Art

Meet the Team

Administrative Faculty and Staff

Image
Matt Forrest

Matthew Forrest

Interim Chair and Professor of Art, Printmaking
103 Ennis Hall, CBX 094, and Miller Annex
478-445-2130
Education
  • Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management & Leadership, University of Georgia 
  • MFA, West Virginia University
  • BFA, Slippery Rock University
Areas of Teaching

Printmaking, Foundations, Community-Based Art, Senior Capstone

Image
Sandra Trujillo

Sandra Trujillo

Professor of Art, Ceramics, and Program Coordinator
303 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-7024
Education
  • M.F.A. in Ceramics, University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Certificate: Ceramics, Escola de Ceramica y Artesianias de La Bisbal, Catalonia, Spain
  • Certificate: Ceramics, Escola de Ceramica y Artesianias de La Bisbal, Catalonia, Spain
  • B.A. in Religious Studies, University of California at Berkeley
Website
Biography

I was born in Vallejo, California. I received my BA in religious studies from the University of California at Berkeley and received my MFA in ceramics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

I have had exhibitions in venues such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Atlanta, the Grimmerhus Museum, Denmark, the Ann Linneman Gallery in Copenhagen, and the Palacio de Dom Manuel in Evora, Portugal – a UNESCO Heritage site.  I am a Fulbright-Hays fellow.  I have been a resident artist at national and international art centers such as the Archie Bray Foundation for the ceramic arts in Montana, where I was the recipient of the Lillian Fellowship; the OBRAS center in Holland, the OBRAS center in Portugal, the International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark, Quarry Tile Factory in Washington, The Mendocino Art Center in California, and the Ceramic Center-Berlin in Berlin, Germany. My art and academic contributions are included in journals such as Ceramic Arts and Perception, Drawing, ArtWeek, and Gastronomica – UC Press.  My two letterpress books FUNERAL FOOD (2019) and Trouble (2021) are collected in over 75 university special collections nationwide. I have lectured at public and private institutions and organizations such as the University of South Bohemia České Budějovice, the University of Anadolu, and universities. I am a Professor within the Department of Art at Georgia College and specialize in ceramics.

Image
Art Stacked 626+K

Lori Watson

Office Coordinator
102 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-4572
Education
  • MAS, Archival Studies, Clayton State University
  • B.S., History, Georgia College & State University

Art History & Museum Studies Faculty

Image
elissa_auerbach

Elissa Auerbach, PhD

Professor of Art History
301 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-0808
Education
  • Ph.D. in Art History, University of Kansas
  • M.A. in Art History, University of Kansas, (with honors)
  • B.S. in Visual Communications, Towson University
Areas of Research & Teaching

Areas of Research: Late medieval through seventeenth-century Netherlandish art; post-Reformation religious history and visual culture in Northern Europe; the history of prints; digital humanities; artificial intelligence

Courses Taught:

  • ARTS 1110: Art and Ideas
  • ARTS 2800: The Ancient and Medieval Worlds
  • ARTS 2810: From the Renaissance to the Modern World
  • ARTS 4870: History of Photography
  • ARTS 4801: Sacred Things in Middle Ages
  • ARTS 4802: Italian Renaissance Art
  • ARTS 4803: Northern Renaissance Art
  • ARTS 4804: From Rubens to Rembrandt
  • ARTS 4805: Baroque Rome
  • ARTS 4970: Arts Practicum
  • ARTS 4998: Art History and Visual Culture Capstone
Image
Megan McNaught

Megan McNaught

Gallery Director and Lecturer of Museum Studies
107 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-7025
Education
  • MFA, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • BFA, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Biography

Megan has taught foundations at Montserrat College of Art, was Assistant Professor, Chair of Interdisciplinary and Fine Art and Gallery Director at Chester College of New England and faculty at the Community Colleges of Rhode Island, Middlesex Community College and Middle Georgia State University.

Megan is painter exhibiting nationally, most recently with a 10 year retrospective exhibition of collaborative work from the Agglomeration series with Luke Buffenmyer at Columbus State University in Columbus Georgia.

As a curator, Megan has been Gallery Director at Chester College of New England, Director of Curation for the Macon arts Alliance and Curator of Art at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon Ga.

Megan lives in Macon, GA and is owner of Black Cat Studios, a artist studio building in Macon.

Image
Fadhili Mshana

Fadhili Mshana, PhD

Professor of Art History
309 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-2430
Education
  • Ph.D. Art History (African Art): Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
  • M.A. Art History (The Arts of Africa, Oceania & the Americas): University of East Anglia, (UEA) Norwich, England
  • B.A. Hons., Fine Art, Theatre, & Education: University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Tanzania
  • Certificate in Fine Art & Education, Butimba Teachers’ College, Tanzania
  • Teachers’ Certificate, Korogwe Teachers’ College, Tanzania
Biography

A teacher by profession, Fadhili Mshana began teaching at Georgia College in 2002. Previously he taught at a primary school, a teacher training college, and at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Research interests include indigenous, modern, and contemporary art history and visual cultures of Africa, particularly Tanzania. Current research concerns Western Christian mission art patronage of African artists. 

