Amanda Lechner/pedagogy

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Artist Statement and Work Images

Artist Statement

Through my work I envision moments of experimentation and discovery. My current egg tempera paintings embody the quest for narrative alternatives. The history of science and optics inform my recent work, I am especially interested in failed theories and practices that have been out-moded by more prevalent discoveries. I like to imagine the technologies and scientific apparatuses that may be used today had these failed hypotheses held true.

What often interests me most about science is the story behind the research and discovery. Behind every theory and conclusion there is a human story, sometimes mundane, sometimes extraordinary.

Discovering, analyzing and understanding phenomena are practices that artists and scientists share, but differ in approach. The profoundly strange and wonderful ideas offered by quantum physics, alchemy and science-fiction find a visual adaptation in my work. Past and contemporary pseudo-sciences and super-natural investigations are also very intriguing as wellsprings for narrative potential.

Through a combination of visual and narrative experiments, I explore the nature of reality, history and personal experience and hope to create images that are at once captivating and anomalous.

Please see my work at amandalechner.net

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Teaching CV, Exhibition Record and References

Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico Currently Living and Working in Brooklyn, New York

EDUCATION
2005 MFA, Painting Rhode Island School of Design, Providence RI

Collegiate Teaching Certificate, Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning at Brown University, Providence RI

2003 BFA, Painting Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City MO

TEACHING / SELECTED RELATED EXPERIENCE
2009-present
Founding Co-Director StudioFuse Blog and Studio Community studiofuse.wordpress.com.
Studio Fuse is an alliance of visual arts professionals with a mission to create and foster open dialogue concerning contemporary visual art in the form of group studio critiques, organized group projects, and an art blog. My duties with StudioFuse include, updating and maintaining the blog, organizing studio visits and other events, documenting all studio visits in writing, researching artist opportunities, posting news regarding group members, recruiting new participants and participating actively in all discussions.

2012 (forthcoming)
Co-Curator In Search Of… Exhibition Co-curated with Dustin Dennis and Christopher Ulivo
As co-curator, I collaborated on planning, grant writing for the exhibition traveling to Rhodes College Clough-Hansen Gallery, Memphis, TN, Kansas University Art &Design Gallery, Lawrence, KS and North Branch Projects, Chicago, IL. The project is fiscally sponsored by New York Foundation for the Arts through Artspire.

2008
Visiting Artist Lecture & Studio Visits, Department of Visual Arts, Brown University, Providence, RI
I presented a slide lecture about my drawing work and sources of inspiration to a studio drawing class of undergraduate visual arts majors. I also participated in a group discussion about each student’s work.

2005
Instructor of Record “Crash Oils”, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI
I proposed, wrote and prepared syllabus, created all assignments and grading rubric or this oil painting intensive course. The course covered the ideas and techniques that concern the contemporary artist working in oils though discussion, demonstration, assignment, and individual projects. The course aimed to challenge entry level painters to proficiency and confidence with oil media.

2004-05
Inaugural Curator of the Arthur Loeb Design Science Collection, RISD, Providence, RI
As curator responsible for overseeing special projects in the Arthur Loeb Design Science Collection, I catalogued, organized and created a checkout system for the items and books in the collection. I also trained students in the upkeep, proliferation and conceptual impact of the objects and ideas in the collection.

Graduate Liaison to the Painting Department RISD, Providence, RI
I acted as a student intermediary between the administration and the student body, promoting student opportunities. As Liaison, I organized the availability of unused campus spaces for student installations and projects as well as helped to organize open studios.

2003-05
Graduate Assistant to the Edna Lawrence Nature Lab, RISD, Providence, RI
As a Graduate Assistant, I was responsible for training new Nature Lab monitors and interacting with students, staff and faculty using the resources. I was also engaged with several special projects for which I provided instruction and demonstration: research, live animal care, maintenance of taxidermy and other biological specimens, use and maintenance of microscopes, microscopic cameras and other optical devices, maintenance of library and picture file.

2004
Teaching Assistant to David Frazer in Sophomore Painting Studio, RISD, Providence, RI
I supported and assisted professor in studio major class, interacting with students in reviews and individual meetings, I helped students to develop formally, technically and conceptually in painting, drawing and visual thinking. I supplied readings and other class materials for the instructor. I also designed and taught an assignment where students used found printed matter as impetus for painting.

Teaching Assistant to Melissa Meyer in Junior Painting Studio, RISD, Providence, RI
As teaching assistant I participated in group critiques and supplied readings. I also carried out individual critiques and discussions regarding ideas and technique independent from the instructor.

