Two Positions Available: Assistant Professor of Studio Art at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF STUDIO ART (two positions)
School of Art and Design - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois invites applications for two full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in Studio Art, with an emphasis on drawing and painting. These positions will begin on August 15, 2009.

QUALIFICATIONS

MFA or equivalent terminal degree is required, 1-3 years of teaching experience beyond graduate instruction required. Applicants should possess a demonstrated record of professional accomplishment, including the production and exhibition of artwork in painting or drawing media. Candidates should be familiar with historical and recent theory and technique pertaining to painting and drawing. Successful candidates will be adept at discussing work in paint or drawing media in relation to other fields, such as printmaking, design or digital media.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The candidate will contribute to an innovative curricular program in the School of Art and Design through teaching in Foundations and
Studio Art. The successful candidate will develop introductory
courses, seminars, and studio courses for undergraduate majors and graduate students. Candidates should demonstrate their ability and desire to support and contribute to the overall health of the Studio Arts Division, the School of Art and Design, and the University of Illinois through active research, curricular development, and faculty governance.

APPLICATION

Submit a detailed letter of application, email address, artist's statement, teaching philosophy, CV, sample syllabi, postage-paid envelope for return of materials, and a portfolio of professional and student work in the following format:

Submit one Mac-compatible CD/DVD containing ONLY images in two separate folders labeled as "student work" and "professional work". Place up to 20 digital images in each folder, saved in jpeg format and named using the following convention: "lastname_sw_01.jpg" (for student work) and "lastname_pw_01.jpg" (for professional work). Images should be optimized for screen media (72dpi) and be no larger than 2MB each. Please also provide a corresponding printed image checklist consisting of titles, date, medium, description and small thumbnail for each work included in the portfolio.

Submit all materials to: Associate Professor Kevin Hamilton, Studio Search Committee, School of Art and Design, 408 E. Peabody Dr., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820 USA. Please direct any inquiries to the address above, or to (217) 333-0855 (voice), (217) 244-7688 (fax), or kham@illinois.edu. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by January 12, 2009. Representatives from the School of Art and Design will attend the College Art Association Annual Conference, February 25-28.

CONTEXT

The Studio Arts at the School of Art and Design include research and instruction in a wide range of media and contexts. Students work toward a B.F.A. or M.F.A. degree in Painting, Sculpture, Crafts, Photography, or New Media. Curricula emphasize development of individual or collaborative projects in preparation for careers in diverse institutional settings. Graduates work in gallery exhibition, university research, education, public service, curatorial work, and performance.

Student and faculty work is supported by staffed labs for traditional and contemporary media, including maintained spaces for digital imaging, audiovisual editing, rapid prototyping, darkroom and digital printing. Bookbinding and printmaking facilities are also available, as are kilns for firing in clay media.

As part of the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Illinois, the School of Art and Design offers ready opportunity for collaborations with the Krannert Art Museum and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, and with active departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Dance, Theater, and Music. Faculty scholarship and teaching is also supported on campus by such units as the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities, Center for Advanced Study, the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and the Center for Democracy in a Multiracial Society. Through funding opportunities for research and travel, as well as occasional releases from teaching duties, these organizations contribute to a climate of rigorous production and inquiry.

As a Research I institution, the University of Illinois is strongly international, and recognized for excellence in the Sciences, Engineering, Humanities and the Arts. Supported by the nation's third largest research library and abundant technological resources, Illinois provides a rich environment for both disciplinary and interdisciplinary ventures. Champaign-Urbana is located in East Central Illinois, within short driving distance to Chicago, Indianapolis and St.Louis.

For more information, please visit http://www.illinois.edu for the University, or http://www.art.uiuc.edu for the School.

The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.


These positions will hold teaching responsibilities in our BFA and MFA programs, while making their own work toward earning tenure. Faculty here teach five courses a year. They are well-supported toward tenure through research funding for production and travel, and are typically provided with studios and ample access to specialized production facilities. Faculty in Painting, Sculpture, and New Media share teaching responsibilities for the same students at the upper levels. We graduate about 40 BFA's a year in Studio Art, and another five or so MFA's each year. Our school also houses programs in Photography, Metals/Crafts, and Design.

We're located about 2.5 hours' drive from Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Louis, in a place that holds many of the things one hopes for from a university town. Living here is pretty easy for those in education and the arts - housing is relatively cheap, and most any destination is within biking or walking distance. We have a good community of vibrant faculty here, many who moved from the coasts within the last several years and who are hungry to keep conversation and dialogue going.