P H I L O S O P H Y
A strong sense of integrity and leading by example are among the most powerful tools I possess as an educator. It is my intention to convey, to every student, my resounding and lifelong connection to art, design, craft, and their intersection through genuine engagement in the making and teaching of visual art. From the first day, I establish a nurturing environment where a foundation of trust and mutual respect permeates every aspect of the creative process. It is essential that students feel safe taking risks, making innovative decisions, and engaging in critical dialogue within their own practices and in the practice of their peers. I accomplish this through active listening, mental and emotional availability, and reinforcing my willingness to work closely with each student in and out of the classroom. The result is an atmosphere where passion is present, failure is permitted, vulnerability is celebrated, and dedication is rewarded.
My pedagogical approach to an interdisciplinary Fine Arts education is comparable to the methodology of Jean Pol-Martin’s “learning through teaching.” With initial guidance, students develop a personalized visual vocabulary. Visits to galleries, museums, conferences, and artists' workshops add to the growth of this vocabulary. When students share their unique vocabulary with their peers, the student becomes a teacher. Consequently, through the process of explanation and demonstration, the individual becomes a more astute pupil. By mid-semester, students are teaching each other technical strategies and conceptual findings that enhance project outcomes. In this way, the student is empowered and learns to cultivate practices that are self-generated, thoughtful, thorough, and organic, skills that will serve them well in their academic careers and any future endeavor.
All ceramics curricula emphasize the integration of material inquiry with conceptual development. Students are challenged to be thinkers, not only makers. To achieve this goal, I provide a foundational context where students learn how their creative research relates to historic and contemporary art worlds. Advanced ceramics students are required to explore digital processes in their research, and BA and BFA students understand the importance of maintaining a professional online presence after they graduate. Since the oral and written articulation of ideas is germane to higher education, all students must communicate, through source presentations and written assignments, their process of ideation and execution of concepts at the end of each semester.
The vibrancy of a ceramics program is dependent on the quality of research conducted by its students and faculty alike. Behind every distinguished ceramics program is a studio that operates at the highest level from the formulation of studio clay and glazes to kiln maintenance and the science of firing. A systematic approach to coordinating the daily activity and the use of tools and materials within a ceramics laboratory is imperative. Concise oversight instills a sense of confidence as new students learn the processes associated with the ceramic medium. Upper-level students are able to build upon processes and techniques that are proven to be successful.
My teaching has been informed by years of experience and practice. I deeply respect the energy that is generated within a ceramics studio and strive to deliver the best of my knowledge to the students and the broader community. As a trained educator, a lifelong student, and a practicing artist, I fully believe that a university arts education prepares individuals to question the conventions of the society in which they live and confront the complexities of living in the twenty-first century.
My pedagogical approach to an interdisciplinary Fine Arts education is comparable to the methodology of Jean Pol-Martin’s “learning through teaching.” With initial guidance, students develop a personalized visual vocabulary. Visits to galleries, museums, conferences, and artists' workshops add to the growth of this vocabulary. When students share their unique vocabulary with their peers, the student becomes a teacher. Consequently, through the process of explanation and demonstration, the individual becomes a more astute pupil. By mid-semester, students are teaching each other technical strategies and conceptual findings that enhance project outcomes. In this way, the student is empowered and learns to cultivate practices that are self-generated, thoughtful, thorough, and organic, skills that will serve them well in their academic careers and any future endeavor.
All ceramics curricula emphasize the integration of material inquiry with conceptual development. Students are challenged to be thinkers, not only makers. To achieve this goal, I provide a foundational context where students learn how their creative research relates to historic and contemporary art worlds. Advanced ceramics students are required to explore digital processes in their research, and BA and BFA students understand the importance of maintaining a professional online presence after they graduate. Since the oral and written articulation of ideas is germane to higher education, all students must communicate, through source presentations and written assignments, their process of ideation and execution of concepts at the end of each semester.
The vibrancy of a ceramics program is dependent on the quality of research conducted by its students and faculty alike. Behind every distinguished ceramics program is a studio that operates at the highest level from the formulation of studio clay and glazes to kiln maintenance and the science of firing. A systematic approach to coordinating the daily activity and the use of tools and materials within a ceramics laboratory is imperative. Concise oversight instills a sense of confidence as new students learn the processes associated with the ceramic medium. Upper-level students are able to build upon processes and techniques that are proven to be successful.
My teaching has been informed by years of experience and practice. I deeply respect the energy that is generated within a ceramics studio and strive to deliver the best of my knowledge to the students and the broader community. As a trained educator, a lifelong student, and a practicing artist, I fully believe that a university arts education prepares individuals to question the conventions of the society in which they live and confront the complexities of living in the twenty-first century.