Education
Alfred University School of Art+Design, Alfred, NY — MFA, Three-Dimensional Studies, 2005
University of Montana, Missoula, MT — BFA, Sculpture, 1998
Work Experience
2023-2024 - Director of the University of Montana Western Center for Experiential Education, Dillon, MT
Served as Director of the University of Montana Western’s faculty professional development and educational support center.
2020-2023 - Director of the University of Montana Western Fine Arts Gallery, Dillon, MT
Curated art shows and managed the daily operations of two campus galleries. Position included management of student workers, event planning, press communication, and all aspects of artist invitations, travel plans, and more.
Assistant Professor of Visual Art, University of Montana Western, Dillon, MT
2018-2025
Department Chair - Fine Arts : Created agendas and ran department meetings, coordinated curriculum development, student recruitment efforts, mentorship of adjunct faculty, and other department-wide tasks and responsibilities. Worked closely with Division Chair concerning scheduling, staffing, and additional department duties as needed.
Media I + ll : Advanced + Introduction to digital photography, video, website design, sound, and photo editing. Discussion of media artists and contemporary issues within media arts. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Contemporary Art and Art Criticism : Students explore concerns shared in all of the arts—e.g., the artist and sources of inspiration; artistic freedom; arts as a mirror of society and an influencing force; who’s to judge; technology; commercialism.
Art History l + ll : Course familiarizes students with the development of art practices and methods alongside the broad conceptual themes in the study of art and culture through time. Course includes the nature and purpose of the discipline; the impact of colonialism on global art; the impact of industrial advances on world art; and continued questions of identity and cultural difference.
Sculpture I + ll : Advanced + Introduction to basic sculptural techniques with various materials, and the expressive, conceptual, and communication possibilities of 3-D objects/space. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
3-D Principles: Methods and Materials: Introduction to three-dimensional materials and methods, including 3-D drawing and modeling. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Foundations: Drawing: Observational skill-building, with particular attention to figural and still-life subjects. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
2-D Principles: Methods and Materials: Introduction to two-dimensional materials and methods. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Painting I + ll : Advanced + Introduction to painting techniques.This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Owner / Lead Designer, FREEMAN MT, Dillon, MT
2005-Present
Freelance design work for a variety of clients, with projects ranging from biomedical devices to interactive installations.
Owner / Lead Instructor, Dillon Martial Arts, Dillon, MT
2021-Present
+ Mixed Martial Arts school committed to helping students of all ages gain physical strength, confidence, and leadership skills. Specialized in helping people overcome issues with anxiety, fear, anger, and self-control through the discipline and focus provided by martial arts training.
Executive Director/Instructor, Free Verse Writing Project, Missoula, MT
2017-2018
Executive Director for nonprofit organization teaching art and writing in juvenile detention facilities throughout Montana. Led team meetings, developed lesson plans and curriculum, led workshops in Missoula County Juvenile Detention Center.
Visiting Artist + Instructor, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
2009-2012
Sustainable Design [Minneapolis College of Art and Design]: This studio course provides tools for sustainable design innovation and design. Students use creative and analytical skills, generating new ideas and 3D CAD renderings and evaluating designs with screening-level life-cycle assessments and two eco-labeling systems (Cradle to Cradle and EPEAT)
Experimental Video + Installation [Minneapolis College of Art and Design]: Creation of non-linear narratives through the integration of video/audio techniques, interactive software, installation and written material. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Ideation + Process [Minneapolis College of Art and Design]: Focus on creation and development of student ideas, as well as visual tools to track creative process from idea through construction and then to postproduction analysis. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Media I [Minneapolis College of Art and Design]: Introduction to MCAD’s digital resources, covered digital photography, video, website design, sound, and photo editing. Discussion of media artists and contemporary issues within media arts.
Media II [Minneapolis College of Art and Design]: Building on the skills and processes learned in Media I. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Chief Operations Officer / Lead Designer, Newton Medical, Minneapolis, MN
2012–2015
Led the design, engineering, and business teams in the development of a complex new medical device. Required a thorough understanding of development - from start to finish - and the ability to guide a team of individuals from multiple disciplines.
Instructor, College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, MN
2007-2009
3-D Principles: Methods and Materials [College of Visual Arts]: Introduction to three-dimensional materials and methods, including drawing and modeling. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Intro to Sculpture [College of Visual Arts]: Basic sculptural techniques, including casting and fabrication. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Metal/Wood Processes [College of Visual Arts]: Advanced techniques in wood and metal, including casting and fabrication. Readings and discussion relevant to contemporary sculptural practice. This course also examines creativity as an expression of culture and historical context and includes writing exercises in aesthetics and art criticism.
Moldmaking and Casting [College of Visual Arts]: Traditional and experimental casting and moldmaking techniques, includes research component.
Project Lead, 3-Ring, Minneapolis, MN
2005-2008
Led design/fabrication team for custom build out of Minneapolis-based design company. Produced CAD drawings and designs for custom mechanics, furniture, and accessories. Acted as liaison between company and client. Acted as a design and materials consultant for both company and clients.
