Julia Puma

Professional organizations:

CAA - College Art Association.

Areas of specialization:

Drawing, painting, photography and installation.

What is your favorite thing about teaching at RMCAD?

The campus, students and faculty.

What is your favorite class or project to teach and why?

I love to teach drawing and life drawing. I feel at home in both of these classes.

Knowing what you know now, what’s the one piece of advice you would give to your college-aged self?

Go to class more.

What prominent artist, scholar or designer in your field do you admire the most, and why?

Jenny Seville, because her paintings are masterfully done but her content is contemporary.

What are your greatest influences?

Jenny Seville, Preston Jackson, Annette Messenger, and Sandy Lane.

Artist/Teaching Statement:

As a practicing artist, I strive to be a role model beyond the scope of the classroom. With a strong studio and exhibition practice, I hope to encourage enthusiasm and dedication in my students. Ongoing research is included in my practice and keeps me excited as well as passionate about teaching. I am committed to educating students about contemporary artists and art practices, as well as providing a foundation in the history and practice of fine art.

Educating students about post-modern views on contemporary art is also a priority. I believe it is the instructor’s responsibility to stay current with trends; for example, traveling to larger cities such as New York and Los Angeles to become aware of what is happening in today’s art world. Utilizing the Internet to review artists at sites such as arttv.com is helpful in providing a context for each assignment and personal knowledge of contemporary art.

I strongly believe the traditions and foundations of all artmaking are essential to student success. Keeping the elements of art and the principles of design active by demonstrating skill is crucial. Thorough and knowledgeable instructor demonstrations, lectures, specific assignments and group critiques allow the student to reflect and improve on their skill, as well as increasing their ability to solve problems independently. Honest and productive feedback is crucial to student success and providing a supportive but challenging environment is essential.

In my classes, I evaluate students on their ability to increase skill level and improve their vocabulary. With each project there is an assigned reading and vocabulary sheet. The students are also expected to evaluate their own work by responding to instructor critique questions. With the increasing use of digital media in higher arts education, it is important that students use Photoshop and Illustrator not only to create resources for drawing, but also in documenting their assignments.

Last but certainly not least, teaching is a passion. Demonstrating my love of the arts and transferring that knowledge encourages my students to learn and hopefully become the best at whatever endeavors await them.

I am a dedicated artist. Art has functioned as my spirituality, helping me to be my own friend during times of intense emotional turmoil. I have shown my work locally and nationally. Mostly I paint, but am also interested in installation, video and photography.