Art educator Graeme Sullivan to speak on ‘the escape of art’ Feb. 22

Graeme Sullivan, director of the School of Visual Arts and a professor of art education at The Pennsylvania State University, will present the lecture “The Escape of Art” on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 6:30 p.m. in Shemin Auditorium in the Dorothea Ilgen Shaffer Art Building. The free, public lecture is sponsored by the art education program as part of the Department of Art’s Visiting Artist Lecture Series in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). Parking is available for $4 in Booth Garage. Patrons should mention that they are attending the lecture to receive this rate.

Sullivan’s particular scholarly interest involves exploring the critical-reflexive thinking and forming processes of inquiry used in visual arts so as to enhance the importance of studio-based research in universities and art schools. He described his ideas in his book “Art Practice as Research: Inquiry in Visual Arts” (Sage, 2005), which underwent a major update and revision in a new edition published in 2010.

Sullivan received the 1990 Manual Barkan Memorial Award from the National Art Education Association for scholarly writing and was the recipient of the 2007 Lowenfeld Award for significant contribution to the field of art education. He is also the author of “Seeing Australia: Views of Artists and Artwriters” (Piper Press, 1994).

Sullivan’s record of professional service includes editor positions with Studies in Art Education and Australian Art Education, and as editorial board member and consultant to the International Journal of Art & Design Education (UK), International Journal of Education & the Arts and Studies in Material Thinking. He maintains an active art practice, and his Streetworks artwork has been installed in several international cities and sites over the past 15 years.

For more information about the lecture, contact James Haywood Rolling Jr., dual associate professor of art education and teaching and leadership, at (315) 443-2355 or jrolling@syr.edu.