Art Department: Faculty
Julie Alderson
Assistant Professor of Art History and
Director, Kathrin Cawein Gallery of Art
503 352-3076
aldersonj@pacificu.edu
Education
Ph.D. Rutgers University, Art History, 2004
M.A. Rutgers University, Art History, 1996
B.A. Humboldt State University, Art History, 1994
B.A. Humboldt State University, English, 1994
Courses Taught
Introduction to Art History
Art Appreciation
Introduction to 20th Century Art
Introduction to 19th Century Art
Introduction to American Art
Introduction to Cinema: Beginnings to World War II
20th Century Women Artists
Impressionism
Art in Public Places
Museum and Gallery Methods
Presentations2006 Southwest Art History Conference, Taos, New Mexico 2006 Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association and American Culture 2005 Southeastern College Art Conference, Little Rock, Arkansas 2004 Southeastern College Art Conference, Jacksonville, Florida 2003 Kress Foundation Department of Art History Graduate Student 1997 Rutgers University Dissertation Proposal Day |
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Publications
"A Temple Next Door:" The Thomas Kinkade Museum and Cultural Center Contributing essay for the edited collection, Thomas Kinkade: The Artist in the Mall. Under contract, Duke University Press.
Teaching/Research Statement
My specialization is in the area of American and European Art, 1860 to the present, although as the sole full-time art historian at Pacific, I cover the entire history of western art in my courses. My particular research interests include topics in modern sculpture, public art, and Land Art, as well as museum methodology and theory.
While my own areas of study are greatly important to my scholarly life, I believe that it is in my teaching that my passion for the history of art is best demonstrated. I am absolutely committed to creating a dynamic classroom environment, where students feel completely comfortable actively participating in their own education. The idea of presenting art history in a straight lecture style seems as horrifyingly boring to me as it would be to them! My classes are primarily discussion based. Through our conversations, I attempt to help my students exercise their powers of sight and comprehension, while learning to be critical thinkers who can go on to be thoughtful members of society. I also firmly believe that art history is an excellent tool for teaching students to develop their writing skills. I always tell my students that if they walk away from my class without remembering a single thing about art history, but that they've become better writers, then I've done my job.