Goddard Application

John J Rais 1063 Mohawk Trail Shelburne, Massachusetts 01370 [email protected] johnraisstudios.com c.570-228-1029 s.413-489-3069

MFA 1998, Cranbrook Academy of Art

I would prefer to work at the Vermont campus, but I could also go to the Washington campus as well.

John Rais

1063 Mohawk Trail, Shelburne, MA 01370 [email protected]

11-4-2009 Dear Part Time Faculty Search Committee, I believe this material portrays me as a dedicated educator whose professional practice intertwines with the academic. My diverse background in sculpture and applied design education has not only given me a broad base of knowledge, but also a cross-disciplinary approach to the student’s diverse needs. My studio projects have allowed me to cross over to many other fields of art including contemporary metalsmithing and design. I embrace new technologies and new challenges as an assumptive property in progressive art. Throughout my career I have amassed a chain of professional endeavors that I feel would greatly benefit the Graduate program in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College. Upon graduating from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1998, I began lecturing and teaching workshops nationally. After a rewarding experience being a department head for three years, I left to fulfill my expanding studio opportunities. During this time, I was asked to teach courses at several universities in New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey, all the while continuing with workshops and lectures. I cherish this time in my life because I was able to closely interact with students of all backgrounds. For example, I taught a workshop where the age ranged from 16 to 88. I have taught professors, novelists, and diesel mechanics, children and of course college students. Through teaching, I came to understand that all of my artistic dealings enabled me to inject a sense of realism to the student’s understanding of the lessons. My passion for art and my hands on approach create a classroom enthusiasm that is contagious. I don’t assess the quality of the students’ work on the available metrics of the “traditional “ academic constructs. I consider where they start artistically, and where they go from there. After all, this is their journey. As an educator, I am fully dedicated to fostering an environment of diverse ideas and goals. As a studio artist I understand the intricacies of making art a sustained endeavor. I feel that my body of work and teaching background reflects an expansive attitude toward art in a state of fluid flux. I would be happy to further demonstrate my abilities to teach and assess artwork of any nature. I am excited for such an opportunity as I feel my academic skills will be an extension, and not a repetition to your program. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to discussing the position further with you. Sincerely, John J. Rais Teaching Philosophy

John J. Rais My most profound experiences in art have come from the point where, on a most intimate level, I am transported out of a point of view to see in a different way. As a student I have had these experiences in lectures and demonstrations, where the potency of the change was fully realized sometime after, while training my gaze on art and suddenly reaching a new level of understanding, a connective display that I could read. From this I had understood visual art to be a language, unlike music, or the spoken word. I approach sculpture education as a visual communication, where we the makers and educators create our own symbols, text, and context for moving our viewers into a new experience. The “reading” of sculpture doesn’t unfold in a sequential manor like written text either. It is felt, perceived, and analyzed where we negotiate our sensibilities with the physical. To me, sculpture education poses several outlining questions to the student, for which the answers are neither brief, linear, nor static. What is the relationship between thinking and doing? Many students are initially drawn to a system of making, nurturing a set of ideas or mining their ideas through the use of materials or new technologies. Others apply their art as an investigation of, and response to a nuance of the elements of culture. Some rely heavily on the intuitive spirit of making. While I certainly have my own methodological tendencies for making, I consider it my role to help students find their own. Their individual answer to this question is strengthened through development of their practice, which is both, tacit and intellectual. They will ultimately learn to mediate the relationship between thinking and doing, which blooms out of this guided experience. Experience leads a student to solidify her beliefs, writing a manual for her own ideation. I believe the undergraduate experience is a transition from a survey of methods and concepts to a refined vision of tastes and visual response. It is a mixture of new practices and ideals performed like a piece of music. Learning art involves collaboration with physical and intellectual practice held in some degree of balanced measure. It encompasses the roots of our past, the understanding of methods, and the yearning to say something unique. When designing curriculum, I choose a direction that maximizes the possibilities for a diverse array of interpretations. I generally avoid dogmatic teaching, focusing more on types of creative theologies the students bring as a response to my guidance. I want them to question, even challenge what is taught, for out of that intellectual curiosity comes a sense of ownership for their ideas. Critique is the keystone that holds all of the elements of education together. I think of the critique not as a form of judgment, but rather a discussion with informed individuals for the purpose of improving ones art. It is the sounding board for ideas, and the preliminary interface between the maker and the audience. Throughout every class I have taught; at universities, community colleges and the dozens of workshops at art centers, critique has been a time where a notable creative leap occurs in the student’s evolution. At its core, my teaching style centers on the student as an individual professional, with unique tastes and responses to the world. Sculpture is a distinct visual communication that uses symbols, space and context. It is a progressive endeavor that, when taught successfully, can transport the viewer out of himself or herself, and into a new understanding of our world. Sculpture is a shared experience that traces the past and speculation of the future into the world of now.

