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About Me
Associate Professor of Art / Foundations Director, Georgia Southern University
I am an artist and educator whose work bridges studio practice, foundations education, design, fabrication, and emerging technologies. I received classical training in painting and drawing at the New York Academy of Art and have spent nearly two decades working in higher education.
I currently serve as Associate Professor of Art, Foundations Director, and Art Honors Coordinator at Georgia Southern University, where I oversee the foundations curriculum, mentor new faculty and teaching assistants, coordinate assessment and program initiatives, and develop recruiting strategies. In addition to my administrative and leadership roles, I teach drawing, two-dimensional design and color theory, digital applications, and professional practice at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
My professional experience extends beyond academia into project management, CAD drafting and engineering, graphic design, CNC production, custom fabrication, and product development. This interdisciplinary background shapes my approach to teaching, emphasizing problem solving, experimentation, adaptability, and the connection between creativity and practical application.
As an educator, I am particularly interested in developing holistic and inclusive approaches to learning for neurodivergent students, including those with ADHD, as well as students navigating a range of learning differences and mental health challenges. I integrate emerging research and technologies into my teaching to create flexible, supportive learning environments in which students with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and needs can thrive. My broader creative practice explores the intersection of tabletop game design and pedagogy, with particular interest in how game mechanics and systems can support learning, engagement, collaboration, and creative problem solving.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
M.F.A., New York Academy of Art, New York, NY, cum laude
B.F.A., Illinois State University, Bloomington, IL, cum laude
A.A., Springfield College in Illinois, Springfield, IL, cum laude
Teaching Appointments
Associate Professor of Art / Foundations Director , Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Assistant Professor of Art / Foundations Director , Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Assistant Professor of Art , Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL (Interim Chair 2015-16, Chair 2018-19)
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art , Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL
Assistant Professor of Art / Department Head , Benedictine University at Springfield, Springfield, IL
Additional Academic Experience
Georgia Southern University
As Foundations Director, responsibilities have included administration and ongoing development of the Foundations program; coordination and revision of curriculum in Drawing: Observation, 2D Design and Color Theory, 2D Digital Applications and Technology, 3D Form and Space, and 3D Digital Fabrication and Technology; development of course materials, Folio modules, instructional videos, guided readings, project sheets, rubrics, and assessment structures; coordination of course scheduling and delivery across terms; management of supply budgets, course kits, bookstore initiatives, and instructional resources; and training, mentoring, and supporting graduate Teaching Assistants and Foundations faculty in pedagogy, classroom management, instructional delivery, and course technology.
My teaching experience spans a broad range of studio and professional practice courses, including 2D Art and Design Foundations / 2D Design and Color Theory, 3D Art and Design Foundations, Drawing: Observation, Drawing: Expression, Figure Drawing, Drawing III, 2D: Digital Applications and Technology, Illustration, BFA Professional Practice Seminar, Portfolio Capstone, Graduate Studio Practice, and Studio Pedagogy Practicum.
Committee Appointments and Institutional Service
- Graduate Committee, 2019-present
- Assessment Committee, 2019-present
- BFA Comprehensive Program Review: co-author, 2019; report writer, 2026
- BA Annual Assessment Report Writer; BFA Assessment Report Writer; and BA/BFA assessment data manager, 2020-2024
- Contributed to NASAD accreditation and substantive change applications: Co-Chair, NASAD Section I; self-study co-author for the 2019 and 2025 reaccreditation reviews
- Art Department Honors College Coordinator, 2020-present
- Curriculum Committee / Vision 2020 Curriculum Initiatives, 2019-2022: co-authored new departmental mission statements, department learning objectives, and program learning objectives for the BA and BFA degrees in collaboration with the Department Chair
- MFA Thesis Committee Member, serving on multiple graduate thesis committees
- Faculty Search Chair for tenure-track searches in Graphic Design, Animation, 3D Studio Art, and Art Education
- Member of several Pre-Tenure, Tenure, and Post-Tenure review committees
- College of Arts and Humanities AI Task Force, committee member
- Department recruitment and outreach: participated in annual Eagle Previews, admitted-student events, and served as a judge for Honors Scholars' Day; organized the annual World's Largest Not-So-Still Life recruiting event
Illinois College
Administrative experience included Chair of the Art and Design in Visual Studies Department (2016, 2018-2019) and Chair of Division I (2017-18).
Studio courses included Visual Communication (Graphic Design), Visual Perceptions through Drawing, Two-Dimensional Aesthetics, Advanced Drawing Theory and Practice, Oil Painting Process and Theory, and Printmaking I. Lecture courses included World Art and Culture, Western Art and Culture, Art History in the Modern World, Senior Seminar, and Freshman Seminar.
- Curriculum Review Committee, 2015-2019
- E-Sports Faculty Advisor, 2017-2019
- Blue Ribbon General Education Committee, 2016-2019
- Early Intervention Committee, 2012-2019
- Incident Review Committee, 2014-15
- Convocation Committee, 2013-14
- Resource Advisory Committee, 2012-13
- Chair of Division I, 2017-18
- Search Committee Experience
Benedictine University at Springfield
Responsibilities included Art Department Head (2004-2006), curriculum evaluation, adjunct faculty evaluation, departmental scheduling, faculty hiring and evaluation, academic advising, and departmental service.
