CAA News Today
David Van Ness
posted Dec 18, 2023
Statement
Thank you for considering my application for the College Art Association Board of Directors. I believe that my extensive experience both inside and outside the classroom would greatly benefit the board. Following my graduation from graduate school, I spent three years working at U.S. Art Company, where I gained valuable experience in crating, installation, and operations. Despite this, I decided to transition into teaching and left to adjunct teach in a variety of universities and colleges for seven years. This experience eventually led to my appointment as a lecturer and Coordinator of Foundations at Northern Arizona University, where I served for ten years before my position was converted into a tenure position in New Media Arts.
Despite my role as a New Media professor, I believe in a comprehensive approach to studio education that incorporates both traditional methods and innovative technologies. Moreover, I am deeply passionate about advocating for arts education and have a unique ability to bridge the arts with science, history, engineering, and other fields due to my own background and artistic practice.
As we face challenging times for studio arts, design, and art history, all of which are fighting for survival, I am eager to leverage my perspective and diverse roles within academia to inspire and contribute to a strong defense of the opportunities we create for our students and society as a whole. I am also looking to grow and learn from this opportunity to better serve my university, faculty, and students.