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Teaching Philosophy
 Art
is a building process that grows with practice, commitment, investigation,
openness and risk. I find it essential to be a guide, a resource, and an
example in the studio classroom. As a guide, I offer information concerning
technical skills, critical thinking skills, and issues of historical and
contemporary significance. Hands-on demonstrations in concert with readings,
slides, videos and DVDs provide students a variety of tools with which to learn
or improve upon the basics. Through exercises and assignments, I challenge
students to use skills as a tool and to push beyond technique to translate
ideas, feelings, and research in an intelligent manner.
 At
more advanced levels, class discussions and activities have included
interdisciplinary research and investigation of the natural sciences,
literature, social and political issues, and alternative employment in art.
Additionally, I have students install art throughout campus. By installing art
work throughout campus, students realize that the process does not end when a
piece is built. Moreover, the campus community is exposed to art and the
presence of the art department, and dialogues result. In the near future, I hope to expose to
students to the many art resources throughout the state, such as The Denver Art
Museum, Anderson Ranch, Loloba Ranch, and more.
As
a resource, I believe students should learn from as many different people as
possible to gain multiple perspectives. It is my hope to bring national and
international visiting artists to the campus for workshops and slide lectures.
My curriculum also includes viewing the series, Art 21: Art in the Twenty-first Century. Exposure to diverse artists and their
processes assists in discovery, curiosity, and context. Finally, class
discussions concerning workshops, conferences, juried exhibitions and
residencies take place to prepare students for a professional life.
I
am an example both as an artist and an instructor. I use experiences from my
life and work to provide a tangible account of an artist’s life and work
ethic. Likewise, for students, I provide challenging expectations, just as I do
for myself. My hope is that they realize that art is a lifelong investigation
and conversation, branching in innumerable directions, with countless
possibilities. back to top
 Creative Statement
The human mind processes thoughts, images and
insights in ways we cannot fathom. The associations a viewer
is able to derive from visual forms is of interest to me. We have the ability
to self-inform and create a relationship with the world by overlapping and
intermixing information consumed through many senses. For example, the smell of
a freshly baked pie is enhanced by its taste. Additionally, if the pie is made
from my grandmother’s recipe and prepared specifically for me, I would
find myself more intimately involved in the situation. Something more complete
is experienced; however, there is no word for it. It is an experience. I
experiment with nonverbal thoughts embodied in abstract forms. Tastes, smells, sounds, and sometimes
colors translate into shapes or three- dimensional forms in my mind. I explore the
visual components that make up those sometimes absurd and sometimes profound
associations. I am a filter. My agenda is curiosity. back to top
Courses Taught
- Art History I
- Art History II
- Art Appreciation
- Figure Drawing I
- Advanced Figure Drawing
- Ceramics I
- Ceramics II
- Ceramics III
- Two Dimensional Design
- Handbuilt Ceramics I
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