 

Fadhili Mshana’s work has received numerous fellowships and awards including a Fulbright Scholarship for his dissertation research among the coastal peoples of Tanzania. He is the author two books namely, African Artists under Mission Patronage: Focus on Tanzania, Lexington Books, 2023, and The Art of the Zaramo: Identity, Tradition, and Social Change in Tanzania, Mkuki na Nyota Publishers, 2016. Mshana is also the author of journal articles and book chapters on Tanzania art, including in the ground-breaking exhibition and book with the same name, Shangaa: Art of Tanzania. A practicing visual artist, his work has featured in group shows in Tanzania, Cuba, Denmark, and the United States.

 

Courses taught at Georgia College are African Art and Islam, African Art History, Art Criticism: From Plato and Kant to Post-Modernism, Art of the African Diaspora, Contemporary African Art, Life and Death in Ancient Egypt, From Renaissance to Modern World, The Ancient & Medieval Worlds, Fine and Applied Arts in Civilizations, Teaching Multiculturalism thru Art: K-12, and Understanding Visual Art. He has also taught on faculty-led summer study abroad program in Paris.

 

Studio Art Faculty

Image
Valerie Aranda

Valerie Aranda

Professor of Art, Drawing and Painting
218 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-2431
Education

MFA, Visual Arts, University of California, San Diego

Website
Image
Abebe

Abraham Abebe

Associate Professor of Art, Graphic Design
110 Ennis Hall, CBX 094,
478-445-3510
Education
  • MA degree in Type and Media, The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK), The Netherlands
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Typeface Design, The Cooper Union, New York
  • MFA in Studio Art, University of Nevada Las Vegas
  • BFA (Cum Laude), Concentration in Graphic Design, Painting and Drawing, University of Nevada Las Vegas
  • AA, (with Distinction), Truckee Meadows Community College
  • Diploma of Vocational in Business Office Technology, Sierra Nevada Job Corps Center 
Website
Biography

Abraham Abebe was born and grew up in Ethiopia. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Art, Graphic Design at the Georgia College & State University. He came to Georgia College with the opportunity to develop two new curricula for the BA in Art with Graphic Design Concentration and Graphic Design Minor, which included the development and approval of seven new courses. Both programs aimed at enhancing students’ proficiency in skills, creativity, and imagination. The curricula integrates both theoretical and practical methodologies, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, visual communication, and problem-solving skills.

Abraham has previously taught Graphic Design, Design Fundamentals and Drawing courses at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He also oversaw the Design Fundamentals III (Digital) class while teaching at UNLV. His ongoing research interest is centered around library signage, wayfinding system, security printing design (specifically developing currency and passport), and multiscript type development (focusing on Ethiopic and Latin writing systems).

Most of his Ge’ez (Ethiopic) typefaces are currently used by Ethiopian television networks, electronic media, and print media outlets, including ARTS TV, Haleta TV, Awtar TV, Andafta Media, Zehabesha Media, Nahom Records, and Feteh (ፍትሕ) Magazine, the leading weekly Amharic publication in Ethiopia. Additionally, his typefaces have been used for the opening title sequences in popular TV series and films, such as Eregnaye (እረኛዬ) the widely viewed Ethiopian drama on ARTS TV, Sene Ena Segno (ሰኔ እና ሰኞ) a drama series on Fana Television, Min Litazez (ምን ልታዘዝ) a comedy series on Hagere TV, Tsedal (ፀዳል) a miniseries produced by Sewmehon Films and released on YouTube, Agafari (አጋፋሪ) a drama series being aired on DStv, and Doka (ዶቃ) a feature film released in theaters. His Ethiopic typefaces have also been used as a visualizer for the music albums, including “VI”, “IX:Harambe”, and “IX:Nor” by musician and producer Rophnan (Universal Records), “Lewit: ለውጥ” by Samon, “ESATU SE: እሳቱ ሰ” by musician and producer Jemberu Demeke, “Sew, Pt. 2 Hiwot: ሰው ክፍል ፪ ሕይወት” by Dawit Chernet, “FIRFIR: ፍርፍር” by musicians and producers Uno and Jemberu Demeke, “And Qal: አንድ ቃል” by Michael Belayneh, “Yenesew: የኔ ሰው” by musician Yenesew, “Dejazmach: ደጃዝማች” by legendary musician Kuku Sebsibe, and "AHUN: አኹን" a spoken word poetry album by Mallo.

As a studio artist, Abraham exhibits regularly both in the USA and abroad. His paintings, drawings, digital art, and installations have been featured in twelve solo and more than sixty group exhibitions.

Abraham is the author of an experimental typography book, “Professor Fuzo: Poems and Short Stories”, published in 2018, and a book of poetry, “Eggmel”, published in 2012. Both books were written in his native language Amharic.