Recent Conferences
2024 TEDx University of Montana Western
+ Presented on the topic of "What I learned teaching incarcerated youth"
2018 MEA/MFT Educator Conference, Billings, MT (presenter)
Presented three stand-alone sessions at statewide conference:
Trauma-Informed Curriculum
Ekphrastic Narratives - Vision and Verse
Digital/Media Art Curriculum
2019 Big Sky Behavioral Health Summit, Dillon, MT (attendee)
2018 Big Sky Behavioral Health Summit, Dillon, MT (attendee)
Grants/Fellowships
2010 MCAD Faculty Development Grant
2010 Finalist: McKnight Artist Fellowships for Visual Artists
2009 I.D. Magazineʼs New + Notable - Freeman Transportʼs Gravel Racer bicycle.
2008 I.D. Magazineʼs New + Notable - Freeman Transportʼs track bike-style collapsible bicycle.
2008 Bush Foundation Artist Initiative Fellowship - yearlong unrestricted artist fellowship
2007 Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant
2008 Bush Foundation Faculty Development Grant - CVAʼs Three-Dimensional Studies curriculum.
2007 Bush Foundation Faculty Development Grant
2005 International Digital Art Award for “Breath Test” interactive video installation.
1998 Missoula Cultural Council Grant for body of sculptural work completed for BFA.
Selected Exhibitions/Performances
2019 Eldridge Installation, Miami Beach, FL.
2019 Run, Fight, Run, Four Season Hotel, Napa, CA.
2018 Martin Design, St. Helena, CA
2014 Eldridge Installation, Martin Design, St. Helena, CA
2011 Co-Kisser, MCAD, Minneapolis, MN
2010 Down by the Weep Hole, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN
2010 WORK HORSE, The Soap Factory, Minneapolis, MN
2009 Killing Rolando, HallWalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY
2009 Down by the Weep Hole, International Bicycle Film Festival, New York, NY
2009 Joyride, touring exhibition, New York, NY
2009 Rumble on the Southside, Art of This Gallery
2008 ASCI 10th International Digital Print Exhibition, NY Hall of Science
2007 STAN, Bell Museum of Natural History, Minneapolis, MN
2007 Practice - Profess, College of Visual Arts Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2007 Artifice of Form, Swarm, Oakland, CA.
2007 Everyday Objects, Montana Museum of Art and Culture, Missoula, MT
2007 Niagara, Freeman Bros. Construction, Minneapolis, MN
2007 Nocturminal, HallWalls (offsite installation), Buffalo, NY
2007 Strata, Lemmons Contemporary, New York, NY
2006 Remnants, Lemmons Contemporary, New York, NY
2006 Art-A-Whirl Open Studios, Freeman Bros. Construction, Minneapolis, MN
2005 Studies in Decoy, Lemmons Contemporary, New York, NY
2005 International Digital Art Awards Exhibition, Beijing Film Academy, Beijing, China
2005 Alfred on 25th, J. Cacciola Gallery, New York, NY
2005 International Digital Art Awards, Melbourne, Australia
2005 Jonesing, HallWalls, Buffalo, NY
2004 Breath Test, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2003 Art from Art, Visage, Portland, OR
2002 The Whipping Hand, Disjecta Gallery, Portland, OR
2001 In Flagrante Delicto, Rembrandt Studio, Santa Fe, NM
2001 A Handful of Soldiers, Museum of Fine Arts Governor’s Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2000 ArtChicago 2000, Chicago, IL
2000 San Francisco International Art Exposition, SF, CA
2000 Visions of Dr. Jarvis, Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
Bibliography
Prichep, Deena, “Minnesota Festival On Ice Melts Art's Boundaries”, National Public Radio, January, 2012
Hsu, Michael, “The Folding Bike Goes Cool”, The Wall Street Journal, October 2010.
“New and Notable,” I.D. Magazine, November/December 2009
Schultz, Jonathan, “One Piece – or Two,” Matter, April 2009.
Schultz, “New and Notable,” I.D. Magazine, November/December 2008.
Schonberger, Nick “Freeman Transport: Handmade in America,” Selectism.com, December 2008.
Jaffe, Matthew, “The West at its Best,” Sunset, December 2008.
Scott, Gregory, “The Perfect Hosts,” Metro, May 2008.
Huntington, Richard, “HallWalls Builds a Show Around All Kinds of Longing,” The Buffalo News, Winter 2005.
Skinner, Marjorie, “Theater Review: The Whipping Hand,” The Portland Mercury, August 2002.
Steinberg, David, “Making Scientific Site a Little More Permanent,” The Sunday Journal (Albuquerque), December 2001.
Rodriguez, Francesca, “V Marks the Spot,” Santa Fe Reporter, December 2001.
Jarred, Dennis, “The Presumptive Dr. Jarvis, Santa Fe Reporter, February 2000.
Jones, Jennifer, “Raw Vision Made Real, Montana Kaimin, December 1998.
Certifications
2023 Wilderness First-Aid Training, Aerie Backcountry Medicine
2019 Mental Health First Aid Certification , University of Montana Western
Volunteer Work
2019-2024 Beaverhead Search and Rescue, Dillon, MT
2018-2022 Beaverhead County ACE Task Force
2015-2016 Meditation Facilitator, Montana State Prison, Deer Lodge, MT