Exhibition Curator ? The Art of Influence? Breaking Criminal Traditions
July 2013?Present

The art of influence... Breaking Criminal Traditions is an exhibition created to raise awareness of global criminal traditions. Criminal traditions are ancient, ongoing rituals that kill or maim millions each year? yet they are rarely considered crimes. In creating awareness and beginning a dialogue, the intention is to promote change from within each affected culture.

Debuting in 2013 at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, variations of the exhibit have been presented at The Beverly Art Center [Chicago], The Art Center-Highland Park [Highland Park, IL], the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College [Naperville, IL], The Bridgeport Art Center [Chicago], the Human Rights Institute Gallery of Kean University [Union, NJ] and The Gallery at Penn College [Williamsport, PA]. Each new venue presents a unique body of work?incorporating select pieces from prior exhibitions, as well as new works. All of the pieces are selected to allude to the issues without being overtly obvious. The content of the exhibition walks a blurred line between the harsh reality of the world in which we live and the intense beauty of empowerment. Additional information can be found at BreakingCriminalTraditions.com

Independent Curator ? Meditative Surfaces
October 2009?Present

A group exhibition that explores meditative imagery within contemporary fine art. This traveling exhibition includes work by Painter; Charles Gniech, Mixed-media Artist; Deanna Krueger, Photographer; Maggie Meiners, and Painter; Rebecca Moy. Debuting in 2009 at the Schoenherr Art Gallery of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, variations of the exhibition have been presented at ZIA Gallery, Winnetka, The Fort Wayne Museum of Art, and The Art Center-Highland Park. Additional information can be found at MeditativeSurfaces.com

Exhibition Curator ? The Art Center-Highland Park
January 2015?January 2016

Accountable for the selection and presentation of work exhibited in the galleries of The Art Center of Highland Park. Responsibilities include contract management, creation of press releases, promotion, design and production of exhibition catalogs, promotional cards, and other printed and digital media, the scheduling and production of lectures and panel discussions as educational components.

Exhibition Curator - Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
January 2002?July 2013

Appointed as Exhibition Curator in January 2002. Gallery 180 presented exhibition programming that benefited the student body, faculty, artists within the community and the community at large. Located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago?s Loop, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago opened in November of 2003 with an exhibition of paintings by contemporary master, Ed Paschke. In the years to follow, Gallery 180 hosted exhibitions by professional local, national and international fine artists, with at least one juried exhibition annually. Work presented included two and three-dimensional pieces ranging form traditional to experimental? representational to abstract. The work presented was available for purchase and the money generated, made the gallery self-sustaining. The commissions were used to purchase work for the Corporate Fine Art Collection. In July of 2013, the gallery transitioned into a space run by committee, focusing exclusively on student and faculty work.

Responsibilities
• The review, selection and scheduling of work presented for exhibition
• Creation of artist lectures and discussion groups
• The writing of press releases
• Generation of buzz through Social Media: ChicagoFineArt.Blogspot.com, Facebook and LinkedIn
• Exhibition promotions through newspaper and radio interviews
• Website Maintenance
• The design and production of exhibition catalogs, promotional cards and posters
• The creation of juried exhibitions
• The installation and removal of exhibitions
• Organization of the event catering through our culinary school
• Hosting of receptions
• The return shipment of exhibited work
• Various accounting procedures to acquire payment to artists for work sold

Collections Curator - The Fine Art Collection of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
November 2004?July 2013

Appointed by [then] President Charles Restivo, to create a Corporate Fine Art Collection for the Chicago location of The Illinois Institute of Art. Through various fundraising and donations, the Collection had grown to 56 works, that are currently presented throughout the common areas of the Institute.

Curator - Gallery H, Three Oaks, Michigan
March 2005 ? June 2007

The selection and acquisition of artists as well as specific works to be exhibited at Gallery H in downtown Three Oaks, Michigan. The gallery specialized in emerging and established mid-career artists from around the country. Work in the mediums of painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture, were presented for sale.

EXHIBITIONS CURATED:

2020
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions, (a virtual exhibition) The Laura A. Sprague Art Gallery, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Illinois

2019
eruopa europa - Photography by Susan Aurinko, Hofheimer Gallery; Chcago, Illinois
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions, The Gallery at Penn College; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

2016
Behind the Wall; Art for Social Change, The Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions, Human Rights Institute Gallery, Kean University; Union, New Jersey

2015
Outsider Art, The Art Center?Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois
Breaking Criminal Traditions, Bridgeport Art Center; Chicago, Illinois
Formal: Igor & Marina, Beth Kamhi and Carl Holzman, The Art Center?Highland Park; HIghland Park, Illinois
Meditative Surfaces, The Art Center?Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois

2014
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Tradition, The Art Center?Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Tradition, Beverly Art Center; Chicago

2013
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Tradition, IIT-Chicago Kent College of Law; Chicago
Hyperreal, Gallery 180, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago

2012
The Art of Human Rights, Coalition Gallery; Chicago, Illinois

2011
Polish Poster Exhibition, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2010
Ripple: Cause and Effect, 3-Person Exhibition, The Art Center-Highland Park; Illinois

2009
Meditative Surfaces, 3-Person Exhibition, Schoenherr Gallery, North Central College; Naperville, Illinois

2008
Next? the next generation of up-and-coming Chicago-area artists, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2007
Finding Center: Meditative Perspectives, Gallery 180, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2006
Spanish Realism, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2005
Complex Simplicity, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Feminine Touch, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2004
Patterns of Texture, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2003
Ed Paschke, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Naked or Nude, Fine Arts Building Gallery; Chicago, Illinois

