Joel T Dugan
Chair - Department of Architecture Art & Design
Associate Professor of Art
Wallman Hall 408
Office Hours:
304-367-4704
Joel.Dugan@fairmontstate.edu
B.F.A. College For Creative Studies
M.F.A. Indiana University
Curriculum Vitae:
Joel T. Dugan received his Bachelor of Fine Art form The College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, in 2002. In 2011 Joel completed his MFA at The Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Art at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Joel is an accomplished visual artist and works primarily as a painter. He has an active national and international exhibition record of over 122 solo and group exhibitions. Joel has also completed many public art commissions and multiple corporate commissions for institutions such as The Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Detroit Athletic Club, Fort Hays State University, and the State of Michigan. Joel also works to cultivate community interest in public art and community projects throughout the regions he has called home.
Joel is drawn to artists that document the human condition. He draws inspiration for his work from his life experiences. Joel currently lives with his family in Fairmont, West Virginia, where he operates his studio and serves as the Chair for the Department of Architecture Art & Design at Fairmont State University.
What do you like best about teaching at Fairmont State:
Teaching studio art is a holistic practice. My teaching principles are founded on building skills with a strong focus on contemporary art and the roles of artists. Ensuring students have a conscious understanding of the craft of their chosen trade and how that can be applied to the different disciplines of the art world. By designing curriculum that encourages self-awareness and entrepreneurship, the student is skilled, thoughtful and well rounded.
I build an organized and constructive classroom setting, encouraging my students to treat the studio like a laboratory, to experiment and trust in their process as a whole. I construct projects to solve problems, promote planning, preparation, and craft. Students explore the qualities of many mediums; giving them the foresight of what each tool offers.
To become a well-rounded artist, a student must explore the creative community around them, be able to interact in it, and write about it. Researching contemporary artists, new processes, current exhibitions and career opportunities expands upon classroom teaching. Students learn what the commitment of a career in the arts is. I frequently ask them to identify the position in the contemporary art arena that is most conducive to their taste. This helps them to seek out more artists to be influenced and mentored by. Focusing on interpretation rather than imitation, students write and present on inspiration and concept linage that extends beyond contemporary art and art history. Examples of these inspirations are current events, writings, politics, and scientific theory. Research is conducted and students develop more self-awareness and an individual voice.