Engaging Arts Educator passionate about creating meaningful and enlightening experiences for students.
EDUCATION
- The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, Master of Fine Arts in Painting
- Carnegie Mellon University, Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors, Painting/Printmaking double major
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Dynamic Studio Art Professor/Instructor
- Engaging Visual Art Lecturer/Public Speaker/Presenter
- Visual literacy; reading/writing/talking about images; unpacking works of art, ads, press photos, any kind of visual image
- Versatile and user-friendly approach with participants from all walks of life; K-12, college, families, seniors, at-risk, special needs
- Proven success designing and implementing art programs for diverse/underserved populations in formal and informal settings
- Strong writer (curricula, essays, grant proposals, program policy, handbooks, evaluations
TEACHING
ONLINE/VIRTUAL
- Alliance for Young Artists & Writers/ NYC (virtual) 2021
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Teaching Artist- Recruited to develop and teach a virtual workshop entitled Processing Collective Grief Through Art during COVID.
- Using works of art, led discussion deconstructing the images and pointed to the visual clues that conveyed ideas about grief.
- Over 100 participants from all over the country stayed for the full 90-minute workshop.
- Provided student feedback (on the work they began after the workshop) on Flipgrid a week later.
- Airy Knoll Arts, Middlebrook, Virginia (virtual) 2021
Airy Knoll Arts Project, Teaching Artist- Taught virtual workshop/s to participants of all ages from several countries.
- Presented my body of work; showcased one painting that led us into a 4-session workshop that I designed
- Finding Your Visual Voice, (virtual or in-person) 2021-
Applied this content in the above virtual teaching experiences- Created this course to promote and teach visual literacy and critical thinking. Participants apply an inquiry-based process to their own artistic practice, and begin developing their own unique visual vocabulary. They are taught to study and examine ways to employ the artist’s tools (color, scale, composition, and various “styles”) to leverage “pictorial hierarchy” = making visual decisions that communicate their ideas.
UNIVERSITY/HIGHER EDUCATION
- University of Illinois/Chicago, 1998
Figure Drawing Instructor - Columbia College, Chicago IL, 1997
Painting and Drawing Instructor - Associated Colleges of the Midwest, Chicago Arts Program, 1994-1998
Program Faculty- Taught studio art courses and seminars to students working in various artistic disciplines.
- 1 of 3-person faculty team that developed an inquiry-based curriculum in the arts, built on an experiential education model.
- Advised students in independent projects and internships across disciplines.
- The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 1993-1996
Painting and Drawing Instructor - Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN, 1991-1994
Adjunct Assistant Professor- Taught Drawing I/Advanced Drawing, Painting I/Advanced Painting, Design I, Senior Seminar
- Participated in department meetings and end of semester reviews.
MUSEUM EDUCATION
- Guggenheim Museum New York, Learning Through Art Program, 2003-2004
Teaching Artist/Museum Educator- Collaborated with teachers to design art projects related to their academic subject areas.
- Conducted classroom and school-wide presentations about works of art; implemented projects with students.
- Designed and conducted tours for teachers at the museum.
- The Art Institute of Chicago, Park Voyagers Program,1999-2001
Lead Artist/Museum Educator- Developed/implemented all 4 phases of award-winning city-wide Park Voyagers program.
- Designed/conducted theme-based museum tours for school-age kids, parents and families.
- Trained and managed Teaching Assistants.
COMMUNITY
- Vineyard Commons Senior Community, Highland, NY, 2013-2015
Painting Teacher - Mill Street Loft, Poughkeepsie, NY, Summer 2014
Project ABLE Co-Director/Teaching Artist- Managed and implemented summer youth employment program.
- Worked with students to produce a CD of original scores, a digital zine, and weekly blog entries.
- Ramapo for Children, Rhinebeck, NY, 2013-2014
Interdisciplinary Arts Specialist- Developed and implemented arts activities with staff, student groups and special needs populations.
- Gallery 37, Gallery 37 in the Parks Program, Chicago, Summer 2000
Program Director- Designed curriculum project; worked with underserved teens to produce a zine.
- Presented the final product during our final event- a Zine Release Party.
VISITING ARTIST GIGS – INTERVIEWS – ARTIST TALKS
2025 Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY Guest Artist
2023 WomanMade Gallery, Chicago, IL Interview with curator of Tickled Pink at live on Instagram
Studio 89, Highland, NY Artist Talk: The Nature of Stereotypes, Live-streamed on FB
2022 Belvoir Terrace, Lenox, MA Visiting Artist/Teacher
2021 Hudson House Distillery, West Park, NY Artist Talk in gallery
2019 Roost Gallery, New Paltz, NY Presenter, Creative Conversations
2005 Humanities Prep New Visions High School, NYC Visiting Artist, Workshop
2001 Chicago Metropolitan Center Guest Artist
2000 Columbia College, Chicago, IL Student Exhibition Juror
Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL Lecturer, Visiting Artist, Workshop
1999 Columbia College, Chicago, IL Lecturer, Visiting Artist, 2-day Workshop
Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL Lecturer, Student Exhibition Juror
1998 International School of Art, Umbria, Italy Artist in Residence
Renaissance Society, Chicago, IL Research Consultant
1997 Denison University, Granville, OH Lecturer, Visiting Artist
1996 Columbia College, Chicago, IL Student Exhibition Juror
1995 Columbia College, Chicago, IL Lecturer, Visiting Artist, 2-day Workshop
Lawrence University, Appleton, WI Lecturer, 1995
Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN Lecturer: Engendering Images
1994 WomanMade Gallery, Chicago, IL Exhibition Juror for Beyond Words
1994 Elgin Community College, Elgin, IL Lecturer, Student Exhibition Juror
1993 Oxbow, Saugatauk, MI Artist in Residence
1991 John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Invited Panelist