New endowed professorship established to help students experience 'the artistic and intellectual power of painting'

A gift establishing an endowed professorship for Grand Valley's painting program will not only help provide continuity but also an opportunity to think big and imagine the next frontier in the painting field.

The Duisterhof Endowed Professorship in Visual and Media Arts will begin in the fall with the intent of enhancing the art education experience for students through work with an experienced painting faculty member who balances traditional and innovative approaches to technical skills along with a focus on conceptual development, leaders said.

Donovan Anderson, acting dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said he is grateful for this gift that provides long-term continuity for the painting program and affirms the value of both that program and GVSU's art education. He foresees the expert holding this position building off the strong foundation set by the recently retired Jill Eggers, a longtime painting faculty member who headed the program.

He said the artist holding this position will lead the elevation of the program by melding historical and contemporary painting techniques and perspectives while connecting with fellow creatives in the Department of Visual and Media Arts to create an interdisciplinary approach. Equitable access for students to art is key, he said, whether they are seeking baseline training or a deep dive into a discipline.

"They will have an opportunity to work with an expert in the field, a renowned painter, and be able to have that immersive experience in the painting discipline if that's what the student wants to do," Anderson said. "We want to give students access to the range of human experiences and this position allows us to fulfill that mission."

The configuration of the position allows for exciting growth opportunities for students as well as the program, said Norwood Viviano, department co-chair.

Key learning elements for a contemporary painting program include understanding history and honing foundational processes such as materials and composition while being receptive to how painting is increasingly connected to other fields, Viviano said. For instance, he noted that  experimental approaches to painting are emerging in fields such as digital or performance art.

Viviano said the potential collaboration of the painting program with other departmental programs would enhance learning for students and prepare them for a variety of educational and professional outcomes.

"Painting is bound to evolve in ways that we can't predict," he said. "We want our students to know what the history of the field has been up until the time that they're graduated, but also the potential for growth within the field. They are participating in the future of the field, so they have to be pushing the boundaries of what they've been taught and should be encouraged to do that."