutely amazing.”