Teaching Experiences
My teaching experiences started along the banks of the Thames River in London as Assistant Director of the London Summer Art Program, based out of a former Russian Embassy on Goldsmith College’s campus. Students from the University of Wisconsin – Stout took part in a month long studio program, traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland and Calais, France. This all took place with my mentor Charlie Wimmer, who’s teacher was Peter Busa, who’s teacher was Hans Hoffman, who’s teacher was Henri Matisse. The idea of exploration and experimentation was gifted to me early on, and for the last 20 years I’ve been working with colleges, museums, non-profits and various institutions in educational capacities, from pre-college programs to being the first Visiting Faculty member in the MFA Program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Encouraging curiosity, expanding senses of artistic materials, and experimenting to the point of failure are bedrock to my pedagogy. I consider teaching an essential part of my artistic practice, as the social compacts that exist in the classroom are an important fuel for my practice; a tangible everyday reminder that learning and expanding are integral to every artistic practice.
The following are some examples of the various courses and ways I’ve engaged with artistic education over the last 20 years. Courses taught include: Drawing 1 & 2, 2D Foundations, Figure Drawing, Experimental Drawing, Painting 1 & 2, Senior Project, Ideation and Process, 2D Digital Imaging, Installation Art, Mixed Media, Working with the Collection (a seminar with The Bell Museum of Natural History & The Minneapolis Institute of Art), and Graduate level Critique Seminars.
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis MN
Taking place in a gallery in the middle of the Edward Hopper exhibition at The Walker, I taught gesture drawing to gallery goers, with a 2 piece jazz band acting as inspiration for their explorations on paper.
Marie Walsh Sharpe Summer Teaching Residency
Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 2014
A month long all expenses paid competitive residency program for High School students that are about to apply for college. Coming from around the country, students were given the opportunity to take daily classes from professionals on the Colorado College campus, and work towards assembling their portfolios for college admissions.
MFA Visiting Faculty, 2015-2018
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Tasks included running the graduate critique seminars, coordinating visiting artists, creating local and national partnerships, overseeing mid-program reviews, thesis exhibitions and open studio nights, engaging in weekly studio visits with the graduate students and serving on the Graduate Program Committee.
I assisted in the development of curriculum, administrative program materials, branding, social media outreach, and reviewing candidates for admission. As the first Visiting Faculty to serve in this role, a lot of the proverbial scaffolding had to be built, as well as the ways in which we provided platforms and opportunities for our students.
Seminar: Working with the Collection – The Bell Museum of Natural History
Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2015
A collaboration with The Bell Museum at the University of Minnesota, students had a semester long opportunity to engage with the various departments on the University campus, including a postcard exchange with artist Mark Dion, which was later gifted to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for their permanent collection.
Walker Art Center Teen Art Council
It’s Happening! Fluxus take-over, 2013
I was brought in to work alongside the teens in the Art Council to create programming for their take-over of a section of the Walker on a Thursday night. We created Fluxus inspired works that showed up throughout the museum, from the freight elevator to the Hennepin Avenue facing window.
The following are a selection of various classes and projects, institutions ranging from Macalester College to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
