job posting: Assistant/Associate Professor of Craft/Material Studies — Specialization in Clay – VCU
VCUarts Department of Craft/Material Studies (https://arts.vcu.edu/craft/) seeks a colleague for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of either Assistant or Associate Professor with a specialization in clay. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic teacher, creative colleague, broad thinker and artist who will want to contribute to the progressive spirit of an established material studies program. The faculty member will teach specialized courses in clay that include handbuilding and large-scale construction. An understanding of and the ability to incorporate both analogue and digital practices in teaching and research methods is preferred. Our new colleague will be well versed in material knowledge and object-based practices and will offer students a framework through which important critical theories and historical craft knowledge can be emphasized and studied. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to pedagogical projects and coursework that support an inclusive, diverse, and accessible experience for all students. Additional interdisciplinary opportunities are available for an engaged colleague, including advanced studios, foundations, and graduate seminars.
Learn more about Craft Material Studies at VCUarts
Position Responsibilities
Virginia Commonwealth University operates on a semester system and the teaching load for this position will be five (5) courses a year. Courses will range from undergraduate to graduate level, including graduate committee service across the disciplines of the department. The successful candidate will have a broad understanding of the fields of craft and fine art in order to teach both undergraduate and graduate seminars with rotational topics.
The faculty member must have demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment and will have experience in developing or the potential to develop initiatives, mentoring, and teaching that makes a meaningful art education accessible to underrepresented or disadvantaged groups.
Our colleague will demonstrate through research, teaching, and/or public engagement the richness of diversity in the learning experience and integrate multicultural approaches and perspectives into instructional methods and research tools.
The preferred candidate will have an active professional career and demonstrate a commitment to or potential for involvement in professional national or international organizations and bodies. The faculty member’s creative and research activity should make a significant contribution to a body of knowledge within an expanded definition of the discipline of craft, fine arts and ceramics as well as reflect a high standard of quality. Creative activities should be related to the program’s wider curriculum, be consistent with and support the broader mission and initiatives of the department, School, and University, and exhibit potential for or evidence of securing external funding for scholarship or creative expression.
As a member of a community-oriented, tight-knit department and School, the faculty member will provide service, including coordination of student activities and student exhibitions; serving on School/University committees; participating in open houses, portfolio reviews, and attending exhibition openings; and contributing to recruitment efforts for the department’s undergraduate and graduate programs. The faculty member will mentor student artists; supervise graduate students; and foster collaborative curriculum and research across the arts and broader campus.
Required Qualifications
- MFA or equivalent professional experience and training that equates to an MFA;
- Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU;
- Active artistic practice and reputation in the field;
- Demonstrated effectiveness in studio critique and teaching beyond graduate school;
- The faculty member will be required to have a well-established creative research agenda, and/or clear potential for external funding, as appropriate, and potential for scholarship or creative expression that complements and expands existing expertise in the department and School;
- Proficiency with both Handbuilding and Wheel Throwing techniques.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong foundation in contemporary critical discourse;
- Fluency in area of specialization, craft, and contemporary art;
- Demonstrated ability to attract high-caliber graduate students;
- Commitment to collaborative research and curriculum development in the arts;
- Record of community-engaged teaching or extra-curricular activities.
Please see full post at https://www.vcujobs.com/postings/94283 for more details
