BA in Art

Kate and one of her creations in the Eva G. Farris Art Gallery during a show of her work entitled “Notes on Habitivity Appendix.”

What drew you to TMC?

I was interested in the smaller class size and higher rate of one-on-one interaction with the faculty. I was also attracted to the liberal arts curriculum. I felt like studying art alone wouldn’t give me much subject matter inspiration for artwork. Taking courses like astronomy, chemistry, aesthetics, and psychology at TMC ensured that I always had a fount of knowledge and experiences on which to base artwork.

What was your major and when did you graduate?

I majored in studio art with a focus on printmaking and minored in art history. I graduated in 2012.

What was your favorite thing about TMC?

I really loved the faculty, especially my core professors in the art department. I felt like everyone was so caring and ready to help me succeed. Their encouragement kept me motivated to work my hardest and keep up with their expectations. I was always impressed by the art faculty’s energy toward improving and advancing the department to be as relevant as possible in an art world where things are constantly evolving.

What did it feel like to come back and exhibit your work here?

It felt like a true homecoming because TMC was such a vast part of my life. The work I used in my portfolio to apply to graduate programs was the work I had created as my senior show for my undergraduate degree at TMC. Showing the work from my thesis exhibition that was created as a part of my graduate degree felt like a way to say thank you and show what TMC’s formative guidance led me to me create.

Kate shares her insights on the art she creates during the open gallery talk in September.

What is your current position at TMC?  How do you hope to impact our current students?

I am working as an adjunct instructor. While my degree is in printmaking, I can teach a range of foundation art courses as well as art history. I seek to motivate and inspire our current students, just as my faculty did for me. I feel very fortunate that my training allows me to teach a variety of classes, so that I have the opportunity to interact with a myriad of students. I try to focus on teaching equal parts craft (how well something is made) and concept (sound reasoning behind why something is made) so that students can feel confident about each work they create.

What are your goals for the future?

One of my biggest goals has always been to come back to TMC to teach. As I was graduating from TMC, I was seeing so much invigoration in the art department as a result of collaborations between new and longstanding faculty – I just knew I wanted to be a part of that. Additionally, I am very interested in bringing some of the techniques and new technologies I have learned during my time in graduate school to TMC, such as: screen printing, laser cutting, and animation.

Aside from teaching goals, I also keep goals for my personal artistic practice. I plan to keep making artwork and applying for shows and grants as often as possible. So far I’ve shown prints, drawings, and animations in Chicago, New York, California, and even Egypt – my goal is to keep pushing myself to get my work out there! I have a studio in the new Kennedy Heights Art Center where I continue to work on art every chance I get.