Navajo artist and IAIA student, Shawn Nelson painting an "Uncle Sam"
Have you thought about going to an art school? Want to attend one that only has less than 300 students? Want to go to school with a variety of Native Americans from all over this continent? Want to learn about film-making? Painting? Traditional pottery? Print-making? Computer graphics? The Art of Business? During the 2009-2010 school year, I attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Although lots of hard work, it was a blast! I intend to return.
Melissa painting an entry from a B&W photograph
Even though I am presently living in Juneau, Alaska, I am still working towards obtaining my BFA at IAIA. How can I still be working towards my BFA even though I’m living in Juneau? I am taking online courses via the University of Alaska Southeast! My very first online class was last night in our “Art Appreciation.” Taking these online classes works for me because I am doing a lot of business travel this Winter into Spring. Have laptop, will travel. You may visit UAS’s website at: http://www.online.uas.alaska.edu
You may want to visit IAIA’s website at: http://www.iaia.edu/ after checking out some of these photos…
My "Marketing Plan" presentation during finals week - I had my classmates gather around my monitor to check out the Power Point Presentation that I learned in my "Intro to Digital Media" class taught by Carlos Peinado
Surprisingly, my most favorite classes at IAIA were not necessarily the art classes (although I thoroughly enjoyed my art classes), but my Marketing/Business Classes (that are a part of the Business Certificate Program), and to my utmost surprise, the Introduction to Digital Media class, where I learned how to do Power Point Presentations, create and print a brochure, lay out a book and get it printed, and podcasting. Professor Jennifer Coots brings the Art of Business to IAIA – and she is one heck of an excellent instructor. The enthusiasm in our classes is at the base of our beloved teacher. You would not necessarily think that doing business classes would be exciting; yet, Jenn addresses many issues that arise such as the conflict of the Native and Western values in regards to the marketing and sales of Native art – she made us think about these things that were not at the forefront of our minds yet were outward struggles that many of us had been dealing with.
Beadwork artist Tammy Rahr's Marketing Plan presentation was an actual art booth set up as if she were at an art market, selling her beadwork, packages of beads, display of products, her brochure and business cards, etc. We loved it!
Taos Pueblo artist, Sharon Vargas, painted on cardboard, brown paper bags and discarded computer boxes - I'm going to do that some day too!
Of course, one of the best things about attending art school is the inspiration from all the other artists doing their thing the way they do their thing; I’ve included a few of my favorite classmates in this blog entry, alongside a photo of my Intermediate Painting instructor, Jeff Kahm. I had other students and faculty who also inspired my work, but I didn’t get very good shots of them and their work so I didn’t include them on this blog entry. You see? I have to return to IAIA just for this reason!
Latifa and her mixed-media painting on canvas
World artist Vigalie paints a hand while Professor Jeff Kahm models his hand
Artist Shawn Nelson begins another monumental painting
Poets Al Pizzarelli and Donna Beaver Pizzarelli stand with Creative Writing Professor after giving a guest lecture to the Creative Writing class on Haiku poetry
Shawn is modestly flanked by two beautiful women artists Latifa and Sharon