Studio courses included Drawing I, Drawing II, Painting I, Painting II, Printmaking, Life Drawing, 2-D Design, and 3-D Design. Lecture courses included Art Appreciation, Art History I, and Art History II.
- Curriculum Committee, 2004-2006
- Assessment Committee, 2004-2006
- Academic Review Board, 2004-2006
Related Industry Experience
Assistant Project Manager and Draftsman , Ravenswood Studio Inc., Lincolnwood, IL
Project Manager and Draftsman , Skyline Design, Chicago, IL
Industry Details
Ravenswood Studio Inc.
Drafted and engineered custom fabrication projects using AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Produced technical drawings and fabrication documentation for client approval and shop production across theatre and opera sets, corporate training environments, museum interactives and exhibits, and custom architectural millwork. Responsibilities included project estimating, scheduling, site surveys, technical documentation, production coordination, material specification, and CNC programming using ProfileLab for MasterCAM.
Skyline Design
Developed custom product designs, technical drawings, and presentation renderings using AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and VRay. Managed vendors, budgets, project schedules, materials, production, shipping, installation, and project coordination from design development through final delivery. Product development included the GreenPlay™ furniture line, with responsibilities spanning sustainable material research and testing, product engineering, CAD and SolidWorks documentation, assembly instructions, CNC production programming, prototyping, and the development of a custom knockdown fastening and assembly system.
Solo Exhibitions
Recollections, Averitt Center for the Arts, Statesboro, GA
Cognitive Decline, Sulfur Studios On:View Gallery, Savannah, GA
Recent Juried Group Exhibitions / Competitions
17th Annual Figurative Drawing and Painting Exhibition, Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA
Rawl Museum Arts Juried Exhibition, Rawl Museum Arts, Courtland, VA
Mirroring Reality: Realism Today, Artlink Contemporary Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN
Valdosta National, Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery, Valdosta, GA
Small Works, Main Street Arts Gallery, Clifton Springs, NY
14th Annual Figurative Drawing and Painting Exhibition, Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA
USM Painting National, University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Small Works, Jag Gallery, Key West, FL
Ongoing Conversation: Working Our Way Home, Roswell Visual Arts Center, Roswell, GA
Fourth Lagrange Southeast Regional, Lagrange Art Museum - Lamar Dodd Art Center, LaGrange, GA
Objects 2022, CICA Museum, Samdo-ro, Yangchon-eup Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
12th Annual Figurative Drawing and Painting Exhibition, Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA
Iridescence, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Baton Rouge, LA
25th Annual SouthWorks National Juried Exhibition, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, GA
Lie, Cheat, Steal: Ethics and Contemporary Art, Kresge Gallery at Lyon College, Batesville, AR
Introductions 2019 Applicant Exhibition, Trestle Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Objectified, CICA Museum, Samdo-ro, Yangchon-eup Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Faculty Focus 2019 Exhibition, Contemporary Gallery Center for Art and Theatre, Statesboro, GA
Order and Chaos the World of the Enlightened, JanKossen Contemporary Art Gallery, New York, NY
WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge - International Juried Exhibition, Atlantic Gallery, New York, NY
Juried Publications
Studio Visit Magazine , Volume 49 & 50
Honors and Awards
1st Place, Rawls Museum Arts Juried Exhibition, Rawls Museum Arts. Juror: Allen TenBusschen
3rd Place, National Juried Painting Exhibition, University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art. Juror: Ken Weathersby
Ernest G. Hildner, Jr. Faculty Enrichment Award
Richard T. Fry Faculty Collaboration Grant
Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers
Summer Scholarship Award, New York Academy of Art
Merit Scholarship Award, New York Academy of Art
University Honors Certificate, Illinois State University
College Honors in Printmaking/intaglio, Illinois State University
Award of Excellence, Liturgical and Sacred Art, Springfield Art Association
Best Undergraduate Print Award, Student Annual, University Galleries, Normal, IL
Golden Key International Honors Society
Garlic Press Best Undergraduate Print Award, Student Annual, University Galleries, Normal, IL
Full Tuition Waiver, Fine Arts Scholarship Competition, Illinois State University
Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges
Student Publication Award, Springfield College in Illinois
Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society
Conference Presentations
SECAC: University of Kentucky, “Post Pandemic Approaches to Curating and Customizing Curriculum for Multi-modal Delivery” (conference canceled due to Covid-19)
Beyond the Core: Kansas City Art Institute, “We need to strengthen our foundation, not just add new stories.”
Selected Lectures and Artist Talks
Artist Talk. re(collections), Averitt Center for the Arts, Statesboro, GA
Artist Talk. Cognitive Decline, Sulfur Studios, Savannah, GA
Curatorial
Juror - Statesboro Regional Art Association Juried Exhibition, Averitt Center for the Arts, Statesboro, GA
Professional Affiliations and Memberships
FATE Foundations in Art: Theory and Education
Articles
Art Beat: The long-awaited return of spring shows , R. Flora. The Savannahian.
Additional Publications
Understanding Two-Dimensional Design Aesthetics using Polarity Gradients
Drawing Beyond the Stick Figure
Published Table Top Games
Table Top Game Reviews
Cat Conquest Game Review - Father Geek - Cyrus Kirby
Fur Will Fly: A Cat Conquest Board Game Review - Therewillbe.games - Wade Monnig