John J. Rais 1063 Mohawk Trail Shelburne, MA 01370 [email protected] johnraisstudios.com Studio: 570-228-1029 ___________________________________________________________ _______

Education: 1998 1995

MFA, Metalsmithing, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI BFA, Sculpture, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA

Professional Experience: 1998- Present

Owner/Operator of John Rais Studios, Shelburne, MA. Applied design and sculpture 2007- Present Board of Directors, Society of North American Goldsmiths Student Programs & Services Coordinator. In charge of Student Scholarship Program, Student Assistantships, Portfolio Review, Educators Room, Digital Image Presentation & Show. 2007 Adjunct Professor, SUNY Purchase, Purchase, NY Masters Class, Applied Design and Sculpture in Steel 2004 – 2007

Senior Lecturer, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA Small Scale Steel Working, Fall 2004 Small Scale Steel Working, Fall 2006 Metalsmithing, spring, 2005

2004

Adjunct Professor, State University of New York, New Paltz Intro to Metalsmithing, Spring

2003

Adjunct Instructor, County College of Sussex, Newton, NJ

3- D Design, fall, 2003 1999

Organizor, Curator, and Master of Ceremonies, Critical Mass, invitational exhibit and symposium of contemporary iron art, Sussex County College, Newton, NJ

1997- 2001

Department Head of Blacksmithing, Peters Valley Craft Education Center, Layton, NJ Recruited instructors and scheduled courses, presented lectures on behalf of the school, participated in various community

outreach programs. Selected Exhibitions: 2009 Reaction, St. Louis Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO Revolution, Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA Generously Odd, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY The Enamel Show, Velvet da Vinci Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2008 Solo Show, Interrupting Sentiment, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN Solo Show, Mongrels of Art, Dollie Maass Gallery, Purchase College, State University of New York, Purchase, NY Cranbrook, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN Inaugural Exhibition, Blue Stone Gallery, Milford, PA 2007 New Steel, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN Function, The Gallery Project, Ann Arbor, MI Co-existence, The Surface Library Gallery, East Hampton, NY 2006 Solo Exhibition, Massimo Bizzocchi, New York, NY Fresh from the Foundry Select works from the Kohler Art Center’s permanent collection, Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI “Bloom” sculpture show, Brookfield Center for Craft, Brookfield, CT 2005 Sculpture in the Garden, invitational outdoor sculpture show, Hawk Mountain, PA Forms Without Function, Thirteen Moons Gallery, Santa Fe, NM Seven Years of Demonstrators Exhibition, College of Creative Studies, Detroit, MI Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington D.C. SOFA Chicago, represented by Thirteen Moons gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2004 Basket Invitational, Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2003

2002 2001 2000

1999

Iron, A New Vocabulary, invitational, Penland Gallery, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC Vessels and Basketry, Snyderman-Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Sculptural Basketry, 13 Moons Gallery, Santa Fe, NM Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington, D.C. Delmano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Enhancements, Invitational Exhibits USA, Traveling exhibit to ten museums & galleries. 1/2001 Museum of the Southwest 4/2001 Del Rio Council on the Arts 6/2001 J. Wayne Stark University Galleries, College Station, TX 11/2001 Perspective Gallery, Blacksburg, VA 1/2002 Nora Eccles Harrison Museum, Logan, UT 4/2002 Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA 6/2002 Longmont Museum, Longmont, CO 9/2002 University of Kentucky art Museum, Lexington, KY 11/2002 Milton Hershey School Art Museum, Hershey, PA 1/2003 Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 6/2003 Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee, OK 9/2003 Hicks Art Center, Newtown, PA 11/2003 Texarkana Reg Arts and Humanities Council, Texarkana, TX Contemporary Blacksmithing, Sculptural, Mine Metal Art Gallery, Williamsburg, NYC S.O.F.A. Chicago “The Teapot Redefined”, represented by Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA Contemporary Baskets, American Art Company, Tacoma, WA Gallery 500, Elkins Park, PA Studio Furniture Invitational, Ironwood Gallery. Ridgefield, CT S.O.F.A. Chicago, Represented by Gallery 500, Elkins Park, PA Contemporary Baskets, American Art Company, Tacoma, WA Similar Differences: A Show of Four Object Makers, Artspace Gallery, Richmond, VA Regional Arts 2000, Marywood University, Scranton, PA Fourth Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA Four Artists From Peters Valley, Sally D. Francesco Gallery, Layton, NJ Pieces That Serve, J. Cotter Gallery, Vail, CO Twentieth Century Art Exposition, New York, NY: Represented by Yaw Gallery, Birmingham, MI Gallery Without Walls, exhibition of prominent NJ artists,

Morristown, NJ The Fork, The Spoon, The Knife, Yaw Gallery, Birmingham, MI * Also exhibited at S.O.F.A. NYC Critical Mass, invitational show/symposium of contemporary iron art, Sussex County College, NJ 1998 Invitational, Network Gallery, Pontiac, MI Members Show, Artist/Blacksmiths Association of North America, Asheville, NC Summer Show Invitational, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI In Hand and Home, architectural hardware show, Seattle, WA Refined Metals Competition, SFA Gallery, SFA University, Nacogdoches, TX 1997 Contemporary Metalsmiths, Young and Constantin Gallery, Wilmington, VT 1996 Conversations, Metal art exhibit and symposium, State University of New York, New Paltz, NY Blacksmithing Exhibit, Attleboro Art Museum, Attleboro, MA Lectures/Workshops: 2007 Peters Valley Craft Education Center, Layton, NJ, 5 day course in sheet metal sculpture SUNY Purchase, Purchase, NY, Artist Lecture series l 2006 University of Wisconsin, Sheboygan, WI, artist lecture. John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI, artist lecture. 2005 Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, “Some Assembly Required”. 2004 New England School of Metalworking, Lewiston, ME, Instructor, 5-day course in sculpture. Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 5-day workshop in forged furniture. Penland School Penland, NC, Instructor, 2 week Iron Studio course in steel hollowware. 2002 Touchstone Center for Crafts, Farmington, PA, Instructor, 5-day sheet- forging workshop. Pittsburgh Area Blacksmiths Guild, Pittsburgh, PA, Guest Demonstrator. Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 5-day mixed metals forging workshop. 2001 Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 5-day iron sculpture workshop. Berkshire Blacksmiths Association, Montgomery, NY, Guest Demonstrator/Lecturer. 2000 Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor,

3-day blacksmithing workshop. S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, NY, Guest Demonstrator/ Lecturer, North-East Blacksmiths Association. Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America International Conference, Flagstaff, AZ, Guest Demonstrator Titanium Forging. Center for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI, Guest Demonstrator/ Lecturer. 1999 Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 6-day contemporary hardware workshop. Millersville University, Millersville, PA, Demonstrator/ Lecturer. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Guest Demonstrator/ Lecturer, 2-day visiting artist, fine arts department. Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA, Guest Lecturer. 1999 Critical Mass Iron Symposium, Newton, NJ, Guest lecturer, organizer and master of ceremonies. 1997 Center for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI. Guest Lecturer. Awards: 2007 Residency, Applied Design in Sculpture Department, Purchase College, Purchase, NY 2007 Finalist, Niche Magazine Awards, Metal 2006 Residency, John Michael Kohler Art Center, Kohler, WI 2004 Artists Choice Award, Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington, D.C. 2002 Best Metals Design, Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show, Philadelphia, PA 1997 Albert and Peggy DeSalle Merit Award for achievement in art 1996 Albert and Peggy DeSalle Merit Award for achievement in art 1995 Pace Gallery Award Publications: 2007 2006 2005 2004 2004 2003 2002 2002 2002

Our House Magazine, August, featured artist Niche Magazine, December, featured metal artist Philadelphia Magazine, Fall, featured metal artist American Craft Magazine, August/September, Commissions section Philadelphia Magazine, August, feature article on the artist’s fire screens Metalsmith Magazine, Winter, Practical Matter; Contemporary Metal Furniture Metalsmith Magazine, Juried Exhibition in Print issue Ritz Carlton Magazine, Summer Metalsmith Magazine, Commissions section, Winter

2001 Skylands Visitor Magazine, Northwest NJ artists’ section, January 2001 2001 2001 2000 1999 1997 1996

American Craft Magazine, Gallery section, June/July Departures Magazine, Black Book section, January Anvil Magazine, *feature interview, January Metalsmith Magazine, gallery review section, Winter American Craft Magazine, Portfolios section, January Anvils Ring Magazine, showcase section, Winter Anvils Ring Magazine, showcase section, Fall

Books/Documentary: 2003 Maker Profile John Rais, Contemporary Makers series DVD Graham Eccles, Odyssey DVD Great Britain aprox. 48 minutes 2002 Architectural Ironwork by Dona Z. Meilach, 2001 Schiffer Publishing, page 28 2001 Fireplace Accessories by Dona Z. Meilach, 2002, Schiffer Publishing, pp. 42, 69, 219, 242 2005 Art of the Tea Pot by Dona Meilach, Schiffer Publishing 2007 500 Metal Vessels, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, pp. 25, 318 2008 500 Enameled Objects, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, p. 179 2009 From Fire to Form, by Matthew Clarke, Schiffer Publishing,