Arts and Entertainment

Alumna to be keynote speaker at Graduate Research in Art Education Conference

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Jennifer Pazienza, who graduated from Penn State in 1985 with a master of education degree and in 1989 with a doctorate in art education, and is professor of art education at the University of New Brunswick, is the keynote speaker for the ninth annual Graduate Research in Art Education (GRAE) Conference to be held at Penn State from Oct. 25 to 27. She will open the conference with her talk, “Beautiful Dreamer,” at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25, in 112 Borland Building. Her presentation, in which she will address the images that come to mind when you think of landscape, beauty and justice, is free and open to the public.

Pazienza’s dissertation, “Historical Modes of Inquiry: Teaching Art to Children,” focused on a playfully rich, re-creative teaching and learning scenario, "The Lost Las Meninas, a Who Dunnit and More!" Students in grades K-5 investigated a 17th century Spanish Baroque painting, interpreting their findings in drawings, paintings, oral debates and writing. She extended re-creativity and critical inquiry to her work as a painter, exploring interdependence and non-duality. Pazienza has published widely, worked as a research consultant in North America, Europe and Asia, and maintained a studio and exhibition practice. Her work is held in public, private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States and Italy.

The purpose of the Graduate Research in Art Education (GRAE) conference, founded by Graeme Sullivan, director of the School of Visual Arts, and Karen Keifer-Boyd, professor of art education and women’s studies, is to provide a forum where students can discuss issues and developments in art education that are being opened up by current graduate student research.

The 2013 program will feature dissertation and thesis research presentations from Ohio State, Penn State, Syracuse University and Teachers College graduate students, along with a response panel composed of Penn State alumni, including Pazienza, Robert Sweeny (Class of 2004) and Marissa McClure (Class of 2008).

For more about the conference and a schedule of events, click here.

Penn State alumna Jennifer Pazienza will be the keynote speaker at the GRAE Conference. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated October 18, 2013

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