McCall Manske graduated from the University of Jamestown nearly a decade ago, but continues to hone her skills as a cinematographer while traveling the world.
Mrs. Huus, McCall contacted me a few months ago to tell me that some of her photos have appeared in an international travel publication, Origin Magazine. She is in Finland with her husband and during the trip she points her camera at the site.
Originally from Lisbon, North Dakota, she began learning her skills when she enrolled at what was then Jamestown College. She took my photography class and all of the required fine art courses. She included an earlier art photograph from her hometown that later became part of my own collection. Artists see things differently and teachers like to boast about their students’ knowledge, but she had that “eye” long before she arrived in Jamestown.
When she told me her work would be featured in more than one issue of the magazine, it was no surprise. She understood how to compose a work of art, not just take a photo of something. As a student, we discussed the visual complexities of an art shot of drainpipes versus a photo of a building with drainpipes. Vertical, horizontal, and the magnificence of visual geometry. She understood it, and showed in her work that she could captivate the viewer with her shots, not just take a pretty photo.
Sure, she could do grip ‘n’ grins, wedding photos, mug shots, and Little Leaguers at home base. But she could also do the grille of an old Nash Rambler that spoke to anyone who ever sat in that strange turquoise car with the top down in the 1950s. And she found this spectacular shot in a dump. But her artistic eye understood what it meant to get up close and fill all the space with that polished grille and license plate that said “Lisbon Rambler.”
Her sense of balance didn’t need to be improved. She had an innate sense of focus and balance and knew an “art shot” when she saw it. This is probably why she was contacted for an interview and wanted to share her work with a wider audience.
She, like fellow North Dakotan and JC graduate Pam Miller (born in Marion, North Dakota), sought media outlets for her artwork. Both were featured in print media, and Miller was featured on CB-TV (New York) and as a model in a health magazine.
Seeing students in fine arts, journalism, advertising, architecture, and fashion make their way and find a place in their chosen career field is just about the best thing a teacher/instructor/professor could ask for. That’s why teachers teach. That’s what you want to provide for these gifted kids: success in their chosen field… in a field where you, as a mentor, hope and pray you find them. There isn’t a teacher out there who doesn’t understand that. You (we) all know the feeling: “If only one kid a year makes it into their major, we perceive success as a short-term signpost.”
McCall Manske-Huus is one of those treasures. She stuck with it, focused on school, stayed true to her primary artistic medium, and didn’t give up when the “dry spells” didn’t pan out. Now she’s on her way to being the eye behind the camera, choosing that special moment that makes travelers want to fly away for a while to visit some of the wonderful places she’s seen, recorded, and shared. Congratulations, McCall. We’re proud of you.
If anyone has an article for this column, please send it to Sharon Cox, PO Box 1559, Jamestown, ND 58402-1559.
Sharon Cox retired in 2020 after 28 years at the University of Jamestown, including as department head and professor of art.
