st. lawrence university: department of fine arts

Whatever the reasons that make us the people that we are, with particular perceptive tendencies, I have always been drawn to teaching/learning models that are significantly engaging, that offer opportunities for autonomous experience and expression, and that inspire significant personal investigation within a larger conceptual and/or social context. I also embrace a feminist model of teaching and learning where authoritarian models have no place in the classroom. This means that as educators we are most effective when we are among other things, like knowledgeable and generous, really mainly human: flawed, questioning, emotional and loving. Finally, within the context of a studio art classroom, I try to always promote the student’s awareness of privilege, global positionalities, and social responsibility in any communication: visual or otherwise. In a more practical sense I try to encourage student’s “flow” experiences (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) both in and outside of classroom. Many people have lost track of being really, fully immersed in a task and when flow experience is combined with creative endeavors, the result is often increased satisfaction in the process and also more creative, joyful, original and challenging work.

“Transformative learning … is a shift of consciousness that dramatically and irreversibly alters our way of being in the world. Such a shift involves our understanding of ourselves and our self-locations; … our sense of possibilities for social justice and peace and personal joy.” – Edmund O’Sullivan

“Take all your expertise and trade it in for wonder.” -Buddha

“The average dog is nicer than the average person.” – Andy Rooney