2003
Teaching Assistant to Daniel Bozhkov in Works on Paper Class, RISD, Providence, RI
I assisted the professor in critiques, discussions, assigning projects, planning class lectures, organizing presentations and obtaining studio materials. I also had the opportunity to create an assignment for the course where the appearance of the project is reliant on the action involved in making it.

Teaching Assistant and Tech for Summer High School Residency Program, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
I co-taught High School students at different skill and conceptual levels in intensive studio painting course.

2000
Guest Artist, Fine Arts For Children and Teens (FACT), Santa Fe, NM
I engaged teen art students in a studio class with a concentration in book making. I covered basic book binding techniques as well as experimental and found object book making.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2011 Wassaic Project 2011 Residents curated by John Gilvey and Jennifer Mackiewicz Hudson Beach Glass, Beacon, NY

Art Along The Hudson Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill, NY

Tompkins Projects West: Works on Paper Dan Graham, Los Angeles, CA

2010 Sub Terrain Curated by Andrew Thompson, Work Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI

The Business of Aura Curated by Kelsey Harrington, Broadway Gallery, New York, NY

Drawing Show Tompkins Projects Brooklyn, NY

Wassaic Summer Festival Show Wassaic Project, Wassaic, NY

2009 Will It Happen? Curated by Kelsey Harrington, Elga Wimmer Gallery New York, NY

Word Up: Curated by Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom, Broadway Gallery, New York, NY

New American Paintings Exhibition in Print, NE Edition 2009, Open StudioPress

Morsel Remains Group Exhibition Long Island City, NY

Related Process 579 Broadway New York, NY

2008 Dialect curated Adam Eckstrom, Broadway Gallery, New York, NY

The Sieve Go for a loop Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Everybody Only Meow Wolf Art Space, Santa Fe, NM

Science Fair Rock, Paper, Scissors Gallery, Oakland, California

2007 Turning Points Curated by Andrew Thompson, Gallery Project, Ann Arbor, MI

2006 Science Fair Forum Gallery Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, MI

RISD Biennial NYC 2006, Curated by Robert Storr, Exit Art New York, NY

Chapter III – Bueno Byes & Frito Pies AD Collective Gallery, Santa Fe New Mexico

2005 Life and Limb Curated by David Humphrey Feigen Contemporary, New York, NY

Providential RISD Painting MFA 2005, Supreme Trading, Brooklyn, NY

MFA Exhibition RISD Museum, Providence, RI

2004 Featherweight Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA

RISD Painters/ Brown Writers Sol Koffler Grad Gallery at RISD, Providence, RI

Pulp Curated by Steve Orlando Sol Koffler Grad Gallery at RISD, Providence, RI

2003 Grad Painting Show Sol Koffler Grad Gallery at RISD, Providence, RI

BFA Exhibition H&R Block Space, Kansas City, MO

The Body: Lucy Pistilli, Rachel Frank, and Amanda Lechner, Destination Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2002 Drawing Mania Destination Gallery, Kansas City, MO

Head or Gut: Prints of Persuasion KCAI Print Gallery Kansas City, MO

Object Resonance, Curated by Lester Goldman KCAI Painting Gallery, Kansas City MO

Carnival/Carnival, Curated by Lester Goldman KCAI Painting Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2000 Untitled, Pod Space, Santa Fe, NM

Effusion, Group Show, Plan B Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

1999 Monothon 13, SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM

CURATORIAL WORK
2012 (forthcoming)
In Search Of… Group Exhibition Co-curated with Dustin Dennis and Christopher Ulivo Rhodes College Clough-Hansen Gallery, Memphis, TN

In Search Of… Group Exhibition Co-curated with Dustin Dennis and Christopher Ulivo Kansas University Art &Design Gallery, Lawrence, KS

In Search Of… Group Exhibition Co-curated with Dustin Dennis and Christopher Ulivo, North Branch Projects, Chicago, IL

In Search Of… Group Panel Discusion/Symposium, Observatory, Brooklyn, NY

REGISTRIES / VENUES
Pierogi 2000 Gallery Flat Files, Brooklyn, NY
Drawing Center Viewing Program and Slide Registry, New York, NY
White Columns Curated Artist Registry New York, NY
Artists Space, Irving Sandler Artists File Online New York, NY
Tompkins Projects Flat Files, Brooklyn, NY

HONORS
2011-2012 NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship through Artspire for Curatorial Project, In Search Of… 2011 Fellowship and Residency Wassaic Project, Wassaic NY
2005 & 2010 Finalist for Fine Arts Work Center Winter Fellowship, Provincetown, MA
2005 RISD Graduate Award of Excellence
2003-2005 RISD Graduate Academic Honors
2003-2005 RISD Graduate Fellowship
1999-2003 KCAI Deans List
1999-2003 KCAI Merit Scholarship
Internship SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe NM

TECHNICAL ABILITIES
Making and using oil, egg tempera, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, encaustic paints, mediums, grounds, and painting supports
Mold Making: plaster, silicon
Knowledge and practice using a variety of drawing materials
Printmaking: small and arge format digital printing, screen print, wood/lino cut, etching, monotype
Photography: Digital, 35mm, Digital Video, VHS
Comfort and ability operating power tools
Welding: oxy-acetylene, MIG
Computer Programs: MS Office, Adobe suite, QuickBooks, File Maker Pro

OTHER EXPERIENCE
Available on Request

REFERENCES
Please contact me for reference list

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching is a collaboration between the students and the teacher. For collaborations to work all parties must hold each other to high standards, be motivated, self-critical, willing to compromise, and be receptive. I am continuously stimulated by the prospect of helping others recognize their own goals and pursuits. I find that one of the most gratifying aspects of the educational collaboration is helping others to make discoveries. Fundamentally my commitment to teaching fulfills what I consider an important and necessary aspect of my creative career and it honors the teachers that have inspired me. I have had a number of great influential teachers in my life all of whom believed that their foremost responsibility was to engage their students intellectually to expand the ways in which they learn and solve problems.Teaching is not only about imparting knowledge but welcoming challenges in order to develop self-motivation in students.

It is my aim as a professor to challenge students toward an open-ended practice that is grounded in a solid material and conceptual foundation.

Art students should be able to convey ideas not only visually, but aurally and in written form as well. My approach differs based on the course and level of student I am working with. Teaching freshmen, sophomore or other introductory level painting and drawing courses calls for a technical material rigor paired with a broad rudimentary conceptual and contextual discourse that becomes more specific as the students advance in their ideas and abilities. Advanced undergraduate courses require a dynamic structure wherein media are open and criticism is in depth; students are engaged in an expanded drawing practice, exploring their fist large bodies of work and learning about professional practices. Graduate students who have technical know-how and highly developed interests are best engaged through discussion, debate, constructive analysis and thought/drawing challenges that help to expand their fields of inquiry. Theoretical and studio based discourse paired with a pragmatic, thorough introduction to artistic practice beyond academia helps to prepare the student for their artistic career.

An educator must be flexible to allow her plans and methods to mutate with each new group of students. One of the most interesting things about being in a classroom is the discovery and recognition of the class’ group dynamic. Some groups will be more receptive to certain teaching techniques than others, where one group requires a close set of parameters, another group will thrive with more open projects. The same is true between the individuals in a class. It is vital to know the individual needs and concerns of each class member to better challenge them and help them push their studies in new directions. Sometimes this may mean advice on materials, research, tracking an idea or constructive criticism of their performance. Goals must be explicable yet open-ended as they morph into new objectives.

It is important that teachers as practicing artists be well versed in the history and current events of their discipline to best familiarize students with a wide range of ideas and topics. I endeavor to use my experience as a working artist to familiarize the students with post-collegiate and professional practices by visiting the studios of practicing artists and designers, introducing students to gallery and museum personnel and helping them to explore the opportunities available to artists in their field. In my years of organizing and moderating group studio visits with my peers through Studio Fuse discussion group and blog I have come to recognize that artistic opportunities are created through the sharing of information and fertile dialog about art work. My consistent critical engagement expands my studio based conversations to bolster my academic dialog with students.

In my studio pursuits I maintain a balance between structure and improvisation. Having visited scores of artist studios and having seen many methodologies at work, I have found that many new projects and technical advancements appear first as peripheral ideas. I think it is important to help students cultivate multiplicity by encouraging the exploration of ideas outside their primary fields of interest, feeding them intellectually and expanding their practice into a larger social context.

Out of my students I expect dedication, focus and a commitment to understand what they make. Students must learn to be accountable for class performance, participation and well thought out work. In turn, it is my responsibility through my curricula, to empower the student by passing on meaningful, provoking and challenging projects and problems to solve while maintaining a reflective teaching practice.