Alan Strathmann
Associate Professor, Adjunct
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Bio
Instructor, Contemporary Practices (2008). BA, 2006, BFA, 2006, University of Washington, Seattle; MFA, 2008, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Exhibitions: Seattle Film Collective; Gallery 2, Chicago; Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago; Excelsior Gallery, Dayton, OH; Livebox Gallery, Chicago; Onggi Expo, South Korea. Residencies:The Blue Sky Project, University of Dayton; Onggi Village, Korea; Helen Riaboff Whiteley Center, University of Washington; Visiting Artist, SAIC Sculpture Department.
Personal Statement
My philosophy in teaching has grown to be focused on facilitating inspiration and reflection, particularly towards diverse, sustainable paths of inquiry and an awareness of place not only within the context of creative practice but within the world at large. I strive to help students meld experiential learning and problem solving with the investigation of new ideas. Students may discover that knowledge is to be used, and that the path towards mastery leads through critical thinking, and the acquiring of varied tool-sets, and that self-discovery can lead to satisfying accomplishment.
I also focus on delivering and elaborating on the premise that art and one’s education are dynamic things, first in that the world is in itself evolving, and perhaps most importantly, how developing the way one thinks is important in how we choose to shape the world which we inhabit. A simple thing to articulate but something that requires an openness and desire to help students apply themselves and their talents to self-reflection and change.