I am an independent, interdisciplinary educator teaching about:

poetry

watercolor painting

pigments and the poetics of pigments

art + ecology.

I founded the interdisciplinary Art + Ecology program at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, where I taught undergraduate and graduate students about painting, drawing, ecological issues, visual culture, critical theory, research, writing, and pedagogy from 2007 – 2020.

I am a faculty member of  Signal Fire‘s Wide Open Studios educational trips and I teach a range of topics with Literary Arts, Portland Underground Graduate School, PLAYA, and the Sitka Center for Art + Ecology.

I am available for a limited number of sliding-scale individual mentorships to and manuscript reviews. I work with both creative writers and visual artists.

Please be in touch if you are interested in learning more about personalized, individual mentoring, manuscript reviews, or small group classes. I’m often working through a waiting list but will always be delighted to learn about you and your work.

 

Upcoming classes

* The Life Poem, Summer 2023 – a sliding-scale drop-in poetry reading and discussion class

* Pigment + Place: Deep Space and Time- May 25-June 4, 2023 at PLAYA

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Here are two public lectures I gave as a Guest Artist for PNCA’s Creative Writing Residency:

“Chromophilia and a New First-Person”: https://vimeo.com/445295445

“Unhinged Hinge : Writing in the ecotone-of-here-and-now”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPeTmGph6Vk&list=PLiMdk6fp6oxZpmm9VU-TQ2AS6uw7IjpJq&index=5&t=0s&app=desktop

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Here are examples of some past courses and workshops I designed and taught:

* Nature Writing Now at Sitka Center (in person or online) July 28-29, 2021

What does it mean to write about nature now? We are living at a time of great ecological peril and promise, when some thinkers are questioning whether “nature” still even exists. How to write about this complexity in authentic and evocative ways? Together, we will consider some historical and contemporary nature writing and you will learn about both the timely and the timeless ways we understand ourselves and nature. You’ll be guided by wide-ranging prompts and supported by shared explorations in this rich, essential, and deeply meaningful way of exploring the world.

* Color: An Ecological History at Sitka Center (in person or online) July 27, 2021

The history of color is the history of the world, encompassing ecological, social, political, and economic patterns and forces. In this course, you’ll learn about how ideas of color have changed over time and how these ideas have changed the way we live and see. After a wide-ranging introduction, you’ll learn about the history of your favorite color and be offered prompts to respond to this history in the medium of your choice. This course will change how you see our colorful world.

* An interdisciplinary studio/seminar course for undergraduates focusing on climate change and the role of artists, designers, and creative agitators in addressing this global challenge;

* A graduate-level seminar on critical pedagogy offering critical theory, community engagement, and practical teaching preparation;

* Multiple interdisciplinary graduate-level lectures on the intersection of creative writing with socioecological issues;

* An interdisciplinary course about the history and practice of foraging and preparing natural pigments. The course also taught students the basics of color theory and compositional principles;

* An atelier-modeled, media-blind painting and drawing course for upper division undergraduate students;

* A foundational drawing course for first-year undergraduate students that seamlessly incorporated current events and DEI training with studio techniques;

* An introductory seminar on contemporary visual culture for first-year undergraduate students;

* A team-taught course focusing on the intersection of illustration & creative writing for undergraduate students;

* A watermedia painting workshop focused on experimental approaches;

* A botanical illustration workshop for artists and non-artists;

* A backcountry creative writing workshop with Signal Fire;

* A creative writing course focused on contemporary nature writing;

* A creative writing course focused on hybrid writing that blends genres and approaches.

 

I am available for lectures, courses, or workshops (online or in person). Please contact me for more information or with questions.

 

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