EXHIBITIONS JURIED:

2017
Later Impressions 2017, Mayslake Peabody Estate, Oakbrook, Illinois

2016
Behind the Wall; Art for Social Change, The Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois

2015
From Nature, The Art Center-Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois

2012
Worldview - A National Juried Exhibition to benefit Worldview Education & Care, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago

2011
Human - A National Juried Exhibition to benefit Heartland Alliance, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago
Photo 11 - Human Rights Exhibition, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago

2010
Narrative - The Art of Story Telling, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago
Human Rights, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago

2009
Red-A National Juried Exhibition, The Illinois institute of Art-Chicago
From Nature, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Art Against AIDS Preview Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2008
Remedy - The Art of Healing, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
The Art of Real Estate, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Photographic Nature, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Art Against AIDS Preview Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2007
One of a Kind Show, Merchandise Mart; Chicago, Illinois
Acquisition Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
National All Media, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Art Against AIDS Preview Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2006
Acquisition Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2005
Acquisition Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2004
Acquisition Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Collection Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
Human, A National Juried Exhibition, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

2003
Naked or Nude, Fine Arts Building Gallery; Chicago, Illinois

LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS:

Human Wrongs, Human Rights
Session Chair/Presenter
Illinois Art Education Association, 2022 Annual Conference, November 11, 2022.

Staying in Touch with Reality: Human Rights Issues and Critical Thinking Skills,
Presenter
National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, NISOD Fall Virtual Conference, October 21, 2022.

It's a Concept,
Co-Presenter with Suzanne Gorgas
Illinois Art Education Association - ArtConnectEd event (virtual), April 10,2021.

It's Curated,
Presenter
Illinois Art Education Association - ArtConnectEd event (virtual), April 10,2021.

While No One is Looking: Using Fine Art to Expose Climate Injustice and Advance Eco-Human Rights in the Post-Pandemic World,
Session Chair
The Artist's Voice: Are We Silenced or Amplified in the midst of a Pandemic?
Presenter
College Art Association 109th Annual Conference, New York (virtual), February 10-13, 2021.

While No One's Looking, Exposing Climate Injustice/Advancing Eco-Human Rights Through Fine Art, Presenter, Illinois Art Education Association, 72st Annual Conference (virtual), November 7, 2020. Profound Art: Helping the Student to Understand Global Human Rights Issues through Personal Life Challenges
Session Speaker
Illinois Art Education Association 2019 Fall Conference, St. Charles, IL, November 21-23, 2019

Creating an Identity?Making Uncomfortable Content Approachable
Session Presentation
Illinois Art Education Association, 70th Annual Conference, Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, November 10, 2018

Change Artists-Using the Arts to Leverage Change
Session Chair - A three-member panel, defining the ability of fine art to confront social issues on a global scale.
College Art Association, 105th Annual Conference, New York, February 15-18, 2017

Change Artists-Using the Arts to Leverage Change
A four-member panel discussion, defining the ability of fine art to confront social issues on a global scale.
United Nations - Commission on the Status of Women, 60th session; New York - March 17, 2016

An evening with artist Carl Holzman
Public interview as an educational component for the Holzman exhibition at The Art Center-Highland Park
The Art Center-Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois - December 3, 2015

An evening with artists Igor and Marina
Public interview as an educational component for the Igor and Marina; FORMAL exhibition at The Art Center-Highland Park
The Art Center-Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois - November 12, 2015

A Collectors Panel Discussion, Moderated by Chuck Gniech
The panel included: Joan Arenberg; Private Collector, Susan Aurinko; Founder of FLATFILEgalleries, Peter Bartlow; Director of Bartlow Gallery and Frank Paluch; Director of Perimeter Gallery
The Art Center-Highland Park; Highland Park, Illinois - June 3, 2015

Breaking Criminal Traditions
Tour and discussion of the selection, exhibition and installation of the Breaking Criminal Traditions Exhibition presented at the Bridgeport Art Center; Chicago, Illinois - November 2015

Breaking Criminal Traditions
A Panel Discussion defining the ability of fine art to address social issues on a global scale
North Central College; Naperville, Illinois - February 2015

Meditative Surfaces
Lecture on the evolution of artists included in the three-person exhibition presented on site from November 9, 2013 through January 19, 2014
Fort Wayne Museum of Art; Fort Wayne, Indiana - January 2014

Breaking Criminal Traditions
A Panel Discussion defining the ability of fine art to address social issues on a global scale
IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law; Chicago - October 2013

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Professor - Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL
January 2017 - Present

Adjunct - Triton College, River Grove, IL
August 2016 - May 2017

Professor - The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
September 2001 - January 2015

Adjunct - Columbia College, Chicago, IL
September 2001 - March 2002

Adjunct - Robert Morris College, Chicago, IL,
September - December 2001

Assistant Professor - School of Art, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
August 1990 - May 1999 [Evening Classes]

Assistant Professor - Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
January 1993 - May 1998 and 2001

Adjunct Professor - Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, IL
June 1997 - August 1997

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
College Art Association of America (CAA)
Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA)
National Art Education Association (NAEA)
National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD)
Society of Typographic Aficionados (SOTA)

EDUCATION:

Master of Fine Arts [MFA]
Northern Illinois University; Studio Art?Painting, May 1989

Bachelor of Fine Arts [BFA]
Northern Illinois University; Studio Art?Illustration, December 1986

Associate of Arts [AA]
William Rainey Harper College; Liberal Arts, July 1982