A common branding exercise is to take a product or service and condense it into a few words. This helps us to determine our “idea” of it or its “brand” so to speak. If I were to perform this same exercise on this past year, I would use unexpected, growth, and new. 2022 presented many new challenges and opportunities that in my 13-year career were completely unfamiliar which while at times uncomfortable were not necessarily negative.
Leadership
I’ve known about my desire for leadership since I was 20 years old and made a manager of a major movie theatre. It was something I sought opportunities for in college through student organizations. And 2 months into my teaching career it would be something that would find me. I could not be more grateful to my first department chair and associate dean at NSU who took a chance and promoted me to the head of an art and design program at such an early point in my career. Through that opportunity I was able to do things like create BFA degrees, make major facility improvements and make profound substantive change to an institution and how it provides an art education. Now nearly 10 years after I left that institution and incredible experience, I find myself in a much greater role at a much larger institution.
At the end of 2021 another fantastic associate dean suggested I consider leadership at USM and nominated me for the Faculty Leadership Institute which I completed in November. This was a fantastic learning experience that helped me to understand, and put into words, the type of leader that I am while working with other school directors, program coordinators, and other leading faculty in the university who were also in my cohort. This opportunity along with the opportunity to represent the Art and Design program at the NASAD Conference helped me to clarify what I wanted in the next stages of my academic career.
Shortly after attending the NASAD Conference and completing the Faculty Leadership Institute another fantastic opportunity presented itself when I was asked by my incredible new school director to step into the role of associate director of the School of Performing and Visual Arts. This position placed me in a leadership position over our Art and Design, Dance, and Theatre programs. As a creative director for our SPVA Design and Marketing Team I had worked with all of these areas for years and while during covid the work my team and I accomplished was instrumental to their success so I am incredibly excited to see what great things can be accomplished next.
Research
2022 was a successful year for my research endeavors. This year I completed 4 drawings including my largest drawing in over a decade titled “Lady in White.” I also added 2 new drawings to my series “Highs, Lows, and Everything In-between,” and I completed a landscape for my series “Lost.” In addition to these drawings I also collaborated with 2 dance faculty for performances in the spring semester.
While being productive is a great indicator of success another great indicator comes from exhibition record for the year. I was honored in 2022 to have work selected for 4 national level exhibits and have another work place as a runner-up in a publication. In addition to the exhibiting of my studio work one of my collaborations was selected for performance in an international dance conference.
Summary
I tend to always see my research success as unexpected, as they say “an artist is their own worst critic.” With that said I have to acknowledge how I grew in this area whether through collaborations or working larger and with more negative space. All of which was quite uncomfortable but lead to greater success. Growth as mentioned in many previous posts and in my leadership philosophy is almost always uncomfortable and yet overall the only way to find success.
In 2023 I look forward to seeking more uncomfortable growth and the success that comes with it, especially in the area of leadership and administration.
Part 2: Teaching and Service Coming Soon!