Abraham holds an MA degree in Type and Media from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK), The Netherlands, Postgraduate Certificate in Typeface Design from the Cooper Union, New York, Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art and Bachelor of Fine Arts (Cum Laude) with concentration in Graphic Design, Painting and Drawing from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Associate of Art Degree with Distinction from Truckee Meadows Community College as well as Diploma of Vocational in Business Office Technology from Sierra Nevada Job Corps Center.

Image
Seth Cook | Department of Art

Seth Cook

Lecturer Photography
023 Ennis Hall, CBX 094
478-445-1759
Education
  • MFA, Photography, Indiana University, Bloomington
  • BFA, Photography, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Biography

Seth Cook is an artist from the Bayou Teche region of south-central Louisiana. He utilizes the swamps and marshes of his home as a point of departure for his versatile studio practice. Cook holds a B.F.A. in photography from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and an M.F.A. in photography from Indiana University, Bloomington. In 2021, he was awarded 'Juror's Selection' from the New York Center for Photographic Art for his alternative process photography. In 2020, he was named one of Lenscratch's 'Top 25 to Watch.' Also, in 2020, he accepted a ten-month residency with Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center in Cincinnati, OH, where he worked and taught as their 'Scholar in Residence.' His work has been displayed nationally and internationally, including in South Korea, Louisiana, New York, California, Colorado, and Massachusetts.

Image
William Fisher

William (Bill) Fisher

Professor of Art
Miller Annex, CBX 094
478-445-8513
Education
  • MFA, Ohio University
  • BA, The College of William and Mary
Website
Biography

William Fisher is Professor of Art in the Department of Art, Georgia College.  MFA, 1996, Ohio University; BA, 1985, the College of William and Mary; apprentice to woodblock Master Toshii Yoshida, 1989-93, Tokyo, Japan; Under Secretary of Southern Cultural Hegemony and Rural Visual Authority, US Department of Art & Technology. 
 
Whether print-based in the tradition of fine art printmaking, through digital or commercial print media or performative installations, these projects involve students, friends, strangers and colleagues, depend ultimately upon the efforts of community and often result in audience functioning as author.
 
Exhibitions/performances include District Fine Arts Gallery, Washington, DC; Phoebe Conley Gallery at California State University, Fresno, CA; Glass Gallery, University of Texas at El Paso, Texas; Jewett Arts Center Galleries, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA; Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Central Missouri State University; Ohio University; University of Wisconsin at Madison; the Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA (censored); the Athens Institute of Contemporary Art, GA; Macon Arts Alliance; Blue Tower Gallery, Atlanta; Eyedrum Gallery, Atlanta; 24K Gallery, San Diego, CA; Columbia College, Chicago.  Fisher's work is in private and public collections internationally.
 
Publications featuring work include Stone Lithography by Paul Croft, and The Indiana Review, 2005 Special Summer Issue. Interviews by Eye Candy Magazine, Bad Subjects, Vivir Latino, Slacktivist.com, Take Back the Media and Rolling Stone. Work has been solicited by the Nation, Cursor and Cabinet Magazine web sites and Rhizome Art Data Base, and was shown in Winnipeg and Vancouver in early 2007 as part of the traveling exhibition "Allegories of the Genome." Fisher was chosen to represent Georgia in the first 20-state fine art invitational "20/20," at Fire House Gallery, 2008.

Image
Curtis Stewardson

Curtis Stewardson

Ceramics Studio Technician
Education
  • MFA, Pennsylvania State University
  • BFA, Kansas City Art Institute
  • BA, Earlham College
Biography

Curtis earned a BA in French from Earlham College in 1993, and met John Glick at a workshop while studying ceramics at the Worcester Center for Crafts in 1994.  He worked as Glick’s Studio Assistant at Plum Tree Pottery from 1995-1996. He earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1998 and his MFA from Penn State in 2000.  In 2003, he began a two-year residency at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. Curtis has exhibited his work and given workshops nationally.  In 2017, he created an artwork for the Georgia Council for the Arts Governors Award. It was presented to National Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA. Curtis currently maintains his studio in Milledgeville. 

Image
Kristoffer Johnson

Kristoffer Johnson

Lecturer
Education

MFA in Studio Art, Indiana University 2021

BFA in Studio Art, University of Arkansas 2015

BA in Journalism, University of Arkansas 2014

Research

Analog and Alternative Process Photography, Documentary and Editorial Photography, Photo-Printmaking Processes, Eastern Philosophy.

Image
Allman Griffin

Griffin Allman

Lecturer
Education

MFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Painting & Drawing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2024

BFA in Studio Art, Kent State University, 2021

BA in Art Education, Kent State University, 2021

Research

My research is centered around the capabilities of drawing, painting, and collage media in abstract contexts. Through the use of repetition, gesture and the integration of text, I build visual systems that become exercises in focus and containment, where mark-making becomes a ritualized act of reclaiming presence. Rooted in themes of habit, ritual, and hyper-fixation, my work serves as both an iterative and psychological archive - one that seeks to understand how anxiety, fear, obsession, and the compulsive urge to categorize shape our perception of the world and of ourselves.