Teaching
Carrie Patterson is currently a Professor of Art in the Art & Art History Department at St. Mary's College of Maryland. With over two decades of teaching experience at the college level, she engages diverse audiences with an outpouring of insight and energy.
In her arts training, career choices, and professional development, Carrie has developed a broad understanding of the academic art system and approaches the art world and creative fields from a comprehensive perspective. Carrie’s guidance for all of her students is rooted in inclusivity. As a mentor to high school and college students, Carrie’s approach is non-judgmental, future-focused, and prioritizes a personalized experience for each individual that helps them identify and achieve their goals. She is devoted to advancing the careers of her students.
TEACHING STATEMENT
Teaching and making art are inseparable practices. I learned everything I know about teaching from outstanding painters who taught me the importance of passing on the tradition of making objects. At all levels, my classes are designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of studio art practice through innovative play and conceptual inquiry.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Professor of Art, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD (2015 - Present)
Associate Professor of Art, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD (2009 - 2015)
Assistant Professor of Art, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD (2004 - 2009)
Visiting Instructor, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA (2000 - 2004)
Visiting Instructor, Cheyney State University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney, PA (1999 - 2000)
Adjunct Instructor of Art, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (1998 - 1999)
Adjunct Instructor, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ (1998 - 1999)
Adjunct Instructor, Burlington County Community College, Burlington, NJ (1998)
Adjunct Instructor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (1998)
Teaching Assistant, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (1997)
COURSES TAUGHT
Introduction to Drawing
Advanced Drawing
Drawing and Painting from Life
Italian Fieldscapes (study tour)
Introduction to Painting
Advanced Painting
Introduction to Visual Thinking
Art for Educators
Color Theory
Picturing Stories: Wordless Books, Comics, and Graphic Novels
How to See
Senior Thesis Mentor (SMPs)
STUDENT WORK
Teaching & Related Projects
SMCM Tiny House
ITALIAN FIELDSCAPES
In 2012, Patterson led a drawing and painting study tour through Northern Italy.
The collaborative book above was created by the group containing examples of writing and artwork from the three week tour.
YELLOW DOOR ART STUDIOS (2009-2018)
Yellow Door Art Studios was a community art school founded by Patterson in 2009. Many St. Mary's students and local artists taught classes to children and adults. Patterson developed an art curriculum that provides a strong foundation in visual literacy, self expression, and art education. In 2018, with the school's closing, Yellow Line Art School emerged, offering more families access to art through online lesson plans and at-home art kits.
The Yellow Line is a monthly subscription service with art projects for creative kids and young adults. Founded by Carrie Patterson in 2018, the Yellow Line features innovative art projects, high-quality materials, and new ideas in every box.
100 CREATIVE DRAWING IDEAS
Compiled and edited by Anna Held Audette, 100 Creative Drawing Ideas is a collection of interesting and original ideas for drawing projects contributed by art instructors internationally. Patterson contributed the drawing project "The Virtual Forest."
"We are St. Mary's" mural arts project. Photo courtesy of St. Mary's College of Maryland.
WE ARE ST. MARY'S MURAL ARTS PROJECT
Inspired by community art programs such as the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia and UrbanPromise in Camden, New Jersey, and further explored by classroom discussions, the "We Are St. Mary's" mural is a visual representation of the college community created by Patterson's Art for Educators and Community Activists class. Patterson says that community art provides a vehicle for understanding one another and our surroundings. “Through visual imagery people can express how they experience the world. Mural projects can create a dialogue for people to engage in critical thinking and thus interact with history and culture.”
BETTER LIVING THROUGH BEOWULF
Gifts that Come with Sitting in Church, a collaboration between artist Carrie Patterson and writer Jennifer Cognard Black.