George Mason University School of Art

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Hayon Park, Assistant Professor of Art Education in the School of Art at George Mason University. Dr. Park passed away on Friday, May 15, 2026, after a year living with cancer. Dr. Park was a deeply respected scholar, educator, mentor, and colleague whose work centered early childhood art education, relational pedagogy, and culturally responsive teaching practices. She continued to work, write, teach, mentor, and show up for her students and her field for as long as she was able. That was part of who she was. Her care for students and commitment to teaching shaped the daily life of our community in ways that will not fade.

Her loss is felt across the School of Art, George Mason University, and the broader art education community she served and loved. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, students, and all who knew and loved her.

Read more about Dr. Park and her lasting impact in arts education here: https://art.gmu.edu/news/2026-05/honoring-impact-dr-hayon-park

Hello School of Art!

Join us on Sunday, May 3rd for a vibrant, community-powered celebration of creativity, as we help close out Fairfax, Spotlight on the Arts with an unforgettable experience. 50+ artists, live art and exhibits, music, vintage finds, creative play and more for all ages!

JOIN US TODAY for School of Art Professor Emerita, Maria Karametou’s celebration of her debut novel, “The Amalgam”!

This event will be at the Gillespie Gallery in the Art and Design Building, Fairfax, VA
TODAY from 2-4 pm
Refreshments will be provided!

About the Book:
Athens, 1984. All Meta wants is to escape her tyrannical father and the future he demands of her. But when her dying grandmother, Metaxia, presses a mysterious heirloom into her hands—begging her to return it to the lost Greek village in Asia Minor from which she was violently expelled during World War I—Meta makes a promise she doesn’t fully understand.
Fleeing to America in a desperate bid for freedom, Meta must survive on her own after her father cuts her off—penniless, hungry, and clinging to her dream of becoming an artist. Yet the heirloom wrapped in her grandmother’s handkerchief refuses to be forgotten. Years later, a shattering moment forces Meta to confront the life she has built—and the history she has tried to outrun.
Her journey to Turkey becomes a pilgrimage across continents and across time, echoing Metaxia’s own flight from violence decades earlier. As their parallel stories converge, Meta must finally face the truth: can we ever return to the places that made us—or only to the person we were meant to become?
Sweeping, intimate, and deeply human, The Amalgam is the tale of two women bound by survival, exile, and the unbreakable pull of home.

📸 to Professor Emeritus Maria Karametou Maria Karametou and Mason Exhibtions Mason Exhibitions
🔗 In bio for event details!

We’ll see you soon!

Paper isn’t just a surface…it’s a statement.

The School of Art invites you to join us for P̶a̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶P̶o̶l̶i̶t̶i̶c̶ (Paper as Politic), a thought-provoking symposium and exhibition exploring how paper becomes a powerful tool for dialogue, resistance, and change. Artists and thinkers come together to examine themes like propaganda, censorship, race, language, and cultural transformation in today’s world.

Symposium Dates!
🗓 April 16–18, 2026
📍 Art and Design Building, George Mason University (Fairfax Campus)

Be part of the dialogue and discover how something as simple as paper can hold truth, challenge power, and inspire action.

Register online to reserve your spot! We’d love to have you with us!
Have questions? Reach out at [email protected].

🔗 In our bio for full registration details!
🎨 Poster design credits to Assistant Professor Pierre Bowins