Cathy Osman - Painting
Teaching Philosophy
"My approach to teaching is to encourage students to see themselves as makers," says Cathy. "The prime skill that we all need in that search is one of hard work - coming to the challenge of art making each day whether or not one feels inspired, with the goal of acting and thinking at once. Making is thinking!" Her life as a maker has included 10 years in New York City primarily painting and selling her work. From there Cathy went on to teach at Smith, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire colleges before coming to Marlboro. She continues to maintain an active studio and exhibition schedule.
"Critical to my teaching is establishing strong foundations for art students. Although we are in a climate of continual change, a climate in which traditional values in art are in constant question, students need to be given solid skills in perception, close observation and careful analytic thinking."
"Through the process of making, one learns to create and solve problems, balance success with experimentation, and work through the discomfort of not knowing. This unknowing, as mysterious as it sounds is critical to the defining elements of art. One must locate, analyze, and importantly have patience and curiosity for this activity. This course of action yields not only a tangible object but also yields skills for engaging in complex thinking and connection to the outside world."
B.F.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1977; M.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1979. Marlboro College, 1997 -