I am a painter, and I teach Visual Arts and Visual Studies. I grew up in New York City, worked as a nurse to support my art practice before going back to graduate school for my MFA. My art practice considers the structural and individual impacts of social, historical and geographical conditioning. I have exhibited work in venues such as the Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, KY, SOIL Gallery, Seattle, WA, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA, Smack Mellon, New York, NY, and I have curated exhibits on contested themes of beauty, gender, and sensations that show us something of the future. I am a prior recipient of artist-in-residence awards including at the Vermont Studio Center, Centrum, and the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. To learn more about my work please visit my website (https://www.shawosha.net/).
Education
M.F.A., Visual Art, Vermont College of Fine Art, 2009; B.S., Nursing, Columbia University, 1985.
Teaching Style
I teach as a practicing visual artist incorporating theory (research) and practice (materials). I often teach coordinated studies programs with someone from another field to enhance thematic context and content. I teach skills in painting, drawing, and visual studies, give interactive lectures, and coordinate the Art Lecture Series, which brings a range of contemporary artists and scholars to the college. Assignments include individual and collaborative projects with the structured support of encouraging and participative critiques. I help students learn to use formal elements to express ideas, bridging their inner experience with the outer world and where each student's contributions enrich the learning community.