Houghton alumna Jennifer DePaolo is a ceramicist who will be visiting Houghton next week. Gary Baxter, the ceramics professor here at Houghton and her former teacher, remembers her fondly and said, “She was a good student, got into a prestigious program.”
After graduating from Houghton, DePaolo traveled as a studio artist to Kenya, Tanzania, Mexico, Britain, China, and Spain. During these travels, she sought out the culture of art around the globe along with other artist connections.
She then acquired her MFA from New Mexico State University and decided to stay as a faculty member, teaching ceramics. Acting as teacher’s assistant and field coordinator, she also participated in the Land Arts of the American West program offered by New Mexico State University. DePaolo has been featured in several exhibits, such as Dispersal/Return Exhibition at the University of New Mexico Art Museum, the Land/Art statewide exhibition (also through the University of New Mexico Art Museum) and Art in Craft Media at the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, NY.
Now DePaolo is in New Mexico working at the Harwood Art Center as the community outreach coordinator. Her work includes working with the volunteer corps, networking with the adult art community, and writing grant proposals for all the Harwood programs. Additionally she curates exhibits, mentors interns, and helps to develop programs. At the same time she is also working as a studio artist.
DePaolo will bring her wealth of experience and skill to the Fine Arts Seminar class this semester, benefiting students and faculty alike. She will also be giving a demonstration in Gary Baxter’s ceramics classes on throwing clay and using slip as a decorative paint.
During the week of October 2nd when DePaolo is here at Houghton, she will be glazing and wood firing many of her pieces which she is either shipping to Houghton or bringing along with her. As a practicing artist, she never stops making work. Much of DePaolo’s work is about food and hunger, which echoes the theme of the Faith and Justice Symposium for this year, and will be an interesting addition to the thoughts that have already been stirred starting Wednesday of this week.