community engagement

There is a threshold we often stand at between the gap of who we believe we are and who we actually are, both at the micro-level of the individual and progressively working its way up in every widening circles to the macro-levels of culture. The practices of the arts move us gently over these thresholds to view gaps of discrepancies, gaps in understanding, much in the same way Pablo Picasso's painting of the bombing of Guernica depicts the atrocities of war and Maya Lin's Vietnam Memorial's spatial name listing of loses cutting into the earth are far more revelatory of human events than the statistician's numerical death counts. The arts for the practitioner and viewer are highly reflective, opening pathways for personal and cultural changes and healing.

In this vein, I have taken and hope to continue to take the contemplative practices of creativity into the communities I am a part of in four areas:

[Arts Community] The creation of and participation with non-profit spaces to provide affordable studios and exhibition space for the highly experimental and reflective practices of contemporary art. Houston, TX.
  • Founding President of BOX 13 Artspace 501(c)3, 2008-2011 
  • Exofficio Board member, BOX 13 Artspace, 2011-2012 
  • Exhibition Coordinator, CSAW Commerce Street Artist Warehouse, 2006-2007 
[Faith Community] The facilitation of creativity as a spiritually reflective practice. Chapelwood UMC and Mercy Street, Houston, TX.
  • Listening in the Gap: Writing Workshop (8 weeks), 2014 
  • Artist Way: Creativity Workshop (10 weeks), 2013-2014 
  • Lenten Chapel Progressive Art Installation (7 weeks), 2014 
  • Development of the visual component of an alternative worship community, Mercy Street, 1996-2002 
  • Youth ministry, 1984-1995 
[Academic Community] The training of young art majors and non-majors, as educator, in the creative processes, cultural relevance and historical contexts of fine art.
  • Visiting Professor of Art developing structure, content, systems of peer collaboration, critique, evaluation the WASH foundations program [Workshop in Art Studio + History] at Sam Houston State University, 1/2010-5/2013 
  • Foundations Art Adjunct, Sam Houston State University, 2009. 
  • Affiliate Artist [lecturer] and Teaching Fellow, University of Houston, 2003-2007.  
[Personal Art + Writing Practice] Finally through my own personal practices in the arts and writing, I share my own reflections through exhibitions and artist lectures in nonprofit and public spaces. Not only do I make my work accessible and my process transparent for and with viewers, my practice helps me to continue my own growth which in turn feeds my community connections in the Arts, Faith, and Academia.
  •  See CV for record of exhibitions, collaborative ventures, and artist lectures, 2005-2014

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