Sinclair360

Sometimes learning is better achieved through doing something than simply studying it. Perhaps that’s why Sinclair Community College art professors and students spend so much time outside the classroom, creating masterpieces to be displayed, judged and just enjoyed by the surrounding communities.

It’s an unspoken culture that has developed in the department, first modeled by the staff and then reflected by the students. Kelly Joslin, chair of the Art department and associate professor, said that it’s a high priority for her colleagues to be working artists, as well as instructors. “In art, when you are looking at studio disciplines, it is important that the faculty is exhibiting their work, because it helps them to serve as models to the students,” Joslin said. “As a community college, our focus is on teaching; but we also put an emphasis on the fact that we are exhibiting our work.”

Service beyond the classroom

Throughout the year the faculty’s work and expertise are shared all over the Dayton area. In recent years faculty members have designed sets for local theatre productions, been commissioned to create sculptures for local municipalities, addressed art societies and groups, and been awarded by local leaders for their influence in the classroom.

This year has proven to be the same. Right now Pat McClelland, who serves as gallery coordinator and collections curator on campus, has works on display at Gallery 510 in Dayton. The Link Gallery in the Oregon District is currently exhibiting works by two of Sinclair’s professors. Tess Little, who teaches sculpting at the school, has a sculpture there, alongside work by Mark Echtner, Sinclair’s painting, life-drawing and anatomy professor.

A professor’s work isn’t always displayed in closed galleries. Several years ago Bob Coates, associate professor, was commissioned to create a four-foot ceramic sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi for Mary, Help of Christians Parish in Fairborn. Little will do something similar. She was recently commissioned by the City of Kettering to create a sculpture for one of its parks.

The faculty is also very busy on campus. The school’s grounds, with their numerous galleries, offer plenty of opportunity for work to be displayed. Whether hosting work from professors, students or outside professionals, the galleries all aim to do one thing: promote the development of artists and serve as an educational resource for the entire community.

Perfecting the craft

When it does come to the classroom, Sinclair has what it takes to offer students a solid start to their future in the arts. Up to 180 students major in Art at Sinclair at any given time. That doesn’t include the hundreds of individuals from the community who take advantage of the department out of personal interest. Just about any skill can be perfected through the numerous courses offered, including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpting, photography, printmaking, art history and art appreciation.

Perhaps what draws most students to Sinclair is the unique benefit of receiving a high-quality education at such a low cost. Sinclair is one of only a handful of community colleges in the country with an Art department accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The accreditation is huge for students, because it means that they are well-received by many art schools across the nation when they go on to finish their four-year degrees.

Prestigious institutions like The Art Institute of Chicago and Pratt Institute recruit students from Sinclair. The Art Institute of Chicago even offers $5,000 transfer scholarships to students who have completed two-year degrees at NASAD-accredited schools. “It means a lot and shows that we have a really strong program,” Joslin said. “It really is a selling point, because people know that if they come to Sinclair, they can transfer those credits and be accepted to some really great schools.”

By Julie Thompson

Julie Thompson is a freelance writer in Dayton, Ohio. She can be reached at thompsonwriting